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2016 La Vida Bella Vineyard Pinot Noir
The cool climate and sandy soils produce beautifully pure Pinot Noir with bright red fruit and soft silky tannins. This wine is always one of the more accessible Pinot Noirs we produce.
Vineyard
The La Vida Bella vineyard is located above the floor of the Pleasant Valley area of Corralitos. Joe Quink and Pam Minnis' site features a large swale on the northern section of the vineyard with some of the steepest terrain in the area. We think this is classic "Corralitos" Pinot, has a great mix of red and blue fruit, spice and the velvety tannin we have come to know and love from wines farmed in this region.
Production Notes
The 2016 Vintage was another drought year, with early bud-break, bloom and veraison. Poor weather during the early bloom caused shatter and millerandage. Vine stress became an issue late in the year with many of our dry farmed vines showing water and nutrient stress for the first time. The resulting wines are bright and energetic with mid-weight personalities. They are profoundly aromatic and balanced wines that are site expressive and pure.
Technical Data
Vintage
2016
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains
Acid
6.6
pH
3.44
Alcohol %
12.7
Other Notes
From a hillside parcel and sandy soils, the 2016 Pinot Noir La Vida Bella Vineyard offers more purple fruits, rose, and violets notes, and it too is incredibly elegant and seamless. Possessing medium to full bodied richness, a layered texture, and ultra-fine tannins, this one is all about finesse and elegance. Drink it over the coming decade or so.
Food Pairing Notes
94 points, Jeb Dunnuck