This Duo features (2) bottles of 2014 Joseph Swan Vineyards Pinot Noir, Trenton View Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County.

2014 Pinot Noir Trenton View

From the vineyard literally next door. It was once described by a wine writer as being a junior version of our Trenton Estate Vineyard. There is probably more than a little bit of truth to that since it Is indeed adjacent to the winery although it is a little lower in elevation and often ripens a bit later. And, until recently was planted entirely to Dijon clones of pinot noir whereas our vineyard, which is much older, is predominately Swan. However, both carry the characteristics of the Laguna Ridge neighborhood. Bright red fruit, high natural acidity which brings brightness to balance the rich fruit. Good but not overbearing structure and a bit of the smell of a forest after the first winter rains. This year’s Trenton View is darker and carries more weight than previous vintages. Part of that may be due to vine age and part of it to vintage variation but there seems to be a progression over the last few years from lightly pigmented but beautifully aromatic wines that were more red fruit, often pomegranate with a bit of rhubarb, to darker cherry with more spice and a bit less acidity. The picking criteria has remained the same, so it is simple an expression of the vineyard. I tasted it with our neighbors, Tom and Karen who grew the grapes blind. They did not identify it but really excited when I told them what it was. I then broke my own rule and told them if I had tasted this wine in Burgundy, I would not have felt that it was out of place or character. It is mighty dangerous when you tell a grower that their wine is “Burgundian” as they soon have visions of dollars instead of sugar plums dancing in their heads. Kudos to them for growing such wonderful fruit. 301 cases and a few magnums bottled in September of 2015.

Vintage:2014

Wine Type:Red

Appellation:Russian River Valley

Cases Produced:301

Varietal:Pinot Noir"- Swan Winery .com