Hess Pinot Noir

HESS SELECT WINES
Crafted by our winemakers best known for their
artistry with mountain vineyards in Napa Valley,
Hess Select wines are sourced from our family-owned
estate vineyards and from grower families who share
our sustainable farming philosophy throughout California.
2012 HESS SELECT CENTRAL COAST PINOT NOIR
Hess Select winemakers explore Californias Central Coast growing region, with a
particular fondness for the famed Pinot Noir grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands and
the Santa Maria Valley. This vintage features a blend of 78% fruit from Monterey, with
much of that from the Sarmento Vineyard in SLH, and 22% from the Santa Maria Valley,
where Pinot Noir benets from the cooling ocean inuence brought onshore through
mountain ranges oriented west to east. Hess Director of Winemaking Dave Guy rst made
Pinot Noir here in the Santa Maria Valley, and his familiarity with fruit sourced from the region
shows in this delicious wine.
WINEMAKERS NOTES
A case can be made that there are a host of stellar Pinot Noir growing regions in California, and many
believe that no region is more distinctive than the Central Coast and the Santa Lucia Highlands where much
Pinot Noir is featured. Cooling maritime inuence that creeps over the Gabilan mountain range each
afternoon from Monterey Bay is Pinots best friend. This expression, the rst Hess Select sourced from a
combination of our own vineyards alongside grower partners, shows the Central Coast personality quite well.
Darker toned fruit led by ripe plum and rich cherry dominate both aromas and avors, with a noticeable
earthiness instantly recognizable as Santa Lucia Highlands inuenced. Sweet on entry, soft on the nish, there
are spicy oak accents and well balanced, well managed tannins that leave you ready for a second look and a
second glass.
2012 VINTAGE
Not normal was actually quite normal in this growing season to remember, a challenging year that demanded
the complete attention of our vineyard teams. A wet spring with late frosts set the stage for periodic rain that
continued deeply into June. A mild, temperate summer, even milder than often seen here on the Central
Coast, made patience a duty, not just a virtue, as fruit hung a bit longer on the vines, developing optimal levels
of sugar, acid and complex avors. Harvest, as a result, began later and just to put an exclamation point on the
vintage, heavy October rains brought angst and sleepless moments. In the end, our vineyard crews were more
than a match for Mother Natures whims and, were happy to say, the winemakers were provided with
exceptional Pinot Noir fruit, allowing for the creation of a memorable wine.
APPELLATION: Central Coast of California
AGING: Neutral French Oak, up to nine months
TOTAL ACID: 0.62 gms/100ml
PH: 3.54
ALCOHOL: 14.5%

Region Description

The Central Coast AVA is a large American Viticultural Area that spans from Santa Barbara County to the San Francisco Bay Area. With around 100,000 acres planted, Chardonnay accounts for more then half of the total plantings. Within this larger AVA are several smaller appellations that share the same cooling influence from the Pacific Ocean. These include Arroyo Grande Valley AVA Arroyo Seco AVA Carmel Valley AVA Chalone AVA Cienega Valley AVA Contra Costa County AVA Edna Valley AVA Hames Valley AVA Lime Kiln AVA Livermore Valley AVA Monterey AVA Monterey County AVA Pacheco Pass AVA Paicines AVA Paso Robles AVA San Antonio Valley AVA San Benito AVA San Bernabe AVA San Francisco Bay AVA San Lucas AVA San Luis Obispo County AVA San Ysidro District AVA Santa Barbara County AVA Santa Clara County AVA Santa Clara Valley AVA Santa Cruz County AVA Santa Lucia Highlands AVA Santa Maria Valley AVA Santa Ynez Valley AVA Sta. Rita Hills AVA York Mountain AVA