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Richard Berridge, Gap's Crown, Pinot Noir

California, United States 2009 (750mL)
$34.00
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Richard Berridge, Gap's Crown, Pinot Noir


Situated within the Sonoma Coast, an appellation which spans over 500,000 acres and delivers a vast range of microclimates, Gap’s Crown is a unique, stunning vineyard site advantageously nestled just west of Sonoma Mountain in the Petaluma Wind Gap (also referred to as the Petaluma Gap). This particular terrain channels in cool ocean breezes, creating a natural pocket of warm days bookended with fog-ladened mornings and nights that deliver ideal conditions for Burgundian varietals to thrive. It is here that Pinot Noir is able to reach full phenolic ripeness while still maintaining the crisp acidity necessary to achieve the perfect balance for the varietal. Gap’s Crown has undoubtedly become one of the most recognized and important vineyard sites for Burgundian varietals in California and this vintage is a stunning testament to that fact.
 
Owner of the well-appointed estate comprised of premium parcels across Sonoma County, Richard Berridge came by his astute knowledge of terroir and the vine honestly. With a bachelor’s degree from Berkeley and a master’s from Harvard in landscape architecture, Richard became one of the original founders of Duckhorn Vineyards in 1976 and, over the years, has contributed his expertise to some of the most famous estates in California. He started Richard Berridge Wines with an eye towards showcasing the incredible potential of carefully chosen cool-weather sites in Sonoma. With the talent of his winemaking team, Greg LaFollette and Virginia Lambrix, Richard Berridge Wines consistently delivers age-worthy Pinot Noir of incredible balance that exemplifies what Sonoma’s cool sites are truly capable of.
 
This 2009 Pinot Noir exhibits a dark, ruby red core with light and orange reflections on the rim that indicate the wine’s six years of maturity. The fragrant nose reveals focused and concentrated aromas of dried strawberry, black cherry, wet rose petals, a kiss of cherry cola and violets woven into wild sage, lavender and other wild herbs. The palate is rich and near full-bodied. Flavors of beautifully concentrated fruit confirm the nose and are enhanced by additional layers of a myriad of wild berries, forest floor, wet clay and a touch of stoniness on the finish that is enveloped by various baking spices. This rich, pristine wine is not even remotely tired and is at its peak. A perfect companion for your holiday feasts, this single-vineyard bottling of Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir is an absolute steal for the quality. To enjoy, simply open about 30-45 minutes before serving at roughly cellar temperature and the wine will blossom quickly in the glass. Decanting is not needed.

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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesPetaluma Gap - Sonoma Coast
Soil
Clay Loam with Rock
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
14.5
OAK
50% New French Oak

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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