93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
2009 Goldeneye Estate Grown The Narrows Vineyard Pinot Noir
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Situated on a narrow ridgetop at the northernmost tip of the Anderson Valley, The Narrows Vineyard is a
historic mountain ranch planted with mature Pinot Noir vines. A mere 10 miles from the rugged Mendocino
Coast, our low-yielding hillside vineyard is affected by strong marine influences that produce summer fog and
cooler daytime temperatures. These extreme conditions provide the perfect setting for growing grapes of great
intensity, resulting in a complex Pinot Noir of depth that embodies the vineyard’s wild beauty and natural
intensity.
Wine Enthusiast
93
Wine Profile
Production Notes
Varietal Content: 100% Pinot Noir; Cooperage: 70% New, 30% Second Vintage French oak; Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Winemaker Notes
The Narrows is a mountaintop vineyard located in the cooler “deep end” of the Anderson Valley. The grapes from this distinctive site consistently yield complex, age-worthy wines that strike a balance between rusticity and sophistication. Perhaps the finest vintage ever from The Narrows, this thought-provoking wine offers a nose of fresh-picked raspberries and blueberries, alongside savory mushroom and buttery herb layers. On the palate, the fruit continues to sing with huckleberry and blackberry notes. Though the structure is intense and focused, this is also an elegant and age-worthy Pinot Noir.
Production
The 2009 harvest began at a measured pace in our Confluence and Gowan Creek vineyards, before the arrival of a ten-day heat wave. This heat wave was beneficial for two main reasons. Not only did it push the fruit in the warmer end of our valley to perfect ripeness, it allowed the vineyards in the colder “deep end” to catch up from a cool growing season. Just as important, the heat was followed by an extended cool-down, which essentially “held” the fruit in perfect balance as we picked block by block to garner the best wines.
Other Notes
Released: March 2012
Wine Specs
Wine Specs
Vintage
2009
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Anderson Valley
Vineyard Designation
The Narrows Vineyard
Harvest Date
September 25 – October 22, 2009
Sugar
25.0° Brix
Acid
0.51 g/100 ml titratable acidity
pH
3.94
Aging
16 Months in Barrel
Alcohol %
14.5
Wine Enthusiast
93
