Mission Codename Holder of grace
Pitchoune People! That 2018 sure did not last - however, today is NOT OVER! As we hinted, we have a small amount of the next vintage available.
Experience does wonders. You asked for more before, and we knew you’d ask for more again, so here comes a final round from this much-loved producer. First come, first served!
You know we had to break off 57% from that $68 retail. Had to! Try $29! Hope you have the hand movement of a Pit Viper to snipe some before it’s gone - and yes this too shall vanish for good.
La Pitchoune means “the little one” and the Nielsens model their wines after the best of Burgundy. Typically, their wines show the finesse and freshness of Pinot, but this brings a little more oomph and concentration to the table. Holder Vineyard is a tiny, minuscule site looking down on Occidental. It’s farmed by a lovely couple who tore out the apple trees and replaced them with vines in 2000. A handful of wines lay claim to this fruit.
Immensely pleasing stuff all over again. Russian River generally brings a little richer, warmer style but La Pitchoune likes to pick fruit a little earlier, so it has this beautiful elegance to balance it out. This one comes forth with a redolent core of red cherry, with an additional layer of ripeness showcasing itself as plum sauce, with sweet spices, and a vanilla pie crust nuance adding complexity. Floral and mineral, this too is a sappy, medium-plus-weighted Pinot brimming with lively acidity to counter traces of what the French would call surmaturité.
With this too, you might need a check-up if you can’t find something to like in there!
Tucked in the Southwestern corner of Russian River Valley’s precious Green Valley sub-AVA, Holder is surrounded by Dutton and Heintz Vineyards. Though these newer vintages due to tiny production, did not get reviewed, accolades abound from the past years, Jeb Dunnuck calling La Pichoune’s Holder “another complex, layered, thoroughly satisfying Pinot Noir from winemaker Andrew Berge” and Wine Enthusiast echoing *“a bright, acid-driven wine, citrus-laden alongside crisp, tart red fruit and a light-bodied approach to ripeness…”
There was very little made, and to be had of both vintages. And sadly this is THE LAST ONE!
What the Winery Says
2019 Holder Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
- Winemaker
- Andrew Berge
- Varietal
- 100% Pinot Noir
- Vintage
- 2019
- Alcohol
- 13.2%
- Appellation
- Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
- Vineyards
- Holder Vineyard
- Clones
- Dijon clones 115, 667
- Brix at harvest
- 24.3 ̊ to 24.6 ̊
- pH
- 3.57
- Aging
- 12 months
- Barrels
- 100% French Oak (25% new, 25% once used, 50% 4 years or older)