Wines> 2006 Arcus Estate Pinot Noir
| $100 ($80 A-List) |  |
ORIGIN: Arcus, meaning ‘bow’ in Latin, describes our estate vineyard that wraps around both sides of a small valley in the heart of the Dundee Hills. Capturing the distinctive terroir of this single vineyard, the 2005 Arcus Estate rewards Pinot Noir devotees with an expansive nose, compelling mid-palate, elegant finish and a superior expression of the varietal.
VINEYARD: The vines at Arcus Estate are planted on steep slopes that complicate farming, but consistently produce intensely flavored, rich fruit. This wine was made from plantings of self-rooted Pommard clones blended with Dijon clones 777, 667 and 115 grown on south, southeast and west facing slopes. The grapes at Arcus Estate were hand harvested between September 16 and October 2, 2006, based on each block’s optimal physiological ripeness.
WINEMAKING: Fermentation for the 2006 Arcus Estate was conducted in both stainless steel and wooden open top fermentors, utilizing an average of 3% whole clusters. The fruit was hand sorted and soaked cold for an average of 5 to 8 days, after which native yeast fermentation was allowed to proceed under temperature controlled conditions. During primary fermentation, tanks were manually punched down two times per day. After limited post fermentation maceration, the wine was sent via gravity to 79% new French oak Francois Freres, Damy and Tonnellerie Rosseau barrels where it aged in our caves for 11 months prior to bottling.
TASTING NOTES: The 2006 Arcus Estate opens with intense floral and fruit aromas of violet and rose petal, fresh black cherry and red currant. The palate is generous, confectionary and concentrated with notes of black cherries and raspberries, star anise and mulling spices. Saturated with fruit on the palate, this wine shows great depth and succulence with plush, integrated tannins and persisting notes of floral spice and fresh berries. Expressive and concentrated, this wine is open and vibrant now, however it may improve with proper cellaring over the next 3 to 8 years.
This wine is available for a limited time in our store. Purchase this wine here. >>