Production Notes
Varietal Content
100% Pinot Noir
Cooperage
65% New, 35% Second Vintage French oak
Medium toast: Allier, Vosges and Tronçais Forests
Barrel Aging: 16 Months
Winemaker Notes
A dark, brooding nose features savory elements of lilac, cracked pepper and pine, as well as dark fruit and a hint of toast. On the palate, this wine is broad, viscous and densely packed with layers of sappy dark fruit and holiday spice. The Narrows’ signature notes of earth and forest floor add complexity and character to a long, compelling finish. This nuanced and beautifully structured wine has ample aging potential. If enjoyed in its youth, we recommend a few hours in the decanter.
Production
The season began with a wet winter and spring. Despite rain and cool temperatures we had a window of good weather during bloom, and saw little-or-no shatter. Overall, we set a normal crop load of approximately 2.0-2.5 tons per acre. We chose not to do any substantial leaf stripping. As a result, we saw almost no sun damage during a heat event in late August. This ideal hot weather allowed the vines to focus on ripening. Harvest began on September 15, and we picked our Estate vineyards block by block over five weeks. While the Brix were a little lower than normal, we always pick in a spectrum of Brix for added complexity, and all our fruit was in the preferred range. Overall, the 2010 vintage produced great color, fantastic aromatics and balanced acids, all with the fleshy structure and texture that are hallmarks of great Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.