Claiborne and Churchill Twin Creeks Estate Pinot Noir 2017 Red Wine

Claiborne & Churchill Twin Creeks Pinot Noir 2017

Edna Valley, CA

We had the pleasure of visiting Claiborne & Churchill and meeting the family recently. What warm, friendly people! Truly a family-run winery, they’re very enthusiastic about their winemaking. Since 1983 they have been making wonderful Edna Valley wines (of course we’re partial to their Pinot Noirs). Interestingly, their winery is the first “straw bale” building ever constructed in California. The 16” thick walls are filled with rice straw, which is a perfect insulator!

The Twin Creeks Pinot Noir is a gorgeous example of the fine Pinot Noirs that can be produced in this region. With a nice earthy backbone, it can pair well with dishes that may be too hearty for most Pinots, like duck and lamb.

FROM THE WINERY:

The 2017 vintage had a double nature. During the spring and summer it was quite cool, and then it got very warm in the first week of harvest. This produced many wines with a character that expresses both freshness and ripeness. Our Twin Creek Vineyards are on low lying cooler soils so they were not yet ripe and thus were less affected by the heat in the last week of August. They reached final ripeness a week or more after the Labor Day heat wave abated and so are more typically cool climate in character. Thanks to our hardworking team of winemakers and grape growers, we strategically picked fruit that would make for a memorable vintage.

The three clones were picked and vinified separately. All were de-stemmed into one ton fermenters. The punch downs were done by hand to extract flavors over the two week maceration. The wines went to barrel immediately after the ferments. The secondary malolactic ferment took place in barrel slowly, finishing in March. The barrels were selected and blended in May with the bottling taking place in August.

TASTING NOTES

This wine is undeniably complex and captivating. Aromas of cola, cloves, and oak are complemented by hints of dark and deep fruit. The palate boasts flavors of tart cherry, cranberry, festive spices, and anise, evolving with every sip. While this wine is young, it shows lively tannins and a long-lasting finish. We recommend pairing it with duck, mushroom or lamb dishes. This Pinot Noir certainly showcases what Claiborne & Churchill Pinot Noir is all about.

VINEYARDS: 100% ESTATE TWIN CREEKS, EDNA VALLEY AVA
CLONES: MARTINI 2A #113 ROOTSTOCK 101-14 AND 5C
ALCOHOL 13.7%
HARVESTED SEPTEMBER 3-21, 2017
BARREL AGING: 28% NEW FRENCH OAK AGED 10 MONTHS IN BARREL
BOTTLED: AUGUST 15, 2018
CASES PRODUCED: 161