93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
2012 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Split Rail Vineyard
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Located in the cool heart of the Anderson Valley, along California’s windswept Mendocino Coast, Split Rail is the most recent addition to our collection of estate vineyards. With a varied topography of undulating slopes and benchlands, 16 distinct blocks of Pinot Noir and nine different clones, it is also one of our most diverse vineyards. This diversity contributes to a complex and nuanced expression of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir that balances focused red fruit elements with impeccable structure and depth.
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
93
Wine Review Online
94
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Cooperage: 50% New, 50% Second Vintage French oak; Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Winemaker Notes
True to its mid-valley origins, the 2012 Split Rail Pinot Noir combines characteristics from both ends of the Anderson Valley, bringing together the signature dark fruit, root beer and black tea notes of the warmer part of the valley, with the herbal spice, wild berry and black pepper elements of the valley’s cooler deep end. This cellar-worthy bottling will reward decanting or a few years of patient aging.
Production
After a cold, dry winter, we did extensive pruning to delay budbreak until the optimal time. Early spring rains and warm weather produced ideal conditions from bloom through fruit set. Though we set a larger-than-normal crop, the clusters were dense and compact with abundant small berries, which is perfect for high-quality wine. Warm summer days, cool nights and clockwork fog allowed for slow, even ripening and the retention of acidity. We harvested block-by-block over an almost languid two-month period. Like the Anderson Valley itself, the resulting wines are pure and complex, balancing a natural richness with a rustic elegance.
Other Notes
Released: March 2015
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2012
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Anderson Valley
Vineyard Designation
Split Rail Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 11 – October 11, 2012
Sugar
25.0° Brix
Acid
0.50 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.86
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Bottling Date
February 2014
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Spectator
92
Wine Enthusiast
93
Wine Review Online
94