Adrian Fog Floodgate Vineyard Pinot Noir

Vintage Archive

2003 Two Sisters Vineyard, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir yields full flavors of black tea, cherries jubilee, rose petals and jasmine that reveal the personality of this noble vineyard. She has a beautiful red rose color that illustrates the passionate soul of this seductive Pinot. Planted in 1955, the vineyard has decades of maturity which lends its hand in achieving amazing flavors and finesse. Martini is the main clone of the vineyard with a few vines of new fashionable clone #667. The entire vineyard consists of 499 vines, which would be about a row or so of an average sized vineyard. We have 25 fewer cases of this wine for 2003 than we had for our 2002 vintage - such is the nature of working with old vines and fussy Pinot Noir. Two Sisters is aged in 75% new and 25% second year French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. We encourage you to open a bottle and enjoy upon release. Cellar for 5- 7 years.
50 cases produced

A few notes on the Anderson Valley: The valley is only 15 miles long and 5 miles wide with total acreage at 58,000 (compared to 400,000 Napa Valley and 125,000 Russian River appellations.) Anderson Valley has distinct growing zones or what is known as meso-climates. The Deep End is the coolest region in Anderson Valley. This area runs from the small town of Philo to the tiny town of Navarro. The average elevation is 800 feet above sea level. The Savoy vineyard rests in this zone. The Ridges peeks at 3000 feet elevation placing it just above the fog line. This is where Anderson Valley’s first vineyards where planted. The fruit ripens two weeks later than the Deep End area. Demuth vineyard is in this zone.

Demuth Vineyard 2003 Pinot Noir - (The Ridges zone) An equal blend of the Wadensville and Pommard clone. The Wadensville clone adds a wonderful red fruit and spice character. While the Pommard clone adds weight and mouth feel as well as delightful nuances of black truffles. The vineyard rests at 1600 feet above sea level, yielding great sun exposure. The nose offers a lovely bouquet of spring flowers, sweet currants and ripe cherries. Rich and round on the palate, it lingers with a luscious finish. Age 4-5 years. 150 cases produced.
*90 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Savoy Vineyard 2003 Pinot Noir – (Deep End zone) The ’03 Savoy is comprised of 6 different clones from seven different sections of the vineyard. One more clone to the blend than in previous years, creating a more complex wine. The ’03 offers notes of plum pudding intermixed with flowers, fresh mushrooms, forest floor, and sweet cherries. Broad and expansive on the palate with a hint of allspice, this is a texturally compelling Pinot Noir with a wonderful tactile impression that provides a sense of richness. With a long, silky texture and a heady finish, this beauty can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years.
*94 points Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 91 Points Steven Tanzer

The 2002 vintage gives birth to our fifth release of Adrian Fog Pinot Noir! We are excited to be offering our 2002 Two Sisters, Russian River Valley and 2002 Savoy Vineyard, Anderson Valley!!

Adrian Fog’s winemaking process starts in the vineyard where all sections are individually tracked as they ripen. Each section is then hand harvested into small ½ ton bins in the cool early morning for immediate delivery to the winery. We keep all sections and clones in separate lots throughout picking, destemming, fermentation and barrel ageing. Natural fermentation is initiated by hand punching down the fruit six times a day. We continue the punch downs around the clock until the wine has finished fermentation. This on average takes 21 days. At pressing, gravity is used to fill each barrel. We do not use pumps, ensuring the wine is handled as gently as possible. Blending and racking is done by a very simple method of using inert gas to move the wine from barrel to blending tank. This method takes a bit more time and patience but we feel our wine deserves our full commitment.

2002 Savoy Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is comprised of 5 different clones from 7 distinctly different vineyard sections. Our Savoy Pinot Noir is full, deep and complex with more layers than the Grand Canyon. Ripe plum and ample blackberries are forward on the nose followed by red rose petals and a bit of pennyroyal. On the palate, the Savoy exudes weight and texture, soft fruit tannins combined with oak spice produce incredible mouth feel. Savoy is aged in 75% new French oak and 25% second year French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. This wine should age quite nicely for 5- 7 years.
300 cases produced

2002 Two Sisters Vineyard, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir never ceases to amaze us with her grace and power. Planted in 1955, the vineyard is separated into two small North and South sections. The age of the vines produces timeless flavors of blueberries, bing cherries and playful spice nuances. Two Sisters aroma opens the senses to new heights of delight with fruit, earth and hints of roses dancing from the glass. Sip after sip reminds us why we are so infatuated with this varietal. Passion that rests in the vineyard is transformed into a wine we are proud to put our name on. Two Sisters is aged in 75% new and 25% second year French oak barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined. We encourage you to open a bottle and enjoy upon release. Cellar for 5- 7 years.
75 cases produced

2001 Savoy Vineyard (Anderson Valley) is located in a wonderfully cool yet sunny section of the Anderson Valley. The vineyard has a gentle slope and rolling hills that tilts the vines toward the setting sun, maximizing the intensity this vineyard has to offer. The tonnage per acre is one and one half tons to two tons. Each section of the vineyard was picked separately ensuring peak ripeness. Our wine is deep in color, voluptuous with blackberries and black cherries, and takes your breath away - almost sinful with delight! She is the Sexy Beast of 2001. 100% French Oak aging adds to the dimensions of this wine without getting in the way of the layers of rich fruit nuances. As always, this wine was produced by natural fermentation. We bottled unfiltered and unfined on a cool morning as all proud parents should.
Only 200 cases produced.

2001 Hawkeye Vineyard (Mendocino) Hawkeye gets its name from the Native Americans that once tended the vineyard when she was first planted. The vines are rugged and old yielding fruit that has personality and grace. A soothing fog rolls in each evening to refresh the vines after a long day in the Northern California sun. The warmth of Mendocino brings out fresh floral aromatics that are the signature of Hawkeye Pinot Noir. Spicy French oak layers meld with the liveliness of this wine to produce a mosaic of flavors and delights. Fresh persimmons frolic in the background as the cherries and roses take center stage producing a beautifully balanced wine. Hawkeye also is produced by natural fermentation and bottled unfiltered, unfined with much love and devotion.
Only 40 cases produced.

2001 Two Sisters Vineyard (Russian River Valley) The Two Sisters vineyard was known last year as B2 Vineyard. James and Kerrie chose to rename the property to Two Sisters after their daughters Charlotte (age 4) and Madeleine (age 8). The Two Sisters vineyard was planted in 1955, making it one of the oldest Pinot Noir vineyards in California. We are very happy to have an exclusive on this vineyard and look forward to many vintages to come. The age of the vineyard combined with the pleasant Russian River climate creates a wine full of fresh picked red plumbs, strawberries and apricots with accents of provincial lavender, periwinkle and honeysuckle. Produced by natural fermentation and aged 11 months in New French Oak barrels. Two Sisters was bottled unfined and unfiltered under the watchful eye of Charlotte and Madeleine.
Only 75 cases produced.

2000 Vintages

Hawkeye Vineyard (Mendocino) was planted in the late 70's on rocky, well-drained soil, producing only 2 tons per acre. The cool climate and ample sun exposure produces jammy red fruit, cherry, and ripe raspberry. The low tonnage concentrates complex layers of floral and spicy overtones. Hawkeye is abundant with notes of sweet red rose petals, vanilla, and a silky mouth feel. This is one of the sexiest Pinot Noirs we have ever produced. New French oak was used for 11 months of barrel aging. The wine is hand bottled, unfiltered and unfined.
Only 150 cases produced.
C 23 (Russian River Valley) is a clone of Pinot Noir that has an intensive spectrum of coffee, black fruit, and savory spice. This well maintained, beautifully managed vineyard yields two and one half tons per acre, lending itself to concentrated aromatics and chewy mouth feel. The Russian River Appellation, combined with the grace of the vines, brings out personality and powerful grace that beckons the palette. Eleven months of new French oak barrel aging add spicy, smoky, and vanilla bean aromatics that enlighten the heart and soul of this wine. This wine is hand bottled, unfiltered and unfined.
Only 100 cases produced.
B2 -Two Sisters Vineyard (Russian River Valley) is a small estate vineyard in the Russian River Valley appellation of Sonoma County (exclusive to Adrian Fog Winery) yielding 1 ton of fruit per acre. Adrian Fog B2 Pinot Noir is affectionately referred to as the "B2 Bomber" of our 2000 vintage. The depth and spicy black fruit that exudes from B2 is obvious from the moment she is poured. Complexity and intensity develops as B2 opens up and takes you on a journey of delight with every sip. Out of love and devotion, B2 was born and we take great honor presenting this wine to you. This wine was hand bottled, unfiltered and unfined, after 11 months of aging in new French oak.
Only 20 cases produced.

1998 & 1999 Vintages

The Floodgate Vineyard sits on a ridge at the northern end of the Anderson Valley. It is a mature vineyard that yields tremendously intense and elegant fruit. The vineyard can produce up to four tons of fruit per acre, however, during the 1998 vintage, fruit was dropped and thinned to end crop of 2.8 tons per acre.
1999 Adrian Fog Pinot Noir is made with grapes from three distinctly different small blocks from the Floodgate Vineyard. Each block was hand selected for its unique soil type, personality and orientation to the sun. Each of the three sections are a different clone of Pinot Noir creating complexity, style and character in the final blend. The John Jay section runs East to West and sits on top of a ridge lending itself to structure and grace. The Adrian 1 section faces North to South and lays on a slightly steeper slope, bringing out more of a ripe bing cherry flavor. Bullwinkle, the third block, is on a shallow top soil that rests on top of a rocky shelf, with the sun exposure running Northwest to Southwest. The rocky soil brings out huge cherry fruit, ripe plum and a bit of spice in “Bullwinkle” fruit. These grapes are very intense in color and flavor, brought out by the wonderful sun exposure they receive everyday, and the slightly cooler microclimate. The final blend achieves depth, decadent red fruit, and a gentle spice.