Blue Slide Ridge is named for its magnificent formations of blue rock. Directly below the vineyard a sheer cliff drops into the small winding creek, the south fork tributary of the Gualala River, showing off great cerulean shards jutting out from beneath the earth's surface. This vineyard site was nearly named "Rattle Snake Ridge" due to the large population of rattlers that populate the cool hollows beneath the great blue rocks. In 1995 my parents, Lee and Carolyn Martinelli, planted this 6 acre vineyard of Pinot Noir on a steep slope which was once prime grazing land for sheep. This small vineyard was planted to the specifications of our winemaker, Helen Turley and her husband John Wetlaufer. The vines are on a vertically trained trellis system with the fruit hanging between 24 and 28 inches above the ground. To aid in early ripening we have adopted this old European practice of utilizing the sun's heat reflected from the ground. This style of lower trellising is more labor intensive to farm but the benefits outweight the expense. The vineyard consists of 2,000 vines per acre which are spaced meter by 2 meters apart. Each vine yields about 3 pounds of fruit compared to the earlier standard plantings, 10x12 feet apart, which may yield a heavy crop of 20 to 30 pounds. The denser spacing creates more intense flavor in the grapes because each individual vine is asked to focus more attention onto a fewer number of grape clusters. This vineyard is truly a "coastal" vineyard, being located on the second ridge inland from the Pacific coastline.

After picking, the grape clusters are de-stemmed and the whole berries undergo a long cool fermentation, with indigenous yeast, to generate skin contact and extract fruit character. The juice is gravity fed into small oak barrels with a touch of residual sugar remaining to complete the fermentation process in barrel until dry. It is then allowed to rest and mature in 75% new French oak on its gross lees for 10 months without interruption. The grapes, juice, and then wine are minimally handled.

Suggested Retail Price: $95.00