Pinot Noir

Bread & Butter is that thing that you can count on - something dependable and comforting. Our wines are inspired by the bread and butter of California winemaking. California Chardonnay with bright fruit and a pleasing balance of oak and butter. Pinot Noir grown in cool climates and blended with nothing except more Pinot Noir. Classic styles we love. Bread & Butter is also about the tools we have as winemakers. 'Bread' refers to oak, which imparts flavors and aromas of toast, nut, and dough. 'Butter' refers to malolactic fermentation, which adds buttery flavors and textures in a wine. These winemaking tools have been expertly utilized to enhance our top quality fruit and craft beautiful, pleasing wines, which we hope you can come to count on. 2013 Pinot Noir Winemaker's Notes Eyes: Love the deep, rich red-ness of the wine. It seems dark and bright at the same time. I'm calling it 'sinister red.' Nose: The nose is really pretty - lots of floral, chocolate, cherry, with a hint of pears and caramel. Think of a super sexy celebrity, and imagine them laying out in a garden of violets covered with chocolate sauce and cherries. It smells just like that... unless you picked Al Pacino, in which case you should skip the wine and go get some hard alcohol. Mouth: The gorgeous aromas are echoed on the palate. Ripe cherries and dark chocolate dominate. There is raspberry, roasted nuts, orange liquor, and a hint of chalk...actually, it's more like crushed Pez candies (no, I'm not drunk). The texture is super smooth, soft, and balanced. Not too much acid or tannin. Serve it cool to the touch for the best presentation. Pairings: Pinot Noir, in general, pairs well with all kinds of dishes. Salmon, pastas, duck, game, even desserts. But my favorite pairing for our Bread & Butter Pinot is cheese. Pick a strong but sweet cheese, medium firmness. The fruit of the wine and the sweetness of the cheese taste like angels are singing in your mouth. You have been warned. Bread: We used more French oak in the 2013, resulting in a bit more caramel, butterscotch, but most importantly, that wonderful dark chocolate character was really highlighted. 6 months of French oak and 35% of the blend was aged for 5 months in light toast American oak. Butter: 100% Malolactic Fermentation Composition: 100% Pinot Noir Alcohol: 13.50%