Wine

Item Description

Onward Wines Single Vineyard Mendocino Pinot Noir, 2 Bottles

- Onward 2012 Cerise Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 1 bottle

- Onward 2013 Hawkeye Ranch, Redwood Valley Pinot Noir, 1 bottle.

Name of Winery: Onward

Bottle Size: 750ml

Number of Bottles: Two

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Appellation: Anderson Valley, Redwood Valley

Onward 2012 Cerise Vineyard, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir: The aroma is brimming with mountain cherry and bright raspberry notes, complemented with complex aromas of sweet tobacco leaf, dried candy cap mushroom, rose petal and sandalwood. It shows a layered tannic structure, round soft middle and lengthy finish.

This wine has many stories to tell. It is loaded with depth and yet so open and alluring. She is a graceful lady that will continue to evolve for hours in the glass and years in the bottle.

Winemakers Notes:

The Cerise Vineyard site is a gift to Pinot Noir lovers; coastal, steep, rocky and rugged, producing extremely low yields and intense clusters.

This steep hillside vineyard’s elevation ranges from 650-1000 feet. Its rocky and moderately-low-nutrient soils limit yield and overall vigor, which results in both small berries and clusters. The site is close to the ocean, which provides a morning fog layer and afternoon coastal breezes that moderate the summer heat. Cerise Vineyard is sustainably farmed, using organic and biodynamic principles, and the attention to detail in the vineyard is remarkable. The clones in the Onward blocks are Pommard-5 and Dijon 115.

The fruit was de-stemmed and the whole berries of both clones transferred to open-top fermentation tanks for a 10-day cold soak, which allows for delicate extraction and adds complexity. Gentle extraction was ensured also by performing punchdowns to mix the must and by maintaining moderate temperatures throughout fermentation, although allowing more heat than with Hawkeye in order to soften tannins. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and sent to barrel, where native malolactic fermentation was encouraged. The wine aged in ~20% new French oak barrels, with the balance in neutral French oak barrels. The barrels used for this wine are made from a tight-grain oak best suited for longer cellaring programs. The wine was left in contact with light lees in barrel and gently stirred to enhance palate weight and mouthfeel.

The wine was aged for 18 months in barrel and then received an additional 18 months of bottle age before initial release.

Onward 2013 Hawkeye Ranch, Redwood Valley Pinot Noir: This wine draws you in with alluring aromas of red cherry, violets and geranium blossom emanating from the glass. On the palate, the wine is layered with rich flavors of cranberry, huckleberry and rhubarb, with a touch of warm forest floor adding intrigue. The tannins are velvety, and the finish lingers on and on with notes of currant jelly and spice.

This wine is inviting and pretty in the gentlest of ways. Like a sincere friend that will always be there for you, she is truly genuine and so very generous.

Winemakers Notes:

The cool-climate vineyard site combined with gentle handling at every stage is central to the core expression of this wine, my goal here is aromatic retention and soft texture.

These heritage Martini clone vines were planted at Hawkeye Ranch in the 1970s by the Johnsons, the clone selected by the legendary Louis Martini himself, and now quite rare as most of the older vines have been replanted. This clone thrives here, and the crop load and vine vigor are naturally balanced, allowing for an organic farming style that promotes slow, steady fruit maturation. This gives rise to wonderfully delicate, yet highly textured, full-bodied wine.

The fruit was de-stemmed and the whole berries transferred to open-top fermentation tanks to cold soak for seven days prior to native fermentation, which allows for delicate extraction and adds complexity. Gentle extraction was ensured by performing punchdowns to mix the must, and maintaining moderate temperatures throughout fermentation. After fermentation, the wine was pressed and sent to barrel, where native malolactic fermentation was encouraged (by stirring and keeping them cozy). The wine aged in ~20% new French oak barrels, with the balance in neutral French oak barrels. To enhance palate weight and mouthfeel, the wine was left in contact with light lees and gently stirred.

The wine was aged for 12 months in barrel and then receives an additional 12 months of bottle age before initial release.

onwardwines.com

Item Special Note

Bidder must be at least 21 years old.

Winning bidders located in Northern California may pick up their items at Stone Bridge School in Napa from Tuesday, March 28 to Tuesday, April 4, 2017, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. PT. Items not picked up by April 4 will be mailed to the winning bidder, and purchaser is responsible for shipping and insurance costs.

Items purchased by bidders residing outside of Northern California will be shipped automatically (if possible) on or around Tuesday, March 28, unless you tell us that you do wish to pick up your item. Purchaser is responsible for shipping and insurance costs. Please contact us at sbspcauction@gmail.com before March 27 if you plan to pick up.

Shipping: Note that wine shipping laws vary widely from state to state (shipping to Utah is prohibited). To find out shipping and insurance costs along with any limitations on wine shipments to a particular location, contact the following Napa Valley wine shipping company: Cartons & Crates at (707) 224-7447 or shipping@cartonsandcrates.com.

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