VINTAGE HIGHLIGHTS
The spring of 2018 was warmer than the average over the previous 10 years, and fairly dry. Bud break happened in mid-April and Bloom in early June, which can be a treacherous undertaking as the spring weather can mess up a healthy flowering. A giant hail storm descended on theDundee Hills in early June, but luckily none of our Sokol Blosser Estate crop was ruined. The summer started like one giant furnace; July was a hot month and we had a lot of above 90 degree days. Just when it seemed like the hot weather would not stop, August came and more moderate weather with it. This helped slow the ripening down, and even cooler weather in September allowed us to let the grapes hang longer, resulting in riper fruit without additional sugar accumulation. The 2018 vintage is our coolest growing season since 2012, and we believe it will be our best vintage since then.

WINEMAKING
The grapes were carefully hand harvested September 15th, making them our first Pinot Noir grapes brought in! They were then sorted by hand to remove any flawed bunches and 100% de-stemmed directly into 3-ton stainless steel fermenters. These fermenters were not inoculated and proceeded with fermentation by ambient yeast which took 10 days of soaking to really takeoff. The wine have 22 days of skin contact with cap management was done via gentle punchdowns. The wine was pressed off the skins at dryness as aged in French oak barrels for 10months with no new oak. We have intentionally chosen not use new oak in this block as the fruit pairs best with more neutral oak. There were 14 barrels selected for the final blend.

WINE PROFILE
Our 2018 Peach Tree Block Pinot Noir has a nose that is rich with matsutake mushrooms, clove and dark fruit. This wine has a complex mouthfeel with notes of black cherry, plums and spice.It is smooth and round, with a hint of tobacco on the finish.

PAIRINGS
This wine pairs beautifully with lamb tajine, shwarma, and is perfect for Mediterrannian appetizers such as olive tapenaed and salty cheeses.

THE STORY
In line with the rest of our vineyard blocks, Peach Tree was named after what was previously planted here: peach trees. I remember those peach trees well, and those ripe peaches still hold a rich place in my imagination for how sweet and juicy they were. The peaches got so big and ripe that my parents would not let me help pick them as my small hand could not encompass enough of the fruit to not tear it. Oh the memories..... Now we have a little over 2 acres of Pommard and 777 Pinot Noir clone planted in this section. Of all our blocks, it always seems to produce a wild, almost un-focusedPinot Noir, with its power of fruit and flavor going in multiple directions