The 2015 year delivered another stellar vintage. A mild winter caused early bud break, followed by protracted bloom and unseasonably cool weather in spring, resulting in smaller grape clusters and variable crop size. So although there isn’t a lot of it, the quality of the crop this year was exceptional, the fruit enormously flavorful.
*Passion* was hand-crafted from the Vine Hill vineyards, approximately half from the north block and half from the south block. The Vineyard is 100% Pommard clone on 104-14 rootstock. The vines are trained to double cordons with 15 to 17 clusters per cordon yielding 3.00 to 3.25 tons per acre. The cool growing conditions with foggy mornings and ample warm sunshine contribute to the complexity of the fruit and the incomparable finish.
The gravelly Gold Ridge loam is the distinguishing characteristic of the Vine Hill region that produces the most outstanding Pinot Noir in the world. Here the clay and gravel soil is covered with 12 to 18 inches of Gold Ridge Sandy Loam from which this vineyard produces rich elegant Pinot Noir with soft mouth feel and a long delicate finish.
We do not blend *Passion* with any other clones preferring it to be 100% Pommard, aged in medium toast French oak barrels for eleven months.