2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Gris

A crisp and refreshing white wine that pairs well with food.  This "iconic" Pinot Gris represents the unique growing conditions of the Russian River Valley.

Pinot Gris produces a white wine with a varied hue, extending from a pale green to straw to a rose color. The wine style ranges from crisp, light and dry, such as those produced in northern Italy (where Pinot Gris is called Pinot Grigio), to richly, textured, aromatic wines from France's Alsace region (where Pinot Gris is called Tokay d'Alsace). At Inman Family Wines we craft a stylish and distinctly individualistic Pinot Gris that represents the unique growing conditions of the Russian River Valley. Our cool region and well-drained soils ripen the grapes slowly, allowing fully mature flavors to develop while preserving a crisp, elegance. Its delicate aromas, attractive flavors, opulent texture and balanced acidity make Pinot Gris an ideal food wine. The wine pairs nicely with vegetable dishes, appetizers and simply prepared fish such as salmon and halibut and shellfish, particularly crab and scallops. Pinot Gris' good acidity and slightly spicy characteristics complement the herbs and spices found in Thai and Indian cuisine.

Appellation: Russian River Valley

Fruit Sources:  Olivet Grange Vineyard - Clone 146
                                    Saralee’s Vineyard - Clone 152

Harvest Data: The 2008 growing cycle was challenging due to frost; in our own Olivet Grange Vineyard, we lost nearly all of the Pinot Gris, harvesting only 0.47 tons. Additional fruit for this wine was sourced from Saralee’s Vineyard. We harvested both vineyards by hand early on September 3rd. BRIX was 23.9 for the fruit from Saralee’s and 22.4 from Olivet Grange. The two lots were pressed together.

Kathleen Inman’s Winemaking Notes
In terms of the winemaking, I followed almost identical protocols to those I used since 2004. An extra clean pick in the field, followed by whole cluster pressing. Once pressed, the juice was cold-settled overnight The wine was barrel fermented in 79-gallon stainless steel barrels. Maximum temperature during fermentation was recorded at 68 degrees F. At the end of primary fermentation, one barrel was inoculated with malolactic bacteria. The wine rested on its gross lees and had weekly batônage until the New Year, when it was racked clean to tank for cold stabilization. It was cross-flow filtered prior to bottling with screwcap closures on February 12, 2009.  The wine was not fined and is suitable for vegans.

Wine Facts:

14.1% alcohol
0.8 T.A.
3.5 pH
210 Cases

Tasting Notes:
Color: Pale Straw
Aroma: Floral, stone fruit, pear, citrus, hints of nutmeg and cardamom
Flavor: The wine is well balanced, clean and refreshing. Typical of Pinot Gris, it is showing stone fruit, golden delicious apple and quince. Additionally there is a hint of citrus, particularly kumquat, on the palate. The wine finishes with a flinty mineral character. The mouthfeel is generous for a Pinot Gris and the finish is long.

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