Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir Wine

This petite vineyard is densely planted at 2,000 vines per acre and is situated on rocky fertile ground which serves as a natural water drainage. The rows are placed facing the suns daily path for interception of light for even ripening. Three Dijon clones were grafted onto rootstock to match climate behavior and the unique properties of each specific soil series. The exact properties of the soil can be drastically different from one acre to the next. Intense days are spent digging 'soil pits' along the landscape, to analyze the precise make-up of the terroir, then determining which rootstock will flourish best according to its individual growing needs. The grapevines are thinned to bear approximately 3 pounds of fruit per vine and hang 24 inches above the ground. The grapes are picked at about 25 degrees brix to ensure mature ripe fruit flavors. They are hand selected at harvest time by Lee, who tastes the grapes and chooses when to pick according to the developed concentration of flavors in the berries. After picking, the whole berries undergo a long cool fermentation to generate skin contact and expose fruit character and are fermented with wild yeast. The juice is gravity fed into small oak barrels with a touch of residual sugar remaining to complete the fermentation process in barrel until dry. It rests in 75% new French oak on its gross lees for one year. Being a particular and moody varietal to tamper with, the grapes, juice, and then wine are minimally handled. This wine is neither heat nor cold stabilized and is unfined and unfiltered.