Wine Portfolio

Description

Truchard Vineyards is proud to offer for the first time ever at Premiere Napa Valley a special block of Pinot Noir that we call Tony's First Footsteps. In 1973, cool and foggy weather—along with a few cows and sheep—dominated the southern part of Napa Valley, destined to become the Carneros AVA. Tony Truchard, and a few other pioneers, saw potential in this relatively undiscovered and unplanted area. With a few Pinot Noir cuttings given to him by neighbor Francis Mahoney, and a passion for farming, Tony Truchard planted his first vines in 1974. Today, we are offering a taste made exclusively from those very vines that were planted more than 37 years ago and are now producing low yields of very small intense berries.

Aging Process

All of the fruit was gently destemmed and crushed into open top fermenters with approximately 20% whole berries. Each lot was inoculated with Assmannhausen yeast, after “cold soaking” for up to 5 days. Fermentations were punched down three times daily, with the temperature peaking at 92º F. After 7 - 12 days of maceration, the lots were pressed, settled in tanks for 24 hours, and then put to barrel. This wine was aged for 10 months in French oak (35% new), and bottled in August of 2008. It is ready for immediate drinking, but will reward careful cellaring for the next 7 - 10 years.

Wine Facts

• pH: 3.62
• Wine is 100% estate grown and bottled

Tasting Chart

bone dry		very sweet
light body		very full bodied
soft, gentle		very crisp
no tannins		heavy tannins