< 1996 Estate Vineyard Selection Pinot Gris
COMPLETE TASTING NOTES
Chalk Hill's Pinot Gris is grown in one of the coolest areas on the estate, a north-facing slope with fairly shallow clay-loam soil ideally suited to this grape. Pinot Gris is an early ripening varietal, but only occasionally reaches full ripeness in its best known appellation, Alsace. In California, however, there is sufficient heat nearly every vintage to fully mature the fruit, enabling Chalk Hill to produce Pinot Gris in Alsace's Vendange Tardive, or fully ripe, style. Chalk Hill's Pinot Gris block is planted to two Alsace clones, Colmar 152 and 146, both known for low yields and high quality.
Traditional Alsace methods were used to produce this Pinot Gris. Whole clusters were gently pressed, and the juice was racked to neutral cooperage for fermentation with natural yeasts. The fermentation ceased naturally with a very slight residual sugar. Malolactic fermentation was discouraged, as in Alsace, but vigorous native strains of bacteria fermented a portion of the malic acid. The wine was aged in neutral cooperage, and then in larger tanks, as in Alsace. The lees were stirred biweekly throughout ageing to enhance the wine's mouthfeel and structure. The final blend was assembled in December 1997, and fining was minimal.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
- Blend:
- 100% Pinot Gris
- Vineyard:
- Block K
- Appellation:
- Chalk Hill
- Ageing:
- Ten months sur lies, Three Year-old French oak/Tank
- Fermentation:
- 100% in barrel, 100% natural yeasts, 100% partial malolactic
- Harvested:
- August 29, 1996, Brix 25.5°, T.A. 6.5 g/l, pH 3.69
- Bottled:
- January 1998, T.A. 5.7 g/l, pH 3.47, R.S. 0.31 g/100ml
