10 years ago Cleary Ranch Vineyard began our fascination with the chilly Freestone region – a tremendous area for Pinot Noir which has formed the cornerstone of our Small Town bottling ever since.
Farmed by the Cleary family for generations, this true cool-climate Pinot brings vibrant high-toned red fruit and savory spice to our Small Town blend, somewhat like the violin section in a symphony, to use a musical metaphor. But in 2015, one particular block of Cleary Ranch soared to such heights that we simply had to let it play solo. Incredibly low yields and tiny, perfectly ripe berries gave us atypically concentrated juice that we paired with a favorite French barrel – one that enhances texture while letting all the fruit and spice shine through. We called this one as a stand-alone bottling before it even finished fermenting!
Explosively perfumed and supremely balanced on the palate, the 2015 Barrel Climber Pinot is, even in its infancy, a real head turner. It has everything we strive for in a Pinot Noir: elegance, complexity, intensity, freshness and length. A complete and utterly compelling package. Can you tell we’re excited and maybe a little proud? The only downside here is that a scant 44 cases were bottled and they are certain to be gone immediately upon release. So don’t wait on this one or you’ll miss out. We can’t wait to share it with you!
DRINKING WINDOWS
Prime drinking: late 2017 through 2022 Graceful ageability: 2023 through 2025
VINEYARDS
100% Cleary Ranch
CLONES
100% 115
STATS
pH: 3.44 | TA: 6.8 g/L | Alcohol: 13.8% Bottling: December 9, 2016 | Release: Fall 2017 Cases Produced: 3 Six Packs
Direct sales are allocated exclusively to EK Allocation List members at a 10% discount. Orders of 6+ bottles save an additional 50% off shipping. New releases ship twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. Join EK Allocation List
CUSTOMIZED ALLOCATIONS
You may customize your spring and fall allocations any way you like, from 0–12 bottles of each wine. (Small-lot and list-only wines will have lower limits.) To modify your allocations, click on MY ALLOCATION above. Join EK Allocation List
REORDERS
Wines often sell out at or close to release, so we encourage making the most of your spring and fall allocations. As long as wine remains, you are welcome to reorder online through our EK Special Order store. Or contact John Gillis at john@erickentwines.com or 415.244.9453.
sonoma county
