La Rochelle 2005 Pinot Blanc, Distant Bay Vineyard

Vineyard Notes:
La Rochelle is a small, artisanal winery focused exclusively on the making of hand-crafted, world-class Pinot Noir from only the finest vineyard sites in California and Oregon.

At La Rochelle, living by that creed means craftsmanship at every step. In the vineyard, small blocks of only the best quality grapes are selected. In the cellar, patient matching of fermentations, cooperage, and aging allow the grapes' true nature to shine. Traditional hand-crafting. Innovative techniques. Limited production. With this artistic pedigree, the wines of La Rochelle are predestined for greatness…

Winemaker Tasting Notes:
The 2005 Pinot Blanc was barrel-fermented in a combination of older French and American oak barrels. Because we wanted to emphasize the round, ripe fruit notes, the wine saw limited sur-lie again, being racked off the lees and back into barrel after about 60 days. The absence of malo-lactic fermentation was a wine-making decision intended to emphasize the balancing acidity with wich Arroyo Seco blessed the fruit. The wine has a satisfyingly unctuous texture to it; the wines balancing acidity is expressed fully providing very clean fruit-centric flavors. Only 156 cases of this wine were make.

Technical Notes:

Appellation:	Arroyo Seco
Vineyards :	Distant Bay
Cooperage :	French/American oak
R.S/Acidity:	Dry
Alcohol:	14.7%
Case made:	156