Au Bon Climat – Pinot Noir Oregon 2018

2018 Oregon harvest were very good. The summer was warm, with a cool fall. This ‘cooling off’ at the right time, retained more acid in the fully ripe Pinot Noir giving us the kind of fruit balance we like. The Pinot Noir was fermented in 5 ton open-top fermenters, and punched down once or twice daily. We included some whole clusters in the fermentation. If the grapes ripen slowly, the stems are not bright green but have evolved to ‘browning off (lignified), then we include some whole clusters in the tank. These lignified stems add more complexity and substance to the wine. The wine was aged for 18 months in François Frères French oak barrels.