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2002 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Blanc

(updated 3/23/04)

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The Wine

This Pinot blanc continues our appreciation of Alsace varietals. From our newest plantings at Stoller Vineyard, there is excellent ripeness and clean flavors. Experiments have developed a process that combines classic Alsace textured and Kaiserstuhl ripe characteristics, showing a purity of fruit, lushness and huge weight on the palate. We think we've finally found the keys to making exceptional wines from a potentially monochromatic variety.

The Vineyard

Stoller Vineyards is our newest, and therefore most viticulturally advanced, of our three estate vineyards. A south-sloping, 110 acre vineyard on a 350 acre parcel, Stoller Vineyards commands a dominating view of the southern end of the Red Hills of Dundee, giving it regular comparison to Burgundy's Corton Hill. Stoller Vineyards is planted on jory soil, with a touch of Nekia, which are both red volcanic soil types. There are one and a half acres of pinot blanc at the site.

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.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 10/22/02 @25.3 brix

Fermentation:

Fermented with several yeasts in barrel (VL3, ALS, R2 & SIHA7) and in tank (ALS), barrels being neutral with a single new Vosges barrel

Cooperage/Aging:

33% barrel fermentation and 67% tank fermentation; no ML

Clonal Selection:

Bottling:

Cold stabilized, filtered and bottled 4/02/2003

Bottling Analyses:

15.5 % alcohol, 6.9 g/L acid., 3.50 pH, 0.39% residual sugar

Cases Produced:

320

Suggested Retail:

$15

Release Date:

October, 2003

Winemaker's Comments

The best job we've done yet on this variety, by an order of magnitude! Bright, papaya or pear fruited pure yellow aromatics and flavors. Although fully ripe, it has a firmness, a pear skin structure and great acid (from an almost perfect 2002 white wine vintage). It has powerful alcohol and yet carries itself with grace, a bit like Pavarotti. Now we have something to emulate for 2003.