90 Points - Wine Spectator
2015 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Confluence Vineyard - Lower Bench
Sold Out
In addition to marking the coming together of two creeks, our Confluence Vineyard embodies two distinct terroirs: rich-soiled benchlands and a steep hillside. This diversity has inspired two limited-production Pinot Noirs – Confluence Lower Bench and Confluence Hillside. The Lower Bench vines are grown in Confluence’s fertile benchland soils, and ripen weeks later than our hillside grapes producing generous dark fruit flavors and earthy tannins.
Wine Spectator
90
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Cooperage: 100% French oak Burgundy-style barrels (228 liters), 60% New Oak, 40% Neutral; Medium plus toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Winemaker Notes
Grown in the deep, fertile soils of the lower bench of Confluence Vineyard, this is a beautifully terroir-driven wine, with layers of dark cherry and ripe raspberry. On the palate, it is rich and generous with hints of minerality, moist earth and saddle leather adding nuance and depth to the voluptuous fruit flavors. The finish is long and lush, with silky tannins and a just a hint of sweet oak.
Production
At Goldeneye, we had the earliest start to harvest ever (August 13th), and our earliest finish (September 14th). In the Anderson Valley, early harvests are welcomed, as it can get very cold and wet by mid-October. After three vintages in a row of big crops, yields returned to near average levels, with the grapes showing phenomenal quality and purity. Because of the crop size and the early harvest, we had the luxury of picking all of our grapes at ideal physiological ripeness. As a result, the wines show all of the hallmarks of great Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, with equal parts lushness and beauty, mixed with savory notes, and a touch of wildness.
Other Notes
Released: September 2018
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2015
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Anderson Valley
Vineyard Designation
Confluence Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 1 – 13, 2015
Sugar
24° Brix at harvest
Acid
0.52g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.85
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Alcohol %
14.50
Wine Spectator
90
