St. Francis Pinot Noir

We source Pinot Noir fruit from vineyards located in the cooler areas of Sonoma County including Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley and Bennett Valley. These areas experience a marine influence from the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay as cool air, fog and wind rolls in at night during the summer, dropping temperatures substantially. This natural air-conditioning is ideal for Pinot Noir as it allows the grapes to develop deep flavors while retaining natural acidity. To capture the distinct varietal characteristics of each vineyard, the lots are fermented separately starting with a five to ten day cold soak to extract optimal color and flavor. After a long, slow fermentation the wine is racked off into French Oak barrels, 25% new, where it undergoes natural malolactic fermentation followed by aging for eight months before blending and bottling.