La Follette - Los Primeros - Pinot Noir

Overview: La Follette winemaking is guided by the principle of sourcing fruit from the best regions and vineyards along the California Coast to create terroir-driven wines. Creating this “dialogue” with individual vineyards and long-term farmers has been the heart of our winemaking philosophy since our founding and continues today.

Los Primeros – meaning “the first” – honors the early winegrowing pioneers in California who planted vines along the coast. Today, those same areas, inland from the Pacific Ocean, produce California’s most sought after Pinot Noir grapes. 100% Sonoma County — For the Los Primeros Pinot Noir we blend both declassified barrels from some of our top single vineyard wines along with contracted sources picked by the winemaking team for specific aroma and flavor profiles. Layered into this are blending components from a handful of truly elite Sonoma Coast producers. Hand-picked, and hand-sorted fruit. Gently destemmed and transferred to fermentation tanks without pumping. 5-7 days “cool” soaking, before fermentation was allowed to begin. Manual punching down 1-3x per day, as needed, to distribute heat and extract aroma and flavor. Skin contact ranged from 11-16 days. Gently basket-pressed. Malolactic fermentation in barrels. Aged 10 months in small 60-gallon French oak, of which 20% was new. Barrels were long air-dried for 3+ years, and of only “medium” toast so as to have as gentle impact on the wine as possible.

Tasting Notes: Intense aromas and red-fruit flavors deliver a one-two punch that intoxicate. Along with raspberry, red cherry, and rhubarb, youll encounter notes of graham crackers, black cherry cola, anise, menthol, saffron, and a faint whisper of cinnamon. There are no harsh edges and plenty of depth in this fullbodied, balanced Pinot Noir.

Pairing: Chicken turkey

Points: 90, Wine Enthusiast

Format/ABV: 750 ml/13.5%

In certain circumstances, a specific vintage may not be available. If this is the case, a comparable vintage of the same wine will be substituted for online orders. If shopping in store, please check the bottle for the appropriate vintage. If you have a question about a specific vintage that is in stock, please email wine@kegnbottle.com