94 Points - Wine Enthusiast
2009 Goldeneye Estate Grown Confluence Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Our Confluence Vineyard is located in the heart of the Anderson Valley, adjacent to the headwaters of the Navarro River. The vineyard offers a unique range of soils, from benchland to gravel strata, as well as varying exposures including hillside slopes and protected pockets. This natural diversity allows us to choose clones ideally suited to each specific vineyard block, ultimately yielding grapes possessing a variety of expressive flavors and characteristics. The opulent Pinot Noir produced from this valley floor vineyard displays voluptuous red fruit components and plush, supple tannins.
Wine Enthusiast
94
Connoisseurs' Guide
90
Wine & Spirits
91
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Cooperage: 70% New, 30% Second French oak; Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Winemaker Notes
Featuring both hillside and valley floor plantings, Confluence Vineyard is one of the most diverse properties in our Estate portfolio—and the warmest. In 2009, this resulted in a powerful wine with gorgeous fruit and spice layers, as well as more sophisticated elements of pennyroyal, cola and moist, dark earth. Though there is excellent acidity and abundant high-tone red fruit notes, as the wine develops it reveals power and depth with more dark berry and chocolate layers that lead to a long mineral and spice finish.
Production
The 2009 harvest began at a measured pace in our Confluence and Gowan Creek vineyards, before the arrival of a ten-day heat wave. This heat wave was beneficial for two main reasons. Not only did it push the fruit in the warmer end of our valley to perfect ripeness, it allowed the vineyards in the colder “deep end” to catch up from a cool growing season. Just as important, the heat was followed by an extended cool-down, which essentially “held” the fruit in perfect balance as we picked block by block to garner the best wines.
Other Notes
Released: March 2012
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2009
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Anderson Valley
Vineyard Designation
Confluence Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 10 – October 8, 2009
Sugar
25.0° Brix
Acid
0.57 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.73
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Enthusiast
94
Connoisseurs' Guide
90
Wine & Spirits
91
