Windsor Oaks Vineyards
2010 3 Dijon Clones Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir •Windsor Oaks Vineyard
Russian River Valley
Mission Briefing
The Mighty Oaks
Windsor Oaks Vineyards grow grapes that go on to become fine wines from a handful prestigious producers. They hold back 5% of their grapes for their own superior wines. These wines represent the best of the best, often at a fraction of the price of those other wines.
Today’s 2010 3 Dijon Clones Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from Windsor Oaks vineyards is a highly recommended wine that we really encourage our Operatives to try. At today’s special price, this should be an easy choice for any Pinot fan.
Bright fruit on the nose and palate are balanced against earthen components. These combine to make the wine very approachable - without sacrificing complexity.
Enjoy this wine now and for the next several years.
Tasting Profile
| Look: | Luminescent and glossy dark ruby, the wine glints when held to the light, casting off ruby reflections. After a hearty spin, the wine settles quickly. Tall, widely-spaced legs run very slowly down the glass. |
|---|---|
| Smell: | Earthy forest floor and bramble mix with a soft berry compote that give the nose a bright lift. After some swirling, another subtle layer appears, revealing tobacco, supple leather and soft spice. |
| Taste: | Broad and fresh, with an initial rush of sweet dark berry fruit, tart plum skin. As the wine breathes, these flavors are joined by leather, bramble, tobacco and a hint of fresh thyme. |
| Finish: | Bright and slightly firm, this well-structured wine has a long finish with fruit that quickly tails off to a delightful earthiness. This gives the wine a great complexity. At the tail end, warm sandalwood and spice persist. |
| Pairing: | Duck with roasted plum and persimmon or a roasted beet and feta salad. |
What the Winery Says
Our new release Pinot harmoniously blends three Dijon Clones known for their bright red fruit, complexity, and spiciness. Cherries, strawberries and raspberries come together with classic notes of rose petal with a finishing touch of white pepper and truffles.
Extended aging in French oak barrels adds rich vanilla and baking spices to its long clean finish.
Enjoy now through 2018.
Wine Specs
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Russian River Valley
Vineyard: Windsor Oaks Vineyard
Aging: French Oak Barrels
Alcohol: 15.1%
About the Winery
Windsor Oaks has always been a passion; a journey the owners Bob Stein and his wife Renee want to share. With a deeply connected customer following, the objective has been and will continue to be, to explore the full potential of the Estate grapes by selling them to highly regarded wineries for their own fine wines and by producing small lots of hand crafted wines.
While holding to so much that has drawn existing and devoted customers to this hidden gem, there is a commitment to exploring new winemaking opportunities.
Winemaker Margaret Davenport
Loving wine, wanting to live in the countryside, and possessing a college degree in biochemistry made Margaret a good candidate for her first winery job in 1980, a laboratory position at Simi Winery in Healdsburg. Routine laboratory work was not her true interest, but positions in the laboratory or the tasting room were the only choices for women at the time.
It was extremely unusual back then that Simi’s winemaker, and later winery president, was a woman, Zelma Long. Margaret’s brief two-month experience during the 1980 harvest encouraged her to study the science of winemaking. A year later, she enrolled as an enology graduate student at the University of California, Davis, and was awarded a Master of Science degree in 1985.
After holding a position as a maker of sparkling wines at Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley, she returned to western Sonoma County in 1987 to assume winemaking duties at Clos du Bois. There she focused on crafting small lots of single vineyard wines from the Alexander Valley.
In 2003 she took her career in a new direction by starting her own business, avenport & Company. Under this label she has been making Russian River Pinot Noir, and, more recently, Zinfandel from her Rockpile vineyard, while also providing consulting services for winemakers and winery owners.
Margaret directs small-lot production of Cabernet and other Sonoma County varietals at several wineries. These have included Passalacqua Winery, where she was the winemaker starting in 2004, Merriam Vineyards, where she served as its first winemaker, and Windsor Oaks Winery, where she was winemaker starting in 2012.
Margaret now has a record of having worked more than 30 harvests.
Vineyard Notes
The vineyards of Windsor Oaks are located in Sonoma County, in the foothills and benchlands overlooking the Russian River Valley, between the cities of Santa Rosa and Healdsburg. The 350 acre vineyard is uniquely situated in both the Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, representing two of the most recognized growing regions for outstanding quality wine grapes.
Nestled in a world-class viticultural location with unusually spacious acreage and highly diverse terroir, Windsor Oaks Vineyards represents a rarity in wine country. It’s a wine lover’s dream, where both top viticulturists and top winemakers have pooled their knowledge and expertise to create vineyards producing the highest quality fruit. Sourcing from our 18 different grape varietals, numerous wineries have created exceptional vineyard designated wines and received countless accolades.
Our estate vineyards are situated within three of California’s most respected growing appellations: Russian River Valley, Chalk Hill and the encompassing Sonoma Coast AVA. Years of meticulous analysis helped to pinpoint 225 acres of the larger 710-acre estate on which to plant 58 unique vineyard blocks. Each block was tailor-fit to its highest potential by considering all the variables: varietal, rootstock, clone, microclimate, soil and aspect, to name a few.
Sustainable Farming Practices
Foundational to the vision of Windsor Oaks is the protection and preservation of all 710 acres of the estate. Owners Bob and Renee Stein reinforced their dedication to that vision in 1998 when they made an agreement with the Sonoma County Open Space District to deed approximately 350 acres to the Sonoma County Open Space District, preserving the natural habitat for an immensity of plant and animal wildlife. Designated ‘Forever Wild,’ the land is protected in perpetuity.
With over 200 acres of vineyards dominating much of the rest of the estate, conscious viticultural practices are a must. Our vineyards have been Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance since 2004.
Having already employed Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices throughout the vineyards, the certification process afforded us the opportunity to build on a pre-existing program of environmentally-friendly growing. The certification, based around a comprehensive audit of the estate, mandates annual assessments and continual improvement to maintain the privilege of accreditation.