Balletto Vineyards and Winery/Sonoma Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs

Recently I visited John Balletto and also sat down with with winemaker Anthony Beckman.Today we will feature three single vineyard Pinot Noirs from this world class winery!First let's check out some of the tasting notes.These sites are producing incredible fruit,but not without lots of extra effort and dedication. Burnside Rd.Located in the hills southwest of the town of Sebastopol, Burnside Road Vineyard is an incredibly unique growing location. Its about 12 miles east of the Pacific Ocean and about 12 miles north of the cold and windy Petaluma Wind Gap. Fog and cold wind dominate growing season and vines at Burnside are always some of the last to harvest. Our single vineyard Burnside Road Pinot Noir is produced here along with half of our Pinot Gris. Sexton Hill Planted in 2009, we will harvest our first few tons of grapes from this 16 acre vineyard in 2011. And, man, are we excited. The vineyard is broken up into two distinct parcels with a redwood grove between them, and as the name implies, theres not a flat spot around. Some of the slopes are approaching 50% and its a serious, leg-burning trek to the top of the steepest hill. This vineyard has all the makings for premium winegrowing: hillside plantings, great Goldridge soil, and cool Pacific Ocean weather. We're coaxing this vineyard into producing what we hope will be world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.Located at the corner of Sexton Road and Burnside Road, "Cider Ridge" is the winery's newest planting. It is going to be difficult for us to wait until 2013 when the first grapes can be harvested!! The elevation starts at 980 feet above sea level and quickly descends 200 feet by the vineyards eastern most location. As you can imagine, the site has incredible hillside exposure, and like our newly planted Sexton Hill Vineyard, we have planted and are farming this vineyard to produce world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.The Burnside Road pinot exhibits all the traits that make pinot alluring. Theres dried spice, red fruit, earthy aromas and that silky texture thats both weighty and delicate. The balance is impeccable, and the delicious factor is extreme. The wine opens with classic Burnside spice, but changes to fruity, then earthy and back again to spicy. Its ever-changing and complex; the kind of pinot we love to make (and drink!) In the tradition of our Burnside bottlings, this wine has the structure and balance to reward those with the patience to cellar it for the next four to six years, or more. Burnside Road sits high in the hills south-west of Sebastopol, about 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its unsheltered, hilltop location leaves it exposed to wet fog and chilly ocean wind. This location is one of those rare places where Pinot Noir can ripen slowly to produce wines of depth and distinction. Balletto Vineyards makes all of its wine from sustainably- farmed estate vineyards located throughout the cool southern third of the Russian River Valley. It is one of the few Russian River wineries to be 100 percent estate grown and estate bottled, and specializes in vineyard-designated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which are consistently elegant, balanced and delicious. Pinot Noir Winemaking Philosophy: Pinot Noir is one of the most expressive grape varietals grown. So we grow and harvest our grapes to showcase the uniqueness of our estate vineyards, maintain brisk natural acidity and have lower alcohol levels. We ferment exclusively with indigenous yeast in small six-ton open tops, and age our finished wine in French oak barrels with new oak used sparingly to enhance the wine, not dominate it. The result is serious Pinot Noir with depth, structure and finesse. Wines to savor. Its a rare treat to introduce a new wine, especially when it comes from a brand-new estate vineyard in the hills southwest of Sebastopol. Its a beautiful, steep, rough and inspiring location, and were thrilled to present our first Pinot Noir from this new vineyard planting. Savory elements dominate the aromas. Theres exotic mushrooms, earth, sassafras and an underlying marine element reminiscent of crushed oyster shell. A focused cherry aroma and light baking spices fill the background. The overall impact is seductive. Texture, balance and structure define the mouth feel. Theres a softness and warmth that distinguishes the wines texture; then ample acidity and tannins add an intriguing tension that hint toward a long and improving bottle life. This is a serious Pinot that will mellow and improve during the next five years of bottle aging.We should join Anthony Beckman,as I just heard him pouring these wines for our tasting!Join us,Please!? Cheers! Click here and join us as we taste three world class Pinot Noirs from Balletto Vineyards and Winery.