Description
Two bottles each of these three wines:
2018 Funky Jory
2018 The Cusp
2018 Sea Floored
"We created El Pino Club because we freaking love Pinot. It’s fickle, it’s funky, it defies expectations, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We curate exceptional Pinot Noir from around the globe, so that you can see the world through the eyes of this wonderful little grape.
Every member of El Pino Club is a unique and lovably-quirky character, bursting with personality, and undeniably true to itself. As individual cast members, they are an ode to the lands and the hands that produce them, and as an ensemble, they celebrate the full range and charm of this legendary varietal."
WINES
To capture the fullest expression of terroir, each El Pino Club wine is entrusted to a winemaker expert in the nuances of their region’s Pinot Noir. The winemakers in ‘the Club’ are given creative license to artfully blend clones selected from their best estate vineyard blocks. Their passion for Pinot and individual winemaking styles result in site-specific wines that can be experienced individually or tasted together to appreciate Pinot’s full range
2018 FUNKY JORY
WINE
Appellation: Dundee Hills
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: 115 and Wadensville
Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (25% new)
TA: 5.5g/L | pH: 3.66 | Alcohol: 14.1%
VINEYARDS
All the fruit for this wine comes from our estate vineyard in the Dundee Hills where our vines grow in — not surprisingly — red Jory soils. Rich in nutrients and high in clay content, this basalt-based volcanic soil produces Pinot Noirs with high acidity, softer tannins, and a red-fruit flavor profile.
VINTAGE
The 2018 growing season began with a cool spring and moderate rainfall, followed by a long summer — one of the driest on record in the Willamette Valley. Luckily our vines in Dundee tolerate drought stress well and daytime temperatures weren't excessive, allowing us to pick our Pinot Noir at optimal ripeness.
2018 THE CUSP
WINE
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: Pommard, 37, and Swan
Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels (30% new)
TA: 5.86g/L | pH: 3.66 | Alcohol: 14.6%
VINEYARDS
Our 45 acre Trenton Road Vineyard is located in the Russian River Valley AVA of Sonoma County. Planted to a variety of Pinot Noir clones including Pommard, 37, and Swan, this vineyard is ideally situated to benefit from morning fog and afternoon sunshine. Grapes were harvested on September 28, 2018.
VINTAGE
The 2018 growing season was one of the most consistent in recent memory. Mild spring weather led to prime fruit set and ideal growing conditions to set the stage for producing the perfect Pinot Noir. The temperate weather allowed for an extended hang-time and fully balanced ripening.
2018 SEA FLOORED
WINE
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Clones: Pommard, 667, 777, 459 and 113
Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (50% new)
TA: 6.4g/L | pH: 3.51 | Alcohol: 13.9%
VINEYARDS
Fruit was sourced exclusively from our two estate vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills, each sited to benefit from the cooling influence of the Pacific Ocean. The Rancho Santa Rosa vineyard is planted on steep, south-facing slopes in limestone soils. Rancho Las Hermanas is the westernmost property in the AVA, with vines growing in over six different soil types, all of ancient marine origin.
VINTAGE
The 2018 growing season got off to a fast start with a warm February, followed by a cooler spring. Warm weather arrived mid-June with no extreme heat spikes, allowing the grapes to retain their acid levels with slow and steady maturation of flavors. Picking was three weeks later than usual, but the gradual ripening rendered rich and in-depth flavor profiles that were worth the wait.