2017 Flowers Sea View Ridge Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

VINTAGE NOTES

The 2017 growing season began with sustained and intense rainfall. Prolonged

heat in July was followed by much-needed cooler weather in August allowing for

complex flavor development. With strong heat in September, Mother Nature brought

challenges, but our estate vines acted with resilience and poise throughout the heat

conditions. Cool marine air arrived just in time for harvest, a welcome respite

for a challenging growing season. The result of the 2017 vintage is wonderfully

expressive, estate-focused wines that convey a vivid sense of time and place. Warmer

temperatures in 2017 translated to a beautiful intensity of fruit and a supple, evolved

texture. Already enticing in the glass, the wines will grow even more alluring as they age.

WINEGROWING NOTES

Sourced entirely from our organically farmed Sea View Ridge Vineyard. Given the

extremes of this site, including elevations of 1,400 to 1,875 feet, each small block

ripens at its own pace. The soils on the ridge tops are shallow and rocky with a mix

of volcanic soils in the lower blocks and broken sandstone and shale higher up, which

naturally restrains yields. Clonal selections of 2A, Swan, Calera, and 777 formed the

primary source for the final blend. Planted in 1998, these older vines produce fruit

with layers of complexity and wines with exceptional natural acidity.

WINEMAKING NOTES

All fruit (95% de-stemmed, 5% whole-cluster) was hand-picked and rigorously

hand-sorted prior to going directly into small open-top fermenters. A cold soak at

50 degrees for 5 days prior to native fermentation was performed and followed

by an average maceration period of 17 days. The cap was kept moist by daily gentle

punchdowns. Free-run wine was drained and cellared in 100% French oak, 23%

new, for 14 months and filtered prior to bottling.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Aging: 100% French Oak, 23% new, for 14 months

Alcohol: 13.5%

Total Acidity: 5.6 g/L

pH: 3.5