Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir

In the 2005 vintage, Saintsbury marked its first release of a vineyard-designated Pinot Noir from outside the Carneros AVA with the Cerise Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Cerise is a well-known vineyard planted on the steep slopes of the southwest facing hills just north of the town of Booneville.

The estate is comprised of 37 planted acres in many small blocks ranging over the 200 acre site. Saintsbury’s blocks are located at the higher elevations between 700-1,000 feet with southerly through northwesterly aspects on slopes of 10-25 degrees. Shallow and gravelly loam soils predominate and combine with the steep aspect and excellent drainage to give shy yields of 1.5–2.5 tons/acre.