Croix Estate West Pyramid Pinot Noir, Bucher Vineyard, Middle Reach, Russian River Valley
WINEMAKER'S RECORD
An exotic, masculine aromatic mix of charred meats, bacon fat, orange rinds, and Morell mushrooms leads the way to light herbal scents of earl grey tea, lavender, sweet stone fruits and a dash of cayenne pepper. Wow, this wine grips your attention. Big, luscious dark fruit with forward tannins leads into fleshy plum, crushed red delicious apple, cherry syrup, subtle notes of fresh straw complimented by structured acidity and an exceptionally long finish. Simply stunning!
WAYPOINT GRAPE VARIETY(S): 100% Pinot Noir Clones Pommard, Dijon 115, & Mt. Eden
The Vineyards | Bucher Vineyard, Middle Reach
The Bucher family operation is an all-american, immigrants make good on a dream through self-determination story. Joe and Annemarie immigrated from Luzern, Switzerland in 1950, settling first in San Jose with a dream of owning a dairy farm in Northern California. Born in 1929, Joe came from a family of dairy farmers in the tiny town of Inwil. With dairy farming in his blood, Joe was determined to establish his own operation to continue the family legacy in the United States. By 1958 Joe and Annemarie had located a 360-acre dairy for sale just outside the town of Healdsburg. The two invested their life savings on the purchase and began their journey with just 50 head of dairy cows and a few calves, making the decision to produce organic milk from cows raised on a strict diet of organic alfalfa and hay. This would set the bar high for parceling land from which to farm grapes. Their son John graduated from UC Davis in 1984 and returned to Healdsburg to manage the dairy operation. John recognized an opportunity to diversify their land with a high value crop in vitis vinifera, in particular, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Convincing his parents of the decision to branch into the winegowing business, the first vineyard blocks of Pinot Noir were planted in 1997.
Located adjacent to Bucher Farms on Westside Road, in the heart of the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley AVA, Bucher Vineyards consists of 38 sustainably farmed acres, two of which are planted to Chardonnay. The 36 acres of Pinot Noir are broken into 14 distinct blocks, utilizing 10 distinct clones: Opa’s (943, Mariafeld, Calera), Rock Ridge (Pommard), Saddle (Swan), West Pyramid (Pommard), North Pyramid (Pommard), Pear Tree (Dijon 667), South Hill (Dijon 115, Mt. Eden), Frost Hill West (Mt. Eden), Frost Hill East (Mt. Eden), North L (Dijon 777), Torry’s (Pommard), Raspbery (Pommard), House (Dijon 115), and South L (777).
Our contracted fruit with the Bucher family comes from the West Pyramid Block – Pommard Clone – producing roughly 7 barrels worth of Pinot Noir per vintage. We prefer this particular clone and block as it produces well-structured Pinot Noir fruit resulting in wine that is high in tannin with dark fruits, considerable spice, excellent mid-palate complexity, with a meaty character, and a luxurious mouthfeel. These are ideal results for making long-lived Pinot Noir and for achieving perfection in the glass.
PRODUCTION ESSENTIALS
Method | 80% Pellenc Destemmed, 5 Day Cold Soak, 100% Carbonic Native Inoculation Open Top Fermentation With Hand Punch Down Cap Submersion
Utilizing Utilizing 100% Native Yeast Primary and Secondary Fermentations.
Aging Regimen | 50% New French Oak
Aging | 16 Months | 8 Barrels