Duckhorn Goldeneye Gowan Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014

Two miles north of the Confluence Vineyard in the heart of the Anderson Valley, our Gowan Creek Vineyard sees appreciably more coastal fog. The unique terroir of this site brings together elements from both the valley’s warmer regions and its cooler, northern “deep end.” Offering an ideal Southwestern exposure and an array of unique vineyard blocks, Gowan Creek is planted to eight different clones of Pinot Noir, each carefully tailored to a specific site and soil type. The powerful and expressive wine produced from these vines displays beautiful inky depth and robust, untamed fruit flavors. Varietal Content 100% Pinot Noir Cooperage 65% New, 35% Second Vintage French oak Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests Barrel Aging: 16 Months This is both a blockbuster Pinot Noir and a wine that will reward patience. The effusive bouquet offers alluring dark fruits, a myriad of spices and hints of French oak. The palate features the signature elements of this pedigreed vineyard: deep, dark Santa Rosa plum, black currant, dark chocolate, cinnamon and pennyroyal. As it opens up, every sip gains nuance and complexity, revealing layers of sandalwood, cedar, and Tahitian vanilla bean. Though ripe and sweet, the substantial tannins will reward cellaring. The 2014 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.