Patton Valley de-Classified Pinot Noir 2011 is made from 100 percent Pinot Noir.

350 cases produced

Not all wine is meant to be serious! This is our playful Pinot Noir, slightly less focused than its overachieving big sister. It trades weight and complexity for a lighter body and beautiful notes of sweet cherry, blackberry and sassafras. This wine is smooth, elegant and perfect with that Tuesday night dinner.

Our 2011 de-Classified Pinot noir is for those of us who live the Champagne lifestyle, but are on a beer budget. This is pinot without pretense. The de-Classified Pinot noir is blended to let the fruit take center stage. To ensure that focus, a large percentage of neutral barrels are selected, with new oak playing a small supporting roll. The result is a wine with complexity and richness from time spent in barrel, with less of the tannin and oak flavor that newer barrels impart. Because of this choice, the de-Classified takes less time to come into its own in the bottle, making it a great wine for enjoying in its youth.

In the nose, lifted and pretty aromatics of strawberry, rose petals, spicy but subtle clove, graham cracker and fresh cut watermelon, give this plenty of intrigue from the get go. The palate is pleasantly tart, but rich with earth and iron. The mouth-feel is light and nimble without being weak, in part due to the ample tannins that lend this wine structure through its long finish. The 2011 de-Classified tastes in a league with wines typically double its humble retail price. Drink now or cellar 4-6 years.

The Nitty Gritty:
948 cases produced
Bottled Unfined & unfiltered
Elevage: 10 months in 34% new French Oak
Harvest Date: October 24th-November 2nd
Alcohol: 12.8%
pH: 3.6
Clones: Dijon 113, 114, 115, 667, 777, Pommard, Wadenswil
100% sourced from our certified sustainable estate vineyard