Harvest Moon Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2003  750ml Not currently available   Your Shopping Cart: Join one of the Harvest Moon Wine Clubs and save up to 30% on wines!

Vintage & Varietal

2003 100% Russian River Pinot Noir
103 Cases produced.
Brix at Harvest: 24.2
Alcohol: 14.1%
Residual Sugar: .03%

Grower & Winemaker's Notes

This fruit came off a small young vineyard off Piner Road Russian River Valley. With heavy early morning fog still lingering, it was one of the first vineyards picked in 2003. At the crush pad, part of the bunches were destemmed and part of the lot was placed in the open-top fermentor whole-cluster, allowing for more tannin structure and spice. Upon fermenting dry, the lot was pressed-off and racked twice, and then placed in new French Latour oak where they sat undisturbed for a several months. From that point on, the wine was moved via gravity which helps prevent unnecessary oxygen exposure. We bottled the wine in February 2005.

Tasting Notes

Mastering Pinot Noir is the most difficult feat for a winemaker. It takes excellent precision in both the vineyard and in the winery to produce a beautiful Pinot.  Enjoy its straight-forward, clean demeanor.  There's more clove and dusty cherry than our '02 vintage.  The tannin level is a bit more pronouced than I expected, but this will allow the wine an extended cellaring of 8-10 years.

Tasting Update:  2/25/11:  With nearly 7 years in the bottle, I cracked one of the remaining 13 bottles tonight.  In a word, wow.  My nose was greeted with that distinct blue fruit and clovey aromas that this vintage offered.  The now soft, pillowy tannins are refreshing to experience considering my style of higher acids and lighter bodies but as I mention day after day in the tasting room, these are cellar worthy wines that with 5+ years in the bottle, the tannins settle and acids integrate allowing for more of that typical RRV Pinot mouthfeel!  This was the only Pinot Noir I had played the 14.1% alcohol game.  If you don't know about this game many wineries play, notice (but don't make it a compulsive issue as I have) just how many RRV Pinot Noirs and Chards which are labeled... exactly... 14.1%.  It's a joke because the only factoid we give you on the label is the alc % and many of us in this industry can't even be honest with  that!

This was my biggest Pinot I had ever made and for the style, it's not bad at all.  The once new oak that stuck out on the finish has totally taken its spot adding a nice chewy characteristic on the finish.  The dustiness of this Pinot is showing more but the fruit is still vibrant and fun to drink.  We enjoyed half the bottle with fresh homemade chicken soup (using the whole chicken and not just remaining parts) and fresh seeded sourdough from the local Village Bakery.  Simple, elegant yet fun evening.   

I'll open another in a year and share! Cheers!