Christie Kiley on March 31, 2014 0 Comments Quick Characteristics Winery: Gary Farrell Ramal Vineyard Location: Healdsburg, CA Vintage: 2010 ABV: 14.1% Aging: 7 months in 40% French oak (new) pH/T.A.: 3.46/6.60gm/L If you are able to get your hands on this wine, consider yourself lucky. I love Pinot Noir and will be the first of anyone to tell anybody about a great one. What is there not to love? It can be fruity, fresh, lively and earthy. It is one of the few varietals that can be well-rounded and represent the place from which it is cultivated yet still have great presence of luscious berries, warm spices and more. So do a little digging and find yourself this Gary Farrell Ramal Vineyard 2010 Pinot Noir. It heralds from Carneros, one of the celebrated AVAs which boasts in sharing two sides; one in Napa and one in Sonoma. You really cannot go wrong with any of Gary Farrell Pinot Noir. I think it would be safe to say, that to many, Gary Farrell in Sonoma is synonymous with great Pinot. The Ramal Vineyards is a change of pace from the Russian River Pinot. Situated in the Carneros Valley, also north of San Pablo Bay, its proximity to cool breezes from the bay along with the influence of regular fog makes of a climate much cooler than other parts of Napa and Sonoma counties. This is factor is one of the reasons that the cool-climate varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay do so well in the area. The Carneros region first obtained its AVA status in 1983 and aside from making award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, it can also boast that its ninety square miles was the first region of California defined by its special cool climate and not just by politically marked boundaries. Its vast land starts along the foothills of the Maycamas mountain range and continues to the San Francisco Bay. The altitude of the vineyards range from close to sea level up to 400 feet. Its stretch down into the bay makes it both the coolest and windiest AVA of both Sonoma and Napa counties. The early morning fog is also a daily feature of life in Carneros. If any of you out their follow my regular wine reviews, I am sure you might remember that in order to make quality wine, the vine must struggle. A nutrient-poor soil with good drainage is ideal for cultivating the fruit which will result in great wines. However, the soils of Carneros do not carry such characteristics. Predominantly, the soils consist of clay and are very shallow. This provides poor to slow drainage and makes for rich and fertile soils. Thanks to the fierce and persistent winds, however, which come off the bay, the grapevines continue to struggle to retain valuable moisture. This phenomenon also causes them to use up nutrients much faster. Now that we touched a little on Carneros and why the region has the ability to cultivate great fruit for equally great wine, we can go back to the 2010 Ramal Vineyard Pinot Noir from Gary Farrell. The Pinot is a blend of twelve carefully selected clones from forty-five of their best vineyards, the reason for the many stunning layers of this wine. It is a wine to have on hand for a special event or special day. Have you met the love of your life and are planning on cooking them a nice meal? Is it your first or even fiftieth anniversary? Getting together with some old friends you haven’t spent much time with in a while? All of the above make for a great excuse among many others to open this wine. It is also one to go out of your way for in creating a great menu to pair with it. If you would like to experience the Ramal Vineyard Pinot at its full potential, you could even decant it about thirty minutes before serving. Did I mention the layers of this wine? The color even has layers of light berry, ruby and garnet with reflections of strawberry and cherry. The perfume is lively and elegant with notes of rose petal, followed by strawberries, signature Pinot raspberry with hints of orange zest and warm Christmas pie spice. The first sip is soft and seductive and will make your mouth water with a surprisingly full palate of mature red berries, currants and black fruits. The finish is full of soft, yet still youthful tannins and fresh acidity that carries the wine further for a lingering finish. More Wine Reviews: Animal Espumante Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Las Perdices 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Cakebread Cellars Red Hills 2010 Zinfandel Oakville 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from Flora Springs Winery
