Crafting Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is an alluring challenge for winemakers. Capable of producing plush, spicy, complex wines –Pinot is also extremely finicky in the vineyard. Our vineyards have 25 different clones of Pinot, each offering a subtly different expression of the varietal. Capturing the rich, complex flavors of Carneros fruit in our red wine is an exercise in subtleties — a delicate task that is as much about what we don’t do as what we do. Read on for an intimate glimpse at how we craft our Carneros Pinot Noir, and to learn why a gentle touch is the secret to our plush, elegant wine style. Harvest
The Buena Vista Carneros vineyards were replanted starting in 2003 in unusually small blocks. The average size of the new blocks is just two acres, compared to 20 before replanting, allowing us to farm and harvest each block at the proper level of physiological maturity.
When the time is right, we hand–harvest at night to minimize premature crushing and keep temperatures cool.
Once a grape is harvested, the quality potential begins to drop. It is imperative to convert it into wine as soon as possible.Small ventilated harvest boxes preserve freshness and allow air to circulate and for any accidentally liberated juice to drain away.When stacked, the design prevents crushing of the grapes in the box below.We avoid the large harvest bins where the weight of the grapes can crush the grapes at the bottom.Harvesting in the cool night hours preserves the bright acids that contribute to the elegance of Carneros wines and slows oxidation and microbial action that can reduce quality in the critical period between harvest and crush.Immediately after harvest, the grapes are rushed to our nearby crush–pad for optimal freshness.In this way, the full character of the vineyard is retained.
Crush
Back in the winery, the grapes are gently de–stemmed and crushed in two separate steps. First, the grape bunches are placed on a sorting table where unsuitable bunches are rejected. Then the grape berries are separated from their stems and the berries go onto a second sorting table where unripe or damaged ones are rejected. Only then are they gently crushed (just enough pressure to break the skin and liberate juice). Unlike white wines, the skins are kept together with the juice to release their rich colors and tannins. F or Pinot Noir, the must (juice, plup, skins and seeds of crushed grapes) is first "cold soaked" for several days before fermentation is allowed to commence. This technique is especially good for Pinot Noir, giving more precise control over the extraction of flavor, color and tannins. It results in more highly defined fruit flavors, especially on the mid–palate and better overall balance.
Fermentation
The agricultural palette of wine may start in the vineyard, but the science begins here in the winery with fermentation. The sweet must undergoes primary fermentation in temperature–controlled, open–top stainless steel tanks, during which yeast converts the sugars into alcohol, carbon dioxide gas, heat and flavorful esters. This natural process may take weeks and is closely monitored by Jeff Stewart and his team, with special attention to tannin development. Proper tannin content provides finished wine with depth, structure and the ability to age well. When this point is reached, the ruby–red wine is gently pressed off the skins. At Buena Vista, we have a brand new stainless steel, computer–controlled basket press (the kind that looks like a round picket fence). This is a modern version of the old, traditional wine presses and is used to gently extract a softer, more elegant and complex Pinot Noir.
Aging
After primary fermentation, the wine is transferred to the finest French and American oak barrels for aging. Here it undergoes secondary, or malolactic, fermentation, where bright, harsh acids are converted to soft, silky flavors and textures. Each type of barrel has its own flavor profile according to the specific origin of the tree and the practices used by each copper and the toast level on the barrel. Our winemaker chooses the barrels whose flavors most compliment the wines. Barrels chosen for Pinot Noir can add such flavors as vanilla, toast, caramel, graham cracker, smoke and roasted coffee. The wine remains in the barrels inside a cool, dark cellar for about one year, slowly acquiring delicious oak and vanilla aromas and softening its tannins. During this time, the Winemaker is constantly tasting and re–tasting the wine, waiting for the optimum time to create his blend. This is where the signature of the winemaker’s skill and style really start to affect the finished wine.
Blending
From harvest to aging, each vineyard lot is kept separate, ensuring its complete development is unencumbered by early blending. At the end of the aging process, Jeff Stewart moves from scientist to artist, creating the finished blend of these lots, balancing complementary flavors from different clones and wine lots, aromas and textures for a multi-layered and elegant finished wine.
When crafting Pinot Noir, Jeff emphasized the extraction and preservations of red cherry — one of the distinguishing marks of Carneros Pinot — as well as raspberry, spice and another Carneros "marker" — a deliciously earthy "walk in the forest" component. Jeff’s oak profile brings toasty vanilla, clove, Asian spice and smoked meat while avoiding excessive tannins to maintain the inherent silkiness of Pinot Noir. The wine typically spends 10 months in wood.