VOLUME 9, ISSUE 24
May 5, 2013

ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE:
Cork Dork Etude: Inspired Wines of the Carneros the Gardener: Got Organic Grapes? Bravium: Relish the Acidity Rivers-Marie: 2010 & 2011 Reflect the Challenges of Farming on the Edge Dunstan Wines from Durell Vineyard Foursight Wines: Family Excels with Pinot COBB Wines: No Wine Before Its Time Sips of Pinot: Wines Tasted Recently Rosé and Chardonnay: Recently Sampled Wines Pinot Briefs

Follow The Prince

Vineyard: Platt

Owner	Joan Platt
Appellation	Sonoma Coast
Story	Owned by Joan Platt and the late Lew Platt. 30+ acres planted on a hillside about five miles from the coastline at elevations ranging from 400 to 800 feet. Located between Freestone and Bodega. Two miles southeast of Thieriot Vineyard. Racoons proved to be more of a hazard as they ate the entire first vintage of the few vines that bore fruit for the first year. Daniel Robets ("Dr. Dirt") designed the vineyard. Relatively mild climate ripens Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 15 acres of Pinot Noir is purchased by Littorai, Radio Coteau, Red Car Winery and Scherrer Winery. Goldridge soils. Clones are Pommard 5, 828, 115, 777, Calera, and Swan. Almost no irrigation, except for fertilization. Yields about 1.5 tons per acre. Lew Platt ran Hewlett Packard and Boeing and unfortunately he passed on before seeing his vineyard develop. After retiring as CEO and Chairman of Hewlett-Packard, Platt became a top-level executive at Kendall-Jackson. After his mission there was complete, he and his wife committed themselves to growing world-class grapes for a few lucky wineries.
Varieties	Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

Articles mentioning wines produced from this vineyard

Drinking Small Part 2 (8.27 12/14/2010)

California Pinot With Plenty of Noir (8.37 5/13/2011)

Small Sips of Pinot (8.16 6/8/2010)

Wineries sourcing from this vineyard

Red Car Wine Co.

Reviewed wines produced from this vineyard

2009 Red Car Dreamland Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

13% alc., pH 3.66, TA 0.573, 90 cases, $60. Released April 2011. An extreme site that struggles to set fruit. Calera, 777 and 828 clones. Densely planted and farmed intensively. 5% whole cluster. Native fermentation. Aged 15 months in 25% new French oak barrels. · Moderate purple color in the glass. The most intense aromatics in the lineup with charming aromas of black cherries, black raspberries, plums, exotic spices including cardamom and even dried rose petals and a hint of fecundity. Intensely fruited on the palate with a panoply of cherry and berry flavors that play off each other and dance on the palate. Notable tannins at this young age, but silky and light on its feet. My only nit is a very slight green note which I attribute to a slight under ripeness or oak. Very good. Reviewed May 15, 2011 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2008 Littorai Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., $60. · Very shy and demure perfume of raspberry tart, vanilla and baking spices elevating over time in the glass. A curvy, saucy wine that is somewhat forward offering a lovely array of black cherry and berry fruits with subtle spice and citrus in the background. Seamless, with a good core of ripe tannins and balancing acidity that give the wine a caressing sensation in the mouth. The best comes last, as the generous fruits cascade on the amazingly persistent finish. Pick any superlative you want. My choice would be “heavenly.” Reviewed December 14, 2010 WINERY » ARTICLE »

2008 Red Car Dreamland Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

13.9% alc., $60. · Moderately deep color in the glass. Very shy initially, opening slowly to reveal lovely scents of plums, berries, sandalwood and spice. Very soft, even ephemeral, dark berry and plum fruit which lightly coats the mouth building to a generous and lengthy finish. This wine seduces you slowly, finishing you off with a big and memorable climax. Reviewed June 8, 2010 WINERY » ARTICLE »