2005 Santa Maria Valley
Price: $65.00
2005 DierbergVineyard PinotNoir “Steven” Santa MariaValley
At Dierberg Vineyard we make three tiers of Pinot Noir from our Santa Maria vineyard. The “Steven” bottling is intended to be the vineyard and winemaking team’s chance to show off the very best wine the vineyard can produce. Viticulture and winemaking are pushed to the limits of precision and nothing short of perfection is acceptable.
Vineyard Notes
Dierberg Vineyard is situated atop a sandy loam mesa above the South Bank of the Santa Maria River. The ranch features a series gently rolling hills and soils that are uncharacteristic of the growing area. The higher loam content and slightly heavier texture of our soil tends to produce Pinot Noirs that are more powerful in structure and more savory in flavor-profile than is typical for the Santa Maria Valley. Wines from the Dierberg Vineyard—both our own and those from producers who purchase our fruit—take a long time to evolve and unwind, making them rewarding candidates for a sojourn in the wine cellar.
Winemaking Notes
Fruit for the 2005 “Steven” bottling came entirely from the first picking of Block 5J. Planted to clone 667, it is a “sweet spot” within the vineyard that features sandy soils, excellent drainage and a slight northerly aspect. In 2005, a vintage in which the rest of the ranch saw large yields which required several thinning passes, the vines in Block Five naturally set an ideal 2.2 tons per acre, giving the resulting wine tremendous balance and poise. Winemaking focuses on what we call the “caretaker approach,” meaning that only the very slightest manipulations and additions are made to the fruit—essentially assisting the wine to grow into itself. The grapes were destemmed but not crushed and 40% whole clusters were included due to the magnificent lignification of the stems.We insist that our vineyard crew harvest the fruit with scissors rather than the more commonly used picking knives.This very precise cut in the stem closes more completely than with the knife method, limiting any green, sap-like material from being released into the juice. No sulfur was added to the fermentor and no yeast nutrients were used. The must was chilled to 55 degrees Fahrenheit and allowed to warm slowly and commence fermentation on its own yeast. Peak fermentation temperature was 91 degrees and the must was allowed to finish fermentation rather cool, ultimately remaining in contact with the skins for twenty-five days.The new wine finished primary fermentation and secondary fermentation in barrel without the addition of commercial malolactic starters.The 2005 Steven was aged in 100%new French oak barrels made byTonnellerie Remond for 18 months. After a light egg white fining, the wine was bottled unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
Named for the Dierbergs’ first grandson, our 2005 “Steven” bottling shows an alluring crimson color bleeding to near opaque purple at the core—a sign that this is a very concentrated wine. Aromas focusing on the dark fruit spectrum of Pinot Noir feature plum and black cherry accented by a beguiling “sauvage” note. It is on the palate that the ’05 “Steven” really struts it stuff, with cascades of plum, sage and pipe tobacco flavors and pillow-soft, velvety mouth feel. Finishing with caressing tannins and a burst of fresh acid, this wine is one for the ages!
