Duckhorn Goldeneye Ten Degrees Pinot Noir 2011

The name Ten Degrees pays homage to the unique, cool climate of the Anderson Valley and the fact that even though our four estate vineyards span a modest eight miles, they often display a temperature variance of as much as 10 degrees from The Narrows Vineyard in the cool “deep end” to our Confluence Vineyard in the south. To add to this natural climactic diversity, our Estate program consists of 200 acres and more than 96 individual blocks of Pinot Noir with 49 unique combinations of clone and rootstock material. The 2011 growing season was the coldest in the 15-year history of Goldeneye. In the vineyard, we benefited from our experience as cool-climate winegrowers, and the exacting control we are able to apply to our Estate vineyards. We adjusted practices to compensate for the weather, with extra leaf pulling and vineyard-floor cultivation. We also did extensive fruit drops in multiple passes to encourage complete ripening with overall yields of approximately 2 tons per acre. The long, temperate season allowed for extended hang-time, and the majority of our grapes were harvested before the rains. The resulting wines are bright and elegant with slightly lower alcohols, lovely aromatics, natural acidity and pure fruit flavors. Our 2011 Ten Degrees is a wine with a profound sense of place, capturing both the diversity and the rich, rustic depth that define the Anderson Valley. As it languidly unfurls, it eloquently reveals its pedigree. From our Gowan Creek Vineyard, it draws a plush fruit core of Santa Rosa plum and blackberry, alongside layers of sandalwood, dark chocolate and clove. Confluence Vineyard contributes length and breadth with fine, beautifully textured tannins and underscoring notes of fresh-picked red cherries, wet stone, pennyroyal and cinnamon. Rounding out the blend, our Split Rail Vineyard brings an almost architectural structure to the wine, as well as weight, body and notes of fennel, leather and candied spice.