Vista Montone

CLIMATE:

As with Carneros, this area enjoys a Region 1 climate. (There are five categories of climates as determined by UC Davis with Region 1 being the coldest.) A typical vintage involves warm winters, cool windy summers, overcast skies and little rainfall (under 25 inches a year). The long temperate growing season lets the grapes ripen slowly and evenly.

SOILS:

Fagen Soil Series, Fagen Clay Loam. These soils are formed in material weathered from sandstone and shale. The surface layer is a grayish brown, medium acid clay loam about 10” thick. The upper 18” of the 36” subsoil layer is dark grayish brown, medium acid clay. The lower 18” is a light yellowish brown, medium and sandy clay loam. Weathered sandstone is at a depth of 46”. Permeability is slow. The effective rooting depth is 40” to 60”.

WINEMAKING:

For Pinot Noir, winemaker Joe Shirley incorporates extensive seed removal into the cap management process as well as oxidative rackings during the barrel aging period. This allows the tannins to polymerize more fully creating larger, softer tannins out of smaller, more aggressive and angular ones. It also helps release the aromatic berry character inherent in the grapes. For Chardonnay, Joe uses many traditional Burgundian techniques such as barrel fermentation and lees stirring to enhance bouquet and mouthfeel.

WINE CHARACTERISTICS:

Trinchero's Vista Montone Chardonnay defines the expression understated power. It is dense, well-structured and delicious. The Pinot Noir from this property is deep, rich and spicy with underlying earth, strawberries and sandalwood.