Winemaker Notes
As the pinnacle of our portfolio, Ten Degrees embodies the depth and diversity of our Anderson Valley Estate vineyards, resulting in a wine that offers power, poise and terroir-driven complexity. On the entry, it showcases notes of ripe red berries and strawberry preserves that are signatures of our Confluence Vineyard. As the wine evolves, it gains richness and drama, with a bold structural underpinning from our Split Rail Vineyard, and voluptuous layers of blueberry pie from Gowan Creek. Throughout, our Narrows Vineyard in the cold, northern end of the valley provides a rustic elegance, with accompanying hints of pomegranate, truffles and forest floor that carry through to a long, multifaceted finish.
Production
At Goldeneye, we had the earliest start to harvest ever (August 13th), and our earliest finish (September 14th). In the Anderson Valley, early harvests are welcomed, as it can get very cold and wet by mid-October. After three vintages in a row of big crops, yields returned to near average levels, with the grapes showing phenomenal quality and purity. Because of the crop size and the early harvest, we had the luxury of picking all of our grapes at ideal physiological ripeness. As a result, the wines show all of the hallmarks of great Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, with equal parts lushness and beauty, mixed with savory notes, and a touch of wildness.