Tech Notes
Wine Details
By Iron Horse
2020 Home Block Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Note
The Home Block is three acres on the Iron Horse Estate on an east-facing slope, planted to the Calera clone. As the name suggests, it lies adjacent to the home of Iron Horse co-founder Audrey Sterling. It also is the most sheltered vineyard block on the estate.
Precision Winegrowing
At Iron Horse, "Estate Bottled" means the winemaking begins in the vineyard. Our location in Green Valley, 13 miles from the Pacific Ocean, offers the best soil (Goldridge), climate, and aspects for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Our goal is to grow the finest grapes through what we call "precision wine growing." To achieve uniform maturity, we map our blocks according to soil type and aspect, then select the appropriate varietal clone and rootstock. All pruning, canopy management, irrigation, and cover crop decisions are determined on a block-by-block (and sometimes even vine-by-vine) basis, considering both the vintage at hand and the long-term needs of the land.
Artisanal Winemaking
Hand-picked from a single three-acre block and a single clone (Calera), the grapes are destemmed into small open-top half-ton macro bin fermenters or into stainless steel tanks where they are cold-soaked (using dry ice) for four to seven days. Before fermentation is complete, the new wine is gently pressed from the skins and transferred to French oak barrels. Fermentation to completion in the barrels, allowing us to stir the lees as the wine goes through malolactic fermentation.
Precision Harvesting
Our only rule is to make the best wines we can. We wait until harvest to decide whether sparkling or still, as the only difference is the brix level (or the amount of sugar in the grapes, less for sparkling, more for still). Then, winemaker David Munksgard considers berry size (bigger is better for sparkling, smaller for still), the health of the canopy, clone selection, and even small details such as the relative dampness of the cover crop, which can make a difference. When making Pinot Noir, the key is to achieve uniformity of ripeness and maturity within the vines and clusters. If necessary, parts of a single block may be picked on different days.
Tasting Notes
Ruby red and velvety in color. The nose is dominated by black cherry, cassis, and a hint of plum. The front palate is ripe raspberries with a touch of rosemary. Mid palate has a perfect balance of oak, vanilla, and cherry. Smooth on the back palate with hints of plum, anise, and black currants with a long finish.
Technical Data
Appellation: Green Valley of Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.20%
Acidity: 5.6 g/L
Residual Sugar: Less than 0.2 g/L
pH: 3.63
Malolactic Fermentation: 100%
Barrels: 100% French, medium toast
Barrel Aged: 8 months
Harvest Date: August 29, 2020
Date Bottled: May 1, 2021
Release Date: June 2024
Suggested Retail Price: $87.00
[Information provided by Matador Vino]
Region:
Sonoma County
Vintage:
2020
Grape:
Pinot Noir
Country:
United States
Unit Size:
750.00 ML
Alcohol Percentage:
13.20
Appellation:
Green Valley of Russian River Valley
750 ML
/ 13.20% ABV 
