- Wines
2018 Will's Cabin Vineyard Pinot Noir
Aromas: Cranberry, rhubarb bitters, almondwood smoke, raspberry coulis
Flavors: Rhubarb compote, gingerbread cake, pomegranate fruit leather, chocolate covered marzipan
Profile: Perky, intense, lithe, soaring. Pair with roast duck, glazed lamb lollipops, truffled mac n’ cheese or porcini and parmesan risotto
Tasting notes provided by Laura Ness, wine writer
Vineyard
Will’s Cabin Vineyard is less than half a mile from the Gist Ranch Estate. The vineyard sits on fine, sandy soil known as vaqueros sandstone. It is also north facing and 200 feet higher, making it much cooler than Gist Ranch. Here we have planted swan and Mount Eden clones. Uniquely, we’ve also incorporated Mariafeld, a clone originating in Switzerland, which tends to add more tannin and a deeper color to the wine. This clone is used to create a pinot noir named after the vineyard as well as our Rosalee rosé of pinot noir.
Winemaker Notes
2018 was another dry but not particularly warm winter; this changed in early February. A high-pressure system brought daytime temperatures into the 70’s, warming the soil and initiating bud break at some vineyard sites. In March, a cold front settled in and brought nighttime temperatures down to freezing, risking frost damage to the new shoot growth. These ‘false’ springs have become much more common in recent years. Summer was mild, leading to a marginally later harvest. The concentrated wines are poised and complex with depth and structure.
Technical Data
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Santa Cruz Mountains
Vineyard Designation
Will's Cabin Vineyard
Acid
6
pH
3.61
Alcohol %
13.9
Other Notes
The 2018 Pinot Noir Will's Cabin Vineyard is another wine in this range that impresses with its sheer depth. Ripe black cherry, cola, spice and mocha show a darker, more voluptuous side of Pinot. This is a decidedly potent, extroverted wine. This is the first vintage that includes a new block that is typically vinified with less whole clusters than the norm here. - 93 points. Antonio Galloni, Vinous