Pinot Noir
Charles Heintz Vineyard
Located at about 800 feet elevation on Goldridge sandy loam soils and with the cool ocean influence, the Heintz Vineyard’s fruit is a quintessential expression of the Sonoma Coast.
Vineyard Notes
Since 1912, the Heintz family has owned and operated this beautiful site just east of the town of Occidental. The Charles Heintz Vineyard is a highly sought-after vineyard for premium wine producers for its quintessential expression of the Sonoma Coast. The coastal influence on the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at this vineyard gives the wine great acid and backbone with a rich palate and a touch of minerality.
Winemaking Notes
Each year, I strive to showcase the vineyard as well as that particular growing season. Once the grapes come into the winery, I will sort the fruit and decide how much whole cluster to include. The grapes begin with a cold soak anywhere from 4-7 days. Once the grapes start fermenting, I will do a combination of punchdowns and pumpovers.
After fermentation, I press in a gentle basket press and settle the wine before going to French oak barrels. The percentage of new oak can be anywhere from 20-50% and is dependent on the wine’s structure and complexity, as well as the number of barrels. While the wine is aging, I will taste all of the barrels regularly and will rack barrel to barrel as needed. Some barrels may spend up to 16 months on original lees. I bottle this wine after 20 months in barrel.
— Katy Wilson // Proprietor + Winemaker
Vintage Details
- Varietal
- Pinot Noir
- Vineyard
- Charles Heintz Vineyard
- Appellation
- Sonoma Coast