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Fall Release Finn Pinot Noir
2017

Winemaker’s Notes

I struggle to recall a more expressive, more intense and, ultimately, complex vintage of our flagship Finn Pinot Noir bottling. Certainly, 2014 and 2002 come close, but I think this new vintage has the edge, placing it among a handful of wines that rank as our finest bottlings. 

Often, the greatest wines shouldn’t be over-analyzed or broken down into their constituent parts. We should enjoy them for what they are: thrilling, complex expressions of a vineyard or blend captured at a single moment in time. This vineyard blend is such a wine; it almost seems disrespectful to deconstruct it. There’s a great deal to enjoy, contemplate and even marvel at here. This wine will deliver pleasure for many years ahead; such is its balance between intensity, depth and structure.

The wine opens with layered aromas, from red to black fruits—mossy, savory and deep. The palate is lithe, silky and fine, with intensity and dimension. All elements coalesce, making the wine completely seamless and graceful. 

Its secret is not overt power but succulent generosity, and there’s an ebb and flow to the flavor, acidity and tannins. A delicate balance between lacy finesse and structure—challenging to execute—is the key to the wine’s aging potential. Drink between late 2020 and 2030. No need to decant; allow the wine to unfold naturally in the glass.

Andy Smith


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Finn Pinot Noir  - DuMOL

Vineyard

76% DuMOL O’Connell Estate Vineyard

24% Occidental Road Vineyard

Harvest Date

august 29th & september 1st

Appellation

Russian River Valley

Clones

Multi-Clonal Field Blend

Age of Vines at Harvest

23 years

Barrel Aging

aged 15 months in 50% new french oak barrels from tonnelleries acf, la grange & de mercurey.

Production

560 cases of 750mL
32 cases of 1.5L
24 bottles of 3L

Press

95 Jeb Dunnuck, June 2019