Heart & Hands, Pinot Noir 2012, Finger Lakes, New York

Tasting Note: A pinot noir that captures an elegant pinot-noir making style in the New York Finger Lakes.

Medium-intensity ruby in color with hints of garnet around the rim, this wine has an aromatic nose of red cherry, red plum, forest floor, red currant and wet leaves.

On the palate, the dry light-to-medium bodied wine is silky in texture with soft, medium tannin with earthy, red fruit flavors suggested on the nose.

A lighter-styled pinot that would pair well with summer, white meat and fish.

Bottle Note: Heart & Hands 2012 pinot noir is made from grapes grown by the following vineyards in New York’s Finger Lakes viticultural area. Paul’s Legacy at Hobbit Hollow Farm 46% (West Side Skaneateles Lake), Elaine’s Vineyard 29% (East Side Seneca Lake), Patrician Verona Vineyard 25% (West Side Cayuga Lake). A mild winter and unseasonably warm 80° March temperatures caused a record early bud break. Warm weather continued through summer leading to the earliest of harvest on record. The vintage’s consistent heat and dryness enabled the fruit to develop incredible depth and structure, which will allow this pinot to age gracefully over time. The hand-picked grapes were received in small individual picking lugs. The grapes were then softly hand-sorted into one-ton bins for fermentation. Fermentation lasted for 14 days, after which point, the grapes were basket pressed and gently transferred using gravity flow methods into barrels for 12 months of aging.

Yield: 2.5 Tons/acre. Harvested: 9/7 – 9/17. Total Acidity: 6.5 gl/l. pH: 3.65. Cooperage: 100% Francois Freres French Oak, 27% new. Bottling dates: 9/10/13. Cases produced: 714.

Heart & Hands Wine Company overlooks the northeastern shores of Cayuga Lake. We are committed to quality, and utilize gentle gravity flow methods of production to preserve the essence of the fruit. We are delighted to share the full expression of the vineyard with you. – Tom and Susan Higgins, Owners/Winemaking Team