Foley
Pinot Noir
Santa Maria Hills Vineyard
Santa Maria Valley, Foley Estate, Estate Bottled
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Sugar at harvest: 23.8-24.6
Alcohol by volume: 13.8%
Total Acidity: .84
pH: 3.44 |
The Santa Maria Hills Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley is the sole source of
grapes for Foley Estates Pinot Noir. This exceptional vineyard, which is planted
to vines of thirty years of age and older, is one of the oldest vineyards in the
county, and yields fruit which is extremely expressive. Unlike the arrangements
governing most contracted vineyards, Foley's lease is specifically over 63 acres
of vines in the Santa Maria Hills Vineyard and thus affords them tight control
over the crop and its quality. By selectively green harvesting clusters, Foley
increases the concentration and depth in the Pinot Noir grapes, in turn concentrating
color and flavor elements in the wine.
Once the grape sugars have reached approximately 24 degrees Brix, the grapes are
hand harvested, transported to the winery, destemmed and crushed into small, open-top
fermentors. The juice is inoculated with cultured yeasts and the fermentation
set off, coming to completion after ten to fourteen days. During this time the
caps are punched down by hand three times a day to carefully extract the color
and flavors. Following maceration, which usually corresponds to the fermentation
period, the wine is pressed from the skins and pumped into tanks. After settling
for several days the wine is racked into French oak barrels for aging. All French
oak from various coopers, predominately Radoux, Seguin Moreau, and Dargaud Jaegle,
is used of which approximately 50 percent is new each harvest. The wine remains
in barrel to age over a period of 13 to 15 months.
The wine is examined three weeks before blending and any barrel not meeting Foley's
standards of organolelptic quality is removed from the winemaker's consideration
for the final blend. This selection process allows the winemaker to layer and
shape the most complete expression of Pinot Noir. The wine is bottled between
December of the year following harvest and March of the year thereafter.
Foley Pinot Noir is deep crimson in color with layered scents of luscious black
cherry, spice and rich cranberry offset by classic earth notes. The flavors are
lush and silky, with a smooth texture and a refined balance of moderate tannins
and crisp acidity. The finish is lengthy, with a concentrated silky texture.
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