Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir

THE VINEYARD
The Spanish term Las Alturas means the heights, a fitting name for this vineyard located on one
of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the
sunny but very cool climate creates a wine bearing all the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust,
expressive, full bodied and balanced by a firm acidity. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountains
and the western side of Salinas Valley, Las Alturas benefits from early morning fog which rolls in
most days from Monterey Bay then burns off within a few hours. Gusty winds funnel in from the
bay throughout the afternoon, moderating the overall temperature and contributing to one of the
longest growing seasons in California. The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick
skins, giving us more color concentration. Another attractive characteristic of this vineyard is the
low-vigor, free-draining sub-soil made up of a calcareous base underneath a layer of sandy loam.
This complements our farming techniques to further reduce our yields per vine and augment the
fruits intensity.
THE 2016 GROWING SEASON
After a winter that brought below-average amounts of rain, warm weather in February kickstarted
the Monterey County growing season with early bud break. Sunny weather continued in March
and April before a persistent marine layer in May cooled things down. Just when we were starting
to get worried about the fruit maturing properly, June warmed back up and was followed by mild
temperatures for the remainder of the season. The result was even ripening of a beautiful crop and
a harvest that began two weeks earlier than the normal.
WINEMAKING
We harvested early in the morning so the fruit would arrive at the winery while the grapes were still
cool to preserve the vineyard-fresh flavors. After de-stemming but not crushing the berries, we
cold-soaked the fruit for up to two weeks to soften the skins and allow for ideal extraction. During
fermentation in a combination of closed and open-top stainless steel fermenters, we used both
punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and tannins, and also to control temperatures and
maximize flavors. We barreled only the free-run, discarding the press, then aged the wine in 100%
French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) for up to nine months. After racking the wine once
malolactic fermentation was complete, we racked it a second time before making the final blend.
TASTING NOTES
Deep garnet in color with an aromatic medley of black cherry, marionberry, ripe plum and a
hint of anise. Dark fruit on the palate with flavors of wild berries, caramelized oak and cacao nibs
complemented by subtle notes of vanilla, cedar and a hint of lavender and forest floor. Rich and
unrestrained, this wines abundant fruit is beautifully balanced by firm acidity and layers of red
and black fruit.

SOIL:
Gloria sandy loam
CLIMATE:
Cool, very sunny
GROWING SEASON:
(bloom to harvest)
April 12Oct.10, 2016
AVERAGE HIGH TEMP:
77.9°F
ELEVATION:
540-1,210 ft.
RELEASE DATE:
August 2017

Region Description

In California, This is a 500,000 acre wine region spanning from San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County. The appellation runs down the coast of the Pacific Ocean and is known for its cool climate and high rainfall. The grapes that produce the best wines from this region are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.