Family Article
Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas Vineyard
Last edited on 12/25/2014 by RedValues
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My goal with each of the Belle Glos single-vineyard Pinot Noirs is to express the uniqueness of each vineyard site and to craft a genuine style of California Pinot Noir that is layered, complex, fruit-forward and rich. Our Las Alturas Vineyard is an ideal location for growing such a robust, opulent and full-flavored style of Pinot Noir.
The Vineyard: The Spanish term “Las Alturas” means “the heights,” which is a fitting name for this vineyard because it’s located on one of the highest grape-growing benches within the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine with the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive and full-bodied, balanced by a firm acidity. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and the western side of Salinas Valley, Las Alturas benefits from the cooling effect of the early morning fog that rolls in most days from Monterey Bay, burning off within a few hours once the sun heats up. Gusty winds also funnel in from the bay throughout the afternoon, moderating the overall temperature and contributing to one of the longest growing seasons in California. The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick skins, giving us more color concentration. Another attractive characteristic of this particular site is the low-vigor, free-draining subsoil, made up of a calcareous base underneath a layer of sandy loam. This compliments our farming techniques to further reduce our yields per vine to augment the fruit’s intensity.
The Cellar: We harvested early morning to bring the fruit into the winery while the grapes were still cool so we could de-stem, but not crush the berries. Each tank then underwent a cold-soak to soften the skins, allowing for adequate extraction during fermentation, which in some cases was up to two weeks. The maceration process took
place during fermentation in both closed and open-top, stainless steel fermenters that are fully jacketed, using punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and tannins, but also to control the temperatures and maximize flavors. We only barreled the free-run, discarding the press, in 100% French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) for up to nine months. We racked the wine twice, once after malolactic fermentation, and then again when it came time to make the final blend.
Tasting Notes
Intense ruby red in color, it is an intriguing aromatic mix of sunbaked blackberry, bright cranberry, ripe plum, black licorice and hints of candy apple. Complex red and black fruits unfold on the palate; blackberries, raspberries and warm cherry pie filling, with a wonderful dark chocolate characteristic. Cedary oak and soft vanilla undertones on the mid-palate further enhance the wine. The overall impression is rich and silky with a firm acidity, refined tannins and explosive layers of ripe fruit.
- Joseph Wagner, Owner and Winemaker
2013 Las Alturas
Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County
Belle Glos Pinot Noir | www.belleglos.com
VINTAGE DETAILS
Soil: Gloria sandy loam
Climate: Cool, very sunny
Growing Season (bloom to
harvest): 5/20/13 – 10/10/13
Avg. high temp: 78.9°F
Elevation: 540 – 1210 ft.
2013 Growing Season: Santa Lucia Highlands is known for its arid climate and windy conditions, with the Pacific Ocean’s influence cooling the desert-like environment. 2013 exemplified this climate in an extreme way with very little rain. Overall, it was a very even, warm growing season, free of any heat spikes. The dry winter stressed the vines early on, which also helped with the wonderfully intense flavor development in the fruit.
This wine is named in honor of my grandmother,
Lorna Belle Glos Wagner.
The Vineyard: The Spanish term “Las Alturas” means “the heights,” which is a fitting name for this vineyard because it’s located on one of the highest grape-growing benches within the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. At this elevation, the sunny but very cool climate creates a wine with the hallmarks of this coastal region: robust, expressive and full-bodied, balanced by a firm acidity. Nestled between the Santa Lucia Mountain Range and the western side of Salinas Valley, Las Alturas benefits from the cooling effect of the early morning fog that rolls in most days from Monterey Bay, burning off within a few hours once the sun heats up. Gusty winds also funnel in from the bay throughout the afternoon, moderating the overall temperature and contributing to one of the longest growing seasons in California. The high winds also result in smaller berries with very thick skins, giving us more color concentration. Another attractive characteristic of this particular site is the low-vigor, free-draining subsoil, made up of a calcareous base underneath a layer of sandy loam. This compliments our farming techniques to further reduce our yields per vine to augment the fruit’s intensity.
The Cellar: We harvested early morning to bring the fruit into the winery while the grapes were still cool so we could de-stem, but not crush the berries. Each tank then underwent a cold-soak to soften the skins, allowing for adequate extraction during fermentation, which in some cases was up to two weeks. The maceration process took
place during fermentation in both closed and open-top, stainless steel fermenters that are fully jacketed, using punch-downs and pump-overs to extract color and tannins, but also to control the temperatures and maximize flavors. We only barreled the free-run, discarding the press, in 100% French oak (60% new, 40% seasoned) for up to nine months. We racked the wine twice, once after malolactic fermentation, and then again when it came time to make the final blend.
Tasting Notes
Intense ruby red in color, it is an intriguing aromatic mix of sunbaked blackberry, bright cranberry, ripe plum, black licorice and hints of candy apple. Complex red and black fruits unfold on the palate; blackberries, raspberries and warm cherry pie filling, with a wonderful dark chocolate characteristic. Cedary oak and soft vanilla undertones on the mid-palate further enhance the wine. The overall impression is rich and silky with a firm acidity, refined tannins and explosive layers of ripe fruit.
- Joseph Wagner, Owner and Winemaker
2013 Las Alturas
Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County
Belle Glos Pinot Noir | www.belleglos.com
VINTAGE DETAILS
Soil: Gloria sandy loam
Climate: Cool, very sunny
Growing Season (bloom to
harvest): 5/20/13 – 10/10/13
Avg. high temp: 78.9°F
Elevation: 540 – 1210 ft.
2013 Growing Season: Santa Lucia Highlands is known for its arid climate and windy conditions, with the Pacific Ocean’s influence cooling the desert-like environment. 2013 exemplified this climate in an extreme way with very little rain. Overall, it was a very even, warm growing season, free of any heat spikes. The dry winter stressed the vines early on, which also helped with the wonderfully intense flavor development in the fruit.
This wine is named in honor of my grandmother,
Lorna Belle Glos Wagner.