2018 'Grand' Pinot Noir

2018 'Grand' Pinot Noir

Artfully blended from the most exquisite lots of Pinot Noir from the 2018 growing season, ‘Grand’ is our ultimate expression of the Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard. At the blending table, each lot was thoughtfully selected for its character, complexity and age-worthiness, and for its ability to create an unparalleled expression of Sea Smoke Pinot Noir. To create the most harmonious and captivating wine upon release, Grand was patiently aged for 16 months in barrel and cellared for an additional five years in bottle.
  • Vintage 2018
  • Alcohol 14.7%
  • Vineyard Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard
  • Appellation Santa Rita Hills
  • Varietal 100% Pinot Noir
  • Cooperage Exclusively French oak - 46% new barrels

  • Tasting Notes

    Seductively combining old-world elegance with new-world opulence and expressiveness, this majestic Pinot Noir offers alluring aromas of elderberry, fig, freesia and Victoria plum; with notions of ground cacao and violets. On the palate, luxurious layers of black fruit, bay laurel, jasmine and Asian spice are framed by supple, robust tannins that carry the flavors to a long, refined, finish.

  • Winemaking

    Hand-harvested, clusters were sorted in the vineyard and gently destemmed following an evening in our cold room. All ‘jack stems’ were removed on the sorting table. Musts were cold soaked in open-top fermentors, and inoculated with cultured yeasts to begin slow fermentation. Each tank was manually punched down two times per day, with a total maceration time of sixteen to twenty-eight days. Upon completion of primary fermentation and maceration, all free run wine was transferred to tank for settling, and pressed at extremely low pressure (0.08 bars) to avoid extracting bitterness. After settling overnight both free-run and press wines were racked to barrels.