Ashanta Wines 2021 'Phoenix' Old Vine Pinot Noir, Ashton Family Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

Ashanta Wines 2021 'Phoenix' Old Vine Pinot Noir, Ashton Family Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

Item Number: 19986

UPC: None

Country: USA
Region: California
Sub Region: Sonoma
Appellation/AVA: Sonoma Mountain
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2021
Grape(s): 100% Pinot Noir
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 13.5
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Gravelly loam

Vineyard Notes: Grapes come from Chenoa's grandparents' vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. When Pinot Noir became the main variety, Chenoa’s grandparent’s hand-grafted the vines on St. George rootstock, and planted the vines themselves, with the aid of family and friends. The vineyard was organic, dry-farmed, head-trained, and the vines produced award winning wines until 2017, when the Nuns Fire destroyed the family’s property.

Believed that the vineyard was dead, the family let the site overgrow. It wasn’t until Will and Chenoa were clearing the land to build a permaculture garden that they discovered new vines alive and growing horizontally from the base of the old vine, in a tall uncut jungle of grass. Inspired, they immediately and painstakingly walked row by row discovering and staking the new vines. To their surprise, by the early summer 160 vines that were once seemingly dead had been reclaimed and were bearing clusters of grapes.

A year later, Will and Chenoa harvested the fruit, as their work a year prior assisted the vineyard in producing 1,000 lbs. A true miracle, considering the vineyard was deemed insufficient after the scorching blaze. A full circle moment, Will and Chenoa returned to where they first made wine in 2019.

Winemaking Notes: The Pinot Noir was hand-harvested by Will and Chenoa. 25% whole clusters, and 75% de-stemmed grapes were crushed into an open top fermenter, where it was punched down twice a day by hand for two weeks. It was pressed into neutral French oak, where it aged for 14 months. No additions or subtractions. Unfined, unfiltered.

About the Name: Named Phoenix after Chenoa’s grandfather’s production company, this is a symbol of resilience, resurrection and re-imagination after devastating loss.