2006 Pey-Lucia "Frisquet" Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands
• Superb, mature site in one of California's most respected Pinot Noir AVA's, situated next door to "Rosella's" Vineyard
• Meticulous viticultural practices; superb clones, sustainably farmed, low yields, twice hand-sorted clusters
• Modest new French oak (35%) and bright acidity expresses sense of place and purity of noble Pinot Noir grape
• Only fifteen barrels (370 cases) were bottled in January 2008
Price: $39/bottle
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• Awards & Accolades•
"Jonathan and Susan Pey named this wine Frisquet, which is French for "very cool," referring to the vineyard's cool climate location. The 34-year-old vineyard borders highly regarded Rosella's Vineyard and can have a 30 degree variation in daily temperatures. Bright, lively and engaging on the nose with a generous palate; blackberry, cherry and spice plus warm oak closes the sale. Elegance and persistence on the tart-edged finish."
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San Francisco Chronicle
"The Pey-Lucia "Frisquet" Pinot Noir is supple with pretty cherry and spice flavors. I like the 2006...it's more structured with higher acidity, so should age well."
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Laurie Daniel, San Jose Mercury News
• Vintage 2006•
January & February were very cold and heavy March precipitation filled the aquifer nicely. Spring weather was wet but by flowering the sun had arrived and led to good cluster development. Veraison was a bit late, signaling a late harvest, but a brief heat spell in July brought timing to "norma" and the vintage ended in October with average yields of delicious fruit.
• Vineyard •
Pey-Lucia "Frisquet" Pinot Noir comes from an ideally situated site in the higher elevations of the Santa Lucia Highlands. While vines were first planted in the region in the 1790's, most of the appellations development came in the 1970's. Located at the northern end of the appellation, the vineyard was originally planted in 1974, borders the Rosella Vineyard, and is just north of Gary's Vineyard. Shallow, nutrient-poor soils are full of sandstone (Arroyo Seco Sandy Loam) which provides excellent drainage despite low winter rainfall (<10"/year). This cold climate is known has one of the longest growing seasons in the state and a typical day will see temperature swings of over 30?F. Prevailing coastal winds blow in like clockwork around 3 PM from the nearby Pacific and keep the site very cool ("Frisquet" in French) – perfect for our high-quality Pinot Noir.
Sustainable farming plays an important role in our winegrowing. Drip irrigation, diverse cover crops, Integrated Pest Management and other practices contribute to the development of a well-balanced vine, soil and vineyard.
The Pommard clone, originally brought into the US in the 1940's from Burgundy's Château de Pommard makes up half of our cuvée and is renowned for its excellent color, intense fruit and superlative spice elements. The balance of "Frisquet" comes from the Wädenswil clone, much celebrated in Oregon and which showcases impressive perfume and finesse. Together their collaboration exceeds the sum of their parts.
• Winemaking •
Our modus operandi calls for very gentle handling from vineyard to bottle. Clusters were hand-harvested, hand-sorted, destemmed & crushed (25% whole berry) on October 16 and "cold soaked"for 2 days in small open-top fermenters. Fermentation began naturally with native yeasts and followed by Burgundian yeast. Warm fermentation (90° F) and daily punchdowns helped build structure and texture. No pump-overs. On Day 8 we gently pressed our still-fermenting juice into small French oak barriques where it slowly completed primary and secondary fermentations. French barrel cooperage (35% new) included the renowned Cadus & Remond. Fourteen months maturation (zero racking, zero fining) and extensive "sur lie" stirring contributed exotic spiciness and wonderful mouth-feel.
• Wine Facts •
Regional Composition: Santa Lucia Highlands AVA – 100%
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir (50% Pommard, 50% Wädenswil)
pH: 3.50
TA: 0.61 g/100mL
Alcohol: 14.2%
RS: Dry
Total Production: 15 barrels (370 cases)
Fact Sheet
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