2006 Vintage
This was our inaugural release of the Brittan Vineyards wines. I have always had a passion for Pinot Noir; a love affair that began in the 80’s when I made several vintages under my Britt Hill label. When Stags’ Leap was sold to Beringer, I was forced to abandon my own label, and I have been looking forward to the day when I could make my own wines once again. In 2005, I left Stags’ Leap and after a long search, purchased a 128-acre parcel Southwest of McMinnville. I selected this mountain site for its rugged, broken basalt, glacial deposits and volcanic soils on the edge of the Coastal Range in the McMinnville AVA, convinced that from this site I would be able to make wines that speak of this unique place. The 2006 vintage in the Willamette Valley was very warm and dry, producing rich, ripe fruit that resulted in big, hedonistic wines with higher than normal alcohols. These wines are drinking extremely well right now, and will age another 6-8 years in the bottle.
2006 “Basalt Block” Pinot Noir
The Basalt block comes from the parts of the vineyard that have the heaviest concentration of broken basalt, resulting in low yielding vines that produce intense flavors and layers of complexity. Indicative of the 2006 vintage, the Basalt Block Pinot is a big, rich wine that exhibits flavors of black cherry, and plums, with hints of sweet spice. The Pinot Noir for the Basalt Block consists predominantly of the Pommard selection, blended with clones 777 and 115, planted on Riparia Gloire and 101-14 rootstocks. The fruit for the 2006 vintage was picked in early October and allowed to cold soak for five days before fermentation began. After fermentation, the wine was aged in French Oak barrels, approximately 35% new. The wine went through malo-lactic fermentation in barrel and was aged for 10 months prior to bottling.
2006 “Gestalt Block” Pinot Noir
The Gestalt block is named for the term that refers a set of things that amount to more than the sum of its parts. The Gestalt Block Pinot Noir comes from the most exposed blocks in the vineyard, resulting in a blend that will always be representative of the vintage and the unique site where these vines are planted. In other words, this wine represents the “gestalt” of the 2006 vintage on this site. The wine boasts intricate and complex flavors layered over a velvety texture and completed by a long, lingering finish. The Pinot Noir for this 2006 Gestalt Block is predominantly Clones 667 and 777, planted on 101-14 rootstock. The fruit for the 2006 vintage was picked in early October and allowed to cold soak for five days before fermentation began. After fermentation, the wine was aged in French Oak barrels, approximately 40% new, for 10 months prior to bottling.
- Bottled August 2007
- Production 120 cases
- Sold Out