6 - 2012 Hangtime Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir, Force Canyon Vineyard, 750 ml
2012 Hangtime Arroyo Seco Pinot Noir, Force Canyon Vineyard
The grapes for Hangtime 2012 Arroyo Seco Force Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir were on the vine for an average of 124 days, developing intense, balanced fruit flavors. Hangtime winemaker Tony Coltrin aged the wine in 100% French oak barrels, 33% new, for seven months to add roundness and a zesty spice tone. Cool-climate viticulture, extended hangtime and careful winemaking have combined to produce a rich Pinot Noir with lovely rose petal aromas touched by a hint of vanilla bean, initially raspberry, then fig and black cherry flavors, and a long, lingering finish. Enjoy it with grilled salmon, rosemary chicken, baked ham, marinated lamb chops and lighter pastas.
The Hangtime 2012 Pinot Noir Force Canyon Vineyard demonstrates the superior quality of Pinot Noir from a cool-climate regions in which the grapes enjoy a long “hangtime” on the vine. By focusing on the winemaking process on the concentrated flavors cool-climate grapes develop, Hangtime winemaker Tony Coltrin crafts consistently delicious wines that eloquently express their appellation of origin and unique site terroir. We named this wine after a key part of viticulture – the amount of time grapes spend hanging on the vines ripening to perfection. The longer it takes to reach that peak of ripeness within the growing season, the more concentrated the fruit character emerges, resulting in a wine with distinctive & delicious varietal expression. Winemaker Tony Coltrin keeps a close eye on the clusters hanging in the vineyard in order to decide exactly how many days on the vine they need to attain complete maturity. For our 2012 Pinot Noir, that ideal number turned out to be, on average, 124 days.
Appellation
Nestled against the cool Central Coast’s Santa Lucia Mountains, the Arroyo Seco AVA claims one of California’s longest grape-growing seasons. Arroyo Seco’s alluvial, gravelly and sandy loam soils, coupled with cool breezes from Monterey Bay, offer the optimal growing conditions for an extended ripening period. This ensures the slow, steady development of impressively concentrated flavors balanced by natural acidity.
Force Canyone Vineyard
Featuring steep canyon walls and excellent water drainage, the Force Canyon vineyard in Arroyo Seco is an ideal location for growing high quality, concentrated Pinot Noir grapes.