2009 Pinot noir | Meredith Mitchell
In the Vineyard
Since vintage 2000, we have sourced fruit from Frank Mitchell and Susan Meredith and their eponymous vineyard. We’ve always worked with fruit sourced from the “hog’s back” of the vineyard – the inflection point where the south-facing slope switches its easterly tilt toward a westerly slope. Here, the soils are the thinnest and rockiest with the greatest outcropping of broken basalt at the surface.
Grapes were harvested October 9. Harvest chemistry was 25.1 Brix, 3.36 pH, and 5.8 TA.
At the Winery
Grapes were 100% destemmed and cold soaked for 5 days. Fermenters were then warmed to 73ºF and inoculated with specific commercial yeast strains, (BRL 97 or BM45). Fermentations were strong and hot and finished completely dry after a total of 9 days on the skins. Wines were gently pressed and settled in tank for 48 hours then racked to a range of 57.5% new French oak barrels from various coopers (Deferrari, Ermitage, and Remond).
Tasting Notes
Never known for being coy, our Meredith Mitchell 2009 has a lot to say in the glass. On the nose it’s like a bakery, with cherry galate and strawberry rhubarb pies lining the shop. Savory notes of cigar box and cola also waft through. The palate confirms the dominant warm and meaty fruit notes – big, ripe pie cherries and dark blue fruits like blueberry and plum pervade. Some black tea, brown spice, and cardamon notes are also present. These rich fruit notes are wrapped in thick tannins, giving it a medium+ finish. In comparison to the more refined and silky Shea Vineyard designate, Meredith Mitchell brings a more rustic counterpoint to the Raptor Ridge lineup. This wine also seems to have the “bones” that have more capacity for aging gracefully, unlike some of its more over-the-top 2009 counterparts.
