2018 Ferrari-Carano Sky High Ranch Pinot Noir
Winemaker Notes
This wine opens with delicious aromas of baking spices, licorice, dark fruits,
floral notes and a hint of chocolate, complemented by juicy flavors of black
cherry, currant and blueberry. This naturally-balanced wine has a velvety texture
and a dazzling complexity that is layered with notes of toast and lingering spice
on the finish.
Food Pairing Notes
Sky High Ranch Pinot Noir is a seductive, aromatic wine that pairs well with
salmon, duck, pork and meat entrées such as beef bourguignon or rack of lamb.
Try pairing this Pinot Noir with cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Gruyère or goat.
Chocolate covered strawberries would make a delightful dessert pairing.
Composition
100% Pinot Noir
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Alexander Valley
Acid
5.7 g/L
pH
3.62
Aging
34% new French oak
Bottling Date
August 2019
Alcohol %
14.4
Production Notes
The grapes are hand harvested and hand sorted in the field. They are gently
destemmed and transferred to small, stainless steel open top tanks or bins. After a
three-day cold soak, various yeast strains are introduced. Fermentors are punched
down one to three times per day. Wines are pressed when dry and then moved
to barrels to complete malolactic fermentation. The blend was assembled in July
and bottled in August 2019.
Vineyard Notes
Sky High Ranch Pinot Noir is a superbly-crafted wine made from mountaintop vineyards
located on Mendocino Ridge, high above Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. 2018 was a very good year with ideal weather conditions for the vines. Spring
produced great set, and average rainfall led to good yields. Consistently warm
temperatures during the summer months without any drastic heat spikes or rain
events allowed for longer “hang time” for the grapes, which led to fully ripe flavors.