2017 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Basalt Block McMinnville

TASTING NOTES With a nose of dark, sweet fruit, fresh fennel, anise, tobacco, breakfast tea, sandalwood and wet stone, the 2017 edition of our Basalt Block Pinot noir is true to form. Notes of dark cherry, blackberry, cola, sweet spice and minerality on the palate lead to a long, bright and crisp finish.

VINEYARD NOTES The Brittan Vineyard lies just 12 miles southwest of McMinnville, tucked into the foothills of the Coastal Range. The original 18 acres were planted in 2001, but due to the challenging nature of this site and limited topsoil, only eight acres survived. Since 2004 when Robert and Ellen Brittan purchased the vineyard, it has been an ongoing rehabilitation project: replating, retraining and learning the unique landscape that has become the Brittan Vineyard. The Pinot noir for the Basalt Block predominately consists of the Pommard selection, blended with clonal selecions 667, 777, 115 and Swan. The vines are planted on Riparia Gloire, 3309 and 101-14 rootstocks.

VINTAGE NOTES Akin to the prior three vintages, 2017 provided a consistently warm growing season for the vines at our estate vineyard, resulting in generous (for us) average yields approaching two tons per acre. Springtime flowering and fruit set, while delayed by a cool and wet winter, were even across the blocks and dry conditions at harvest meant little to no pressure from disease. The resulting wines are full bodied yet retain the mineral notes and taut core of acidity that have become the hallmarks of Brittan Vineyards.

PRODUCTION NOTES The fruit for the 2017 vintage was picked in late September and early October. The wine was aged in French oak, 15% new, for 12 months. BOTTLED:DECEMBER 2018 CASES PRODUCED:343

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