The 2003 Vintage

We are very proud of our 2003 estate pinot noirs. “Estate” is highlighted as the winery was completed before harvest and the wines were made onsite. Because it took a long time to secure permits, construction began only on July 1 and was completed on September 10, a mere week before harvest. The winery made it possible to integrate the winemaking seamlessly into the viticulture.

Our goal is to grow fruit and produce wines that reflect as profoundly as possible the characteristics of this site. It is absolutely essential that every aspect of the processes of grape growing and winemaking be organized on this principle. Having the winery smack dab in the middle of the vineyards has shown us that the best results are attained by processing fruit from each block separately. Then, through a lengthy and exacting series of blending trials, we select complementary lots for inclusion in discrete bottlings. As our guideline is a simple one — make wines that taste like they come from a real place — it’s not all that tricky to execute the blending trials: Taste. Listen. Taste. Repeat.

THE 2003 WINES

Both 2003 wines are 100% Hirsch pinot noir fruit. Vanessa Wong, our consulting winemaker, supervised the 2003s until bottling. In 2004 (sadly, for us), she completed her new winery at Peay Vineyards and could no longer make the trip here. In April 2004 Mark Doherty joined us as fulltime winemaker from David Bynum. Mark and Vanessa completed the 2003s together, with Mark supervising the bottling.

2003 Hirsch Vineyards “Bohan Dillon” Estate Pinot Noir

We call the Bohan Dillon our village wine because the fruit is grown and processed like a premier cru. The difference lies in its constitution: more feminine and accessible. Most of this cuvee is from the 777 clone grown in Block 11.This block was planted in 1996-7 and was our first closely space field (8’ x 3.5’ = 1556 vines per acre). The four acres contain four types of soils and there are two swales cutting across the rows. This creates a spectrum of micro-climatic vine sites that transfers to the aromatic complexity of the wine.

2003 Hirsch Vineyards “Hirsch” Estate Pinot Noir

The 2003 Hirsch builds on the 2002. Its mark and merit are its trueness to the site: full acidic complexity; ripe tannins; a signature blend of berry and spice accents.