At the table with Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023
Roast squab, salmon fillet cooked on one side, duck breast with morello cherries, chicken with morels, Époisses.
Our wines for
Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023Occidental
This cuvée comes from Running Fence Vineyard, Occidental's most recent vineyard, planted in 2012 by Steve Kistler on the same ridge as the neighbouring Bodega Headlands vineyard, in the far west of the Sonoma Coast. Facing west and south-west, the vines grow on sandy Goldridge soils over fossil-rich marine sediments. The influence of the Pacific, with its fogs and cool summers, draws out the ripening season.
The grapes are harvested by hand, at night, sorted as whole bunches and then fully destemmed. Each block is vinified separately in small two- to four-tonne tanks, without cold maceration, with native yeasts and limited punch-downs for gentle extraction. Only the free-run wine is moved by gravity into François Frères barrels, 25% of them new, for eleven months of ageing and spontaneous malolactic fermentation. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.
This wine reveals notes of cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry, blackberry, violet, blood orange peel, tea leaf and sea spray. Red and black fruit mingle with floral, citrus and tea notes, lifted by a very maritime salinity. The palate is detailed, powerful without excess, taut and energetic, with a silky texture and a long, dynamic finish.
Where are we traveling?
Sonoma CoastUnited States
It is located less than an hour's drive north of San Francisco, stretching over 80 kilometers along the Pacific coastline of Sonoma County, from Bodega Bay in the south to the Mendocino border in the north. The vineyards unfold on steep, windy hillsides, often planted on slopes between 200 and 500 meters above sea level, in a spectacular landscape of redwood forests, wave-beaten cliffs, and wild meadows plunging towards the ocean. The appellation, created in 1987, was long considered too vast and heterogeneous, until a handful of visionary winemakers—David Hirsch, the Martinellis, and later figures like Ted Lemon of Littorai—demonstrated in the 1990s and 2000s that the areas most exposed to the Pacific, known as "true Sonoma Coast" or "extreme Sonoma Coast," produced wines of incomparable intensity and depth. The climate is harsh and maritime, dominated by persistent fogs, violent Pacific winds, and cool temperatures that significantly slow the ripening of the grapes, forcing winemakers to exercise a patience and risk-taking that few Californian regions demand. Sonoma Coast has risen to become an absolute benchmark for Californian Pinot Noir, producing taut, saline wines with an earthy complexity that rival the best Burgundian crus, alongside chiseled and mineral Chardonnays, vibrant and spicy Syrahs, and a raw energy that conveys all the wild power of this coastline.
The little history of the country
United States
In the United States, 90% of the wine produced comes from California. It was the influx of gold prospectors to California that boosted the California wine industry in the mid-19th century, particularly in the Sonoma and Napa region. At the start of the 20th century, there were 800 wineries. From 1919 to 1933 Prohibition destroyed the vast majority of the California wine industry so that by 1933, only 140 wineries remained producing wine. It was only from 1960 that the wine industry began to recover from Prohibition and California was primarily known for the production of fortified wines (in the style of Port). It was also in the 1960s that some of the most famous estates were created (Mondavi, Heitz Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, etc...).
In 1976, a significant event took place: the legendary tasting competition better known as the "Judgment of Paris". He sees the greatest French wines opposing the new American wines. This May 24, an unexpected result shakes the world of wine, since to everyone's surprise, it is the United States which wins. However, this competition remains relatively unknown to the general public.
Today, there is no doubt that the United States produces great wines. Even though California largely monopolizes the reputation of American wines with its excellent Zinfandels, the state of Oregon produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the world and the state of Washington offers excellent Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet-Sauvignon.
All about Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023
At what temperature should Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023 be served?
Between 14 and 16 °C.
How long can Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023 be kept?
Ageing potential: 10 years or more, until at least 2033. Store the bottle lying down, away from light, at around 12 °C.
Which grapes make up Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023?
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir. Origin: California, United States. Alcohol: 13.3%.
What to serve with Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023?
Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir 2023 pairs well with soft cheese, oily fish and white meat. Our dish ideas are in the food pairing box at the top of the page.