2010 Fort Ross Vineyard Sea Slopes Pinot Noir

This past weekend I had a fantastic wine from the new California AVA, Fort Ross-Seaview. After writing a blog on this new AVA (February 4, 2013), my husband and I have been trying to sample as many Pinot Noirs from this AVA as possible. This weekend we sampled a 2010 Fort Ross Vineyard Sea Slopes Pinot Noir. It did not disappoint. 

Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery

 

The Winery

Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery was founded by South African transplants Linda and Lester Schwartz. After living and working in San Francisco, they discovered a beautiful location on the Sonoma Coast in 1988 to start a winery. The planting began in 1991. Theirs is the closest winery to the Pacific Ocean, less than one mile. It sits seven miles north of the Russian River Valley, and 2 miles southeast of the old, Russian settlement of Fort Ross. The vineyards are all planted above the fog at 1,200 to 1,700 feet above sea level allowing the grapes to receive plenty of sun, but high temperatures are moderated by the cooling Pacific breeze. In addition to Pinot, they also produce Chardonnay, Pinotage, and a Rosé Pinot Noir. The 2010 Sea Slopes Pinot received 95 points in the April 2013 edition of Wine Enthusiast. At a price of just $36 a bottle, my husband and I were anxious to try this wine.

 

The Tasting

Color:  Beautiful, bright ruby red.

Nose:  Wow, can you smell the terrior! What a wonderful big nose with tea, and forest notes as well as dark berry and plum.

2010 Fort Ross Sea Slopes Pinot Noir
 

Taste:  A wonderfully well balanced, complex wine. It was smooth and elegant - definitely a California Pinot, but with more finesse than some of the “big” California Pinots. Also, it has a nice bit of spice with the red fruit. After sampling alone, it was paired with beef tri tips prepared on the grill and sautéed zucchini and squash seasoned with rosemary and thyme. It was a great pairing. I didn’t think the finish on this wine could get any better, but it definitely did! And what a surprise with the vegetables, the herbs just popped with earthiness of the wine. I almost felt like I was dining in the woods along the Pacific Coast!

 

Conclusion

I’m definitely glad we went in a case of this wine! We ordered directly from the winery and received a nice case discount which helps to offset the cost of shipping. I think you would have a difficult time finding another Pinot as wonderful as this for just $36 a bottle. In fact, you will have a hard time topping this beauty at any price!

 

Cheers,

Beth

 

Wine Word of the Week

Glycerol: One of the minor by-products of fermentation, glycerol, or glycerine, has no color, no aroma, and a light, faintly sweet taste.  Its thick, syrupy quality is thought to contribute to a wine's texture and viscosity.

 

 

 

 

    

 

    

A New California AVA-Fort Ross-Seaview

 

  

     After more than ten years of hard work, a new AVA (American Viticultural Area) became official on January 13, 2012. The Fort Ross-Seaview AVA received approval from the Tobacco, Tax, and Trade Bureau (TTB) in December of 2011. This new AVA overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is located entirely within the current Sonoma Coast AVA. 
 

     What makes this AVA special? Like most AVA’s, it is the geographical and climate conditions specific to the area. The western edge of this new AVA runs parallel to the Pacific Ocean, but lies just a bit inland, 0.5 to 2.5 miles. The rest of borders tend to run along ridge lines. It is 27,500 acres, but roughly only 500 of those acres are actually planted with vines. The majority of the vineyards are found at elevations of 920-1,800 feet above sea level. Why plant the vineyards at some of the highest elevations in the state? Planting this high allows the grapes to grow above the fog line. This allows the vineyards to receive longer periods of sunlight and warmer, more moderate temperatures than land at the lower elevations allowing the grapes to reach proper maturity. The growers believe this unique growing region with a cool, maritime climate, and rugged topography produce a distinctive wine.

     This new AVA is home to just 18 wineries. As you can imagine with such rugged conditions, yields are naturally low. The majority of grapes grown are Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but you can also find Pinotage, Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Syrah, and small amounts of Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne. Some wonderful, award winning wines can be found in this region. If you plan to visit, just remember, getting around can be a bit more difficult because of the terrain and some of the wineries require appointments for a visit. Here are just a few of the wineries.



 

Flowers Vineyard sitting above the fog.

Flowers Vineyard and Winery

Flowers sits on top of a coastal ridge that borders the Pacific Ocean. Their two vineyards that produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sit at 1,150-1,875 feet above sea level on the “extreme” Sonoma Coast. Owners, Walt and Joan Flowers ran a successful nursery in Pennsylvania before coming to California and opening their winery. I was able to try their Sonoma Coast 2009 Pinot Noir recently at Lucas Park Grille, in St. Louis, and enjoyed it very much. They have a great video on their website www.flowerswinery.com  that gives a great idea just how “extreme” this AVA is!



Fort Ross Winery

Fort Ross Vineyard and Winery

This winery sits just one mile above the Pacific. You can see Bodega Head and Pt. Reyes from the vineyard. Like Flowers they produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but they also have Pinotage. All of their wines are estate grown on 28 small mountain blocks 1,200-1,700 feet above sea level. Check them out at www.fortrossvineyard.com.

Hirsch Vineyards

Hirsch Vineyards

I love the name of their signature Pinot Noir, San Andreas Fault Estate www.hirschvineyards.com.
Pinot Noir. The grapes are grown just a mile from the famous San Andreas Fault line. This vineyard was founded in 1980 by David Hirsch to grow fruit and produce site specific wine. Hirsch vineyards are also known for their Chardonnays, learn more at

     I hope to have the opportunity to taste more of these wines in the future.

Cheers,

Beth

 

WINE WORD OF THE WEEK

 

Maceration:  The chemical process by which tannin, color, and flavor are extracted from the grape skinsinto the wine.  Temperature and alcohol content influence the speed at which maeration occurs.