The grapes were harvested early in the morning, then brought to the winery and hand-sorted. They were destemmed into half ton inventors and allowed to cold soak for a week, punched down twice a day during that period. Once inoculated, punch downs continued until the wine was pressed a few days before fermentation completed. Once primary fermentation ended, the Pinot was transferred to barrel and stirred once a month until malolactic fermentation was complete. The wine did not need any fining and was bottled nine months later.

2018 came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. The vines awoke 2 weeks late due to a cool spring, had ample crop, which had to be thinned, and then cool weather at the end of September brought an early rain which delayed ripening another week and vintners braced for the worst. Next thing we knew the skies cleared and we enjoyed a slow harvest with beautiful fruit. Of course, the early ripening Pinot was harvested before the rain, but the long cool summer added two weeks of hang time, resulting in mature aromas.

Anderson Valley is the northernmost of the appellations the Meyers work with and is known for growing some of the best Pinot Noir in California. Only within the last decade have winemakers realized the vast potential of the region and flocked to the small area to make wine. Similar to the Yorkville Highlands, the Anderson Valley is a cool climate, where even during the hottest day, winds off the Pacific Ocean will drop the temperature to 50ºF at night. This variety of heat and cold impacts the grapes, creating pronounced fruit characteristics, yet maintaining a balanced acidity.

The Monument Tree Vineyard is a standard in complex understated elegance. When it is poured into the glass the light color would suggest something light and fruity. However, the nose quickly reveals a glass packed with raspberry, strawberry, a rose garden in full bloom, dried cranberries, and a hint of lavender. Due to the complexity of the wine it will spend extra months in tight grained French oak coaxing out aromas of caramel, fresh rolled cigars, and even a hint of snickerdoodle.