2013 Hartford Court Arrendell Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

15.2% alc., pH 3.55, TA 0.62, 288 cases, $100. Released January 2016. The crown jewel in the Hartford Court lineup from a vineyard planted in 1975 to Martini clone. Wood from this vineyard has been sent to UCD to get a virus-free field selection version. The vineyard struggles to ripen less than one ton per acre by Halloween in most years. It is one of the coldest sites in the Russian River Valley and has been called the “snowshoe vineyard” because in wet years, workers need to wear snowshoes to get through the muddy rows of vines. Native yeast fermentation. Aged 17 months in French oak barrels, 44% new. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. · Moderately dark reddish purple color in the glass. The nose is flat out gorgeous filled with promising aromas of boysenberry and blackberry preserves with a wild, organic tone. Power to thrill, with a spellbinding core of dark fruits that envelope the palate and linger on the prodigious finish. Despite the fruit heft, the wine is welcoming with refined tannins, juicy acidity and a silky demeanor. A highly unique wine of uncommon provenance. Score: 96. Reviewed June 19, 2016

Winery: Hartford Family Winery
From article: Tasting Along the Pinot Road