Branciforte Creek Pinot Noir

Branciforte Creek Vineyard is located on Jarvis Road in the Vine Hill area of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just a mile away from our well-known Estate Vineyard on the same road. These vines were planted in 1988 at a site that has been planted with wine grapes since 1863. This vineyard has low yields of very flavorful fruit year after year.

This vineyard represents the best of “old school” Pinot Noir before all of those cola-cherry-focused “modern” clones became so popular. This vineyard is Pommard Clone, a clone that results in a more traditional, Burgundian take on the variety. You don’t just get lots of cherry/berry fruit – you get all kinds of intriguing back flavors and aromas. Things like dried leaves, damp earth, warming spices, and fennel can be found in nuanced layers behind and around the fruit.

The 2015 vintage was one with very low yields, resulting in a very concentrated and complex wine. It has deep black cherry fruit with many layers of savory and spicy complexities. Decant ahead of time if drinking sooner, or lay it down for a few years and it will become more and more complex. We are still drinking Pinot Noirs from our original Estate Vineyard, nearby on the same mountain, from the 1970's! We believe that, if cellared properly, this wine can go three to four decades in the bottle.