2018 Hirsch 'East Ridge' Estate Pinot Noir

The East Ridge Estate Pinot Noir is produced from some of the oldest and finest vines at Hirsch. Exceptionally low-yielding, they produce a structured and powerful wine, with fantastic concentration and fruit. The 2018 vintage is true to this expression, with a notably sappy, intensely fruited quality.

The East Ridge is one of the most unique sections of the Hirsch Vineyard. Planted in sections dating from 1990, 1998 and 2013, it is a topographically distinct micro-site within the Hirsch Vineyard, beginning at an elevation of 1,600 feet, before sloping steeply into our eastern canyon. Fog gathers in the canyon at night, and during the day the cool ocean breezes circulate amongst the vines. However it is often the first place the fog burns off in the morning, making it a relatively protected site. 

Two thirds of the vines on the East Ridge are stressed by phylloxera, resulting in some of the lowest yields at Hirsch, and requiring intensive and meticulous vine-by-vine farming. The low yields contribute to a notable concentration of fruit in the East Ridge Estate Pinot Noir. However the phylloxera also devigorates the vines, inhibiting photosynthesis and slowing down sugar accumulation. Read David Hirsch's complete history of this unique site here.

This combination of low vigor and low yields results in a wine of dark-fruited concentration tempered by elegance and naturally low alcohol. The East Ridge Pinot Noir is one of our most cellar-worthy wines.