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2002 Ridgecrest Vineyards CERISE™

(updated 4/26/04)

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The Wine

Cerise™ is our name for a predominantly Gamay noir blend with Pinot noir. Both varietals are best done in Burgundy and both exhibit a palate of cherry flavors and aromas. "Cherry" in French, Cerise is our tribute to a high fruit, moderately serious red wine. In Burgundy they do one too, called passetoutgrains, blended at approximately 80% Gamay noir to 20% Pinot noir, for drinking while waiting for their highly structured pinots to develop. Ours is made with the same casual purpose in mind.

The Vineyard

Our oldest estate vineyard, Ridgecrest is a 37 acre vineyard on a 72 acre property. Beginning in 1980, this site pioneered grapegrowing on Ribbon Ridge, a small ridge on the western end of the Chehalem Range and Valley. Soils are Willakenzie, a transition soil series exhibiting characteristics of both volcanic and sedimentary underlying structures. The rich, supple black cherry and blackberry fruits are characteristic of Ridgecrest Vineyard and the Willakenzie soil type. Excellent acidity and a finesseful texture and finish are hallmarks of the vineyard site, being relatively high in elevation, mature in vine age and deeply rooted. There are two acres of Gamay noir planted at the site, in perhaps the oldest commercial planting in the US.

The Vintage

2002 is an amazing vintage, characterized by an early, warm growing season, a spurt of rain prior to the harvest period that served to stabilize sugars, acids and pHs, and a dry, long harvest period with cool-to-moderate temperatures that allowed us to pick at precisely timed points for ultimate ripeness. For example, Pinot noir was picked over a full month, from September 26 through October 26. Healthy croploads permitted full ripeness over this extended harvest, with excellent concentration and retained acidities. (For more, see the Spring 2004 newsletter feature article, The 2002 Vintage, As Good As They Say?)

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested on 10/21/2002 @ an average 24.7 brix, 3.28pH, and 6.0 g/l TA, from a 2.26 tons per acre cropload

Fermentation:

19 days total fermentation with 8 days pre maceration

Cooperage/Aging:

11 months in barrel, racking twice

Wine Selection:

Gamay noir (80%) and Pinot noir (20%)

Bottling:

Sterile filtered and Bottled 09/10/03

Bottling Analyses:

14.9% alcohol, 6.5g/l TA, 3.36pH

Cases Produced:

270

Suggested Retail:

$18

Release Date:

May, 2004

Winemaker's Comments

A powerful, surprising wine, even for fans of Cerise. Many will not know it from a big, spicy Cote de Nuits Pinot noir, and some may even, from a more domestic vantage, call it the best zinfandel they've had. It may be the best Cerise since 1992, or better. It is black-garnet with a deep-well sort of depth, is spicy with loads of clove and nutmeg, and has a soft, round fruit somewhat atypical of Gamay noir grown here—probably the heat. It has excellent weight, nice balance and no apparent acid or tannin edginess. A best.

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