2006 Pinot noir | Meredith Mitchell
In the Vineyard
In 2006, grapes received quite a bit of hang time to develop a lush and hedonistic flavor profile. By the time the right flavors developed in the grapes, the potential alcohols had risen to high octane levels! At Raptor Ridge, we eschew watering and acidifying our wines, so please enjoy this once-in-a-decade vintage — 2006.
Meredith Mitchell Vineyard is a rocky, warm site located in the coastal sedimentary soils of the McMinnville AVA. The rows of the vineyard we lease are right on the spine of the hill — the inflection point where the southern slope changes its tilt from the east to the west. Consequently, the soils in this spot are quite rocky with broken basalt and quite thin.
At the Winery
We harvested on October 2, bringing the fruit in at 26.6 Brix, 5.4 to 6.2 TA, and 3.29 pH. 100% of the fruit was destemmed while adding about 30ppm of SO2 post destemming. The fruit was harvested early in the day and delivered promptly to the winery before 11 a.m., nice and cool. No artificial/mechanical cooling was applied to the fermenters. We allowed the grapes to cold soak at ambient temperatures for about four days and then inoculated with commercial yeast strains RC212, BM45, and BRL97. After 21 days of soak and fermentation, the wines were pressed off at between -0.8 and -1.5 Brix, settled overnight in tank and racked to barrel clean.
The 2006 Raptor Ridge Meredith Mitchell vineyard designate is a selection of our eight barrels that best show the signature characteristics of the vineyard. The cooperage was a range of 62% new French oak from Ermitage and Remond, as well as older barrels from Dagard Jaglin, and Francois Frere.
Tasting Notes
Shouts its color — blackberry! Aromas of concentrated raspberry infused with savory herbs and hints of salt pork. Initial flavors of blackberries and bing cherries wrapped in briary tannins. A complex wine with grip and depth held nicely in balance with the sweetness of fruit and an elegant acidity.
