Tasting Notes:  A magnificent burst of aromas come off this pretty wine. It has all the traditional perfumes associated with finely made Pinot Gris. There’s pear, apricot and Meyer lemon in abundance and gorgeous minerality with highlights of honeysuckle and wildflowers. Underneath, a mellow passion fruit aroma gives the wine extra depth and balances the high-toned citrus aromas with rounder tropical ones. A refreshing dose of lime rounds out the bouquet and continues into the crisp, cleansing mouth-feel.

While showing tartness in the mouth, the wine still maintains its texture and structural viscosity. The heavenly finish lingers for several minutes and is more reminiscent of a finely made red wine than a crisp summertime white. This silky structure is achieved through fermenting 50 percent of the wine in neutral oak barrels and lees stirring several times a month. The remaining 50 percent, which slowly ferments for several months at 50 degrees Fahrenheit in stainless steel tanks, gives the wine its crisp and fresh perfumes. 

Food wise, this wine is as versatile as they come. It has the minerality and tartness to compliment the rich, salty flavors of oysters on the half shell, the structure to pair with heavier fish like salmon and fatty tuna, and the depth to enhance fuller fair like a barbecued pork tenderloin with a mango reduction. In addition, it stands on its own quite easily and serves as an elegant aperitif.

Winemaking Notes: Making the tank ferment portion of the Balletto Pinot Gris is all about patience. Chilling the tank to 50 degrees Fahrenheit helps maintain the beautiful perfume inherent in the Pinot Gris grape, but slows down the fermenting yeast to a near standstill. In 2009 the tank ferment portion of the wine came in on Sept. 9 at 23.6 Brix and started fermentation a day later. The yeast finally converted all the sugars three months later in the first week of December. Its a risky and stressful  venture, but the resulting aromas make it worthwhile.

Vineyard: Our Pinot Gris is grown at our Burnside Road Vineyard which is situated on fog-covered slopes and rolling hills in the mountains west of Sebastopol. Just 10 miles from the cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean, this hilly site is cooler than our other Russian River Valley vineyards. And, of course, there is the ever-present fog that rolls through the vineyards most evenings and keeps temperatures in check.