About this WINE
Kenwood Vineyards
Kenwood Winery was established in 1970 in Sonoma County, California,when a group of wine enthusiasts from the San Francisco Bay area restored the old Pagani Brothers Winery which had been originally built in 1906. The winery has its own 22-hectare estate but also sources grapes from elsewhere for its blends.
The grapes for this Zinfandel are drawn from Sonoma, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek, all excellent quality areas. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks the wine is aged for up to 19 months in a combination of French and American oak. Zinfandel is now regarded as one of California’s indigenous grape varietals, even if it may trace its origins back to Italy where it has a remarkable resemblance to the Primitivo.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
The Russian River Valley is one of the coolest areas in California, as is evident in this pure and well-made Pinot Noir. It is elegant, combining the ripe red cherry fruit of California but with typical Russian River Valley restraint. Soft tannins combine with the macerated red fruit notes to make an extremely drinkable wine.
Catriona Felstead MW - Wine Buyer
Kenwood Vineyards were founded in 1970 by wine enthusiasts from the San Francisco Bay area who bought and restored a winery from the early 20th century. The vineyards, although not certified as organic, are farmed sustainably with no use of synthetic herbicides or pesticides. The estate has 22 acres of vineyards, but also has contracts with other quality and environmentally conscious growers, who have contributed just under half the fruit for this wine.
The wine was vinified with 10% whole berry fermentation and was then aged for 10 months in French oak barriques that were 1 to 3 years old. The cool nature of the 2011 vintage suited Pinot noir admirably.
Martin Hudson MW - Wine Buyer
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