2020 Florez Wines ‘Noble Oble’ Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains, USA

This Pinot Noir was made with fruit from the Santa Cruz Mountains at a vineyard called Hunter Hill, farmed organically without irrigation or till by German Soto. The vineyard is located 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean, tucked into the misty redwoods and situated on a slope with soils of weathered sandstone and shale loams. The cool climate produces a Pinot with good color and structure that is distinctly Santa Cruz Mountains. In a tricky year for the fruit, we direct pressed 1/3 of the fruit, destemmed another 1/3 and left the final 1/3 whole cluster. Pumpovers were used to get the native fermentation going strong, and gentle cap wettings were applied later in the ferment. Aged sur lie in 1 puncheon and 1 barrel for 10 months, before being racked, bottled, and left to bottle age for an additional 9 months this wine received no additives or added sulfites.