WINEMAKER'S NOTES
The 2003 Homestead Block Pinot Noir is the third vineyard-designate wine from the block to be released by Van Duzer. The 2003 vintage is a rich, generous wine that presents and initial impression of blackberry, bing cherry and black cherry with touches of fresh cedar, violet and spice. In the mouth the flavors are black cherry and marionberry with fine grained tannins, producing an impressively persistent finish. Production is limited to just over 300 cases.

ACCOLADES
89 Big and rawboned for a Pinot Noir, with plum and berry flavors against an alcoholic feel, picking up savory meaty notes as the finish persists. Best after 2007.

THE VINEYARDS
The Homestead Block Pinot Noir is produced from the Pommard grape vines, planted in 1982, that grow on the gentle slope that was the site of the original homestead for the Van Duzer property. The exceptionally pure dark cherry character of the wine produced from this small plot has stood out in tastings of previous vintages. The 2003 vintage marks the third Homestead Block designated bottling.

WINEMAKING
Grapes from the Homestead Block are carefully screened and hand harvested to ensure the finest quality. As with all Van Duzer Pinot Noir, the grapes were de-stemmed and cold-macerated prior to fermentation for maximum color and soft tannins. Following fermentations, the wine was aged in half new and half one-year-old French oak barrels from the Allier and Vosge forests. After nine months in barrels, the wine was blended then returned for five additional months in order to integrate and deepen the flavors of the wine.