WALT Blue Jay Pinot Noir

2 bottles for $74.99 $37.50/bottle + $4/bottle shipping Case of 12 for $359.99 $30/bottle + $1/bottle shipping Tasting notes & discussion 7

WALT Winemaker on the Pinot

24 HOUR SALE
Typically $50/bottle from WALT Wines
Vintage 2023 from the Anderson Valley
Available for AL; AZ; CA; CO; CT; DC; FL; GA; IA; ID; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MN; MO; MT; NC; ND; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; WY
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About WALT Wines: “WALT Wines is a passion for producing wines of a place – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Pacific Coast’s most distinctive vineyard sites. Owned by Kathryn Hall, WALT celebrates her parents Bob and Dolores Walt, who first purchased a vineyard in Mendocino’s Redwood valley in the 1970’s. It was there Kathryn found a passion for viticulture and wine. Today, Spanning over 1,000 miles, the WALT portfolio of vineyards includes the Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Lucia Highlands, and Willamette Valley appellations. Each of its estate vineyards are Certified Sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.”

Grape Stems Roasting On An Open Fire

TASTING NOTES: “This wine is rich with aromas of dark cherry, briary fruits, and loamy earth. The smooth, silky palate gains extra depth from the inclusion of roasted stems during fermentation, enhancing the structural tension and spice notes of the wine. Dark fruit flavors lead to a finish graced with notes of licorice, clove, and black tea.“ (AbV 14.9%)

VARIETALS: 100% Pinot Noir.

BARRELS: 10 months in French oak, 35% new.

PAIRS WITH: N/A

THAT REMINDS ME OF: This.

What you are looking at is WALT Wines roasting some Pinot Noir stems in a chili roaster.

You might be thinking, “Why are they roasting Pinot Noir stems in a chili roaster?” A fair question. For WALT, they use them as part of the whole cluster fermentations, adding something a little extra to the wine’s development. You can taste the result in the palate.

Curious, I looked into the use of roasted stems, just as a general practice in winemaking, and it seems there is very recent enological research on it! Particularly interesting is, alongside just trying to scientifically understand and observe what they add to a wine on a chemical and sensory level, the concept of toasted vine-shoots being a potential alternative to oak chips, perhaps adding an extra level of sustainability to the process to boot. This one is really nitty-gritty analysis, but this has a digestible summary.

WALT Blue Jay Pinot Noir

WALT Winemaker on the Pinot

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