The Wine:

A lovely cool climate Pinot with aromas of black plum, cherry, rhubarb & hints of earth & loam. Flavours of red plum & raspberry are underpinned by distinctive river stone minerality & a touch of oak spice from 9 months in barrel.

Further Info:

When La Crema was founded in 1979, the Russian River Valley had yet to establish itself as one of California’s most important regions for Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. The first few vintages at La Crema were devoted to learning the intricacies of cold-climate viticulture & winemaking. In 1993, Jess Jackson bought La Crema. With the help of winemaker Dan Goldfield, he elevated the quality of the wines & enhanced the winery’s reputation as a top producer of Burgundian varieties in California.nOver the years, La Crema expanded beyond the Russian River Valley to Sonoma Coast, Green Valley, Fort Ross-Seaview, Mendocino, Carneros & Monterey. Not stopping at California the winery ventured to Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley where it produces another world-class Pinot Noir. The unifying factors with all of these sites are their cool, windy climates & marine-based soils.nLa Crema’s vineyards are all harvested by hand in the cool, morning hours. The winemaking techniques are primarily traditional with modern enhancements to ensure that the wines are true to both the variety & the terroir.nChardonnays are whole-cluster pressed, fermented & aged in French oak on the lees. Pinot Noirs are cold soaked for five to eight days, before fermentation in small, open-top fermenters & ageing in a combination of new & used French oak barrels. As with the Chardonnay, La Crema’s Pinot Noirs are pure, accurate, & reflective of their origin.