BURGHOUND scores

2007 Pinot Noir – Horseshoe Bend Vineyard: (Russian River Valley, 14.4%, $38, 179 cases). A more complex but no more elegant nose displays cranberry and fresh red raspberry notes that accompany the appealing red pinot and spice hints that also carry over to the delicious, focused and nicely detailed flavors that possess a textured mouth feel and good intensity on the solidly long finish. This is also relatively understated and leaves plenty of dry extract on the finale. 90/2012+

2007 Pinot Noir – TNT Vineyard: (Russian River Valley, 14.2%). This quite resembles the 2006 version except the aromatic profile is slightly more elegant and not quite as ripe with supple, forward and rounded middle weight flavors that possess a dusty character and much better finishing depth than is brought to bear by the nose. I like the delivery as well as the developing complexity and this should amply reward patient cellaring. 91/2013+ Burghound.com’s 72 California Pinot Noir Selections

SEPT.29th, 2009

The Gamay Noir at Turner Vineyard in Knights Valley begins picking today. The 2 acre vineyard is not all ripe but a section at the top is. We are expecting about 1 ton of fruit to come in.

SEPT. 27th, 2009

Last night we attended the 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. We entered 2 wines & won 2 medals;
2007 TnT Pinot Noir - GOLD medal winner
2007 Horseshoe Bend Pinot Noir - SILVER medal winner

SEPT. 18th, 2009

Horseshoe Bend Vineyard is being picked.

SEPT. 15th, 2009
After 7 days of cold soak & 9 days of fermenting, the Ruxton was pressed off & put into oak barrels.

Most of the crew ...and the reward

SEPT. 12th, 2009

Picking TnT Vineyard:
4a.m. we awoke to thunder, lighting & light rain. As we arrived at TnT vineyard to pick at 6:30 a.m. it continued. As the 20+ pickers began to pick the East side of the 2 1/2 acre vineyard the thunder and lighting subsided and the morning light and the moisture from the rain assisted. The light rain had made the stickiness that usually annoys me, non existent, nice. Our incredible crew was done by 9:30 with the entire east side plus a small amount from the very right of the West side picked. Totalling 1.7 tons coming in at 25.5 brix.

We toasted to our morning efforts with a glass of wine & a BBQ with our hosts Tom'n Tanya as the grapes were delivered to the winery. They hit the sorting table by 10:30.

SEPT. 6th, 2009

Walked through the TnT Vineyard. We will pick the 1 block on the East side next saturday. The West Block is not ready. The seeds are still green.

The Ruxton juice is in tank tasting really nice with lots of color. Fermentation has started.

Mat is going out to Horseshoe bend Vineyard tomorrow morning to check it.