2009 Stanly Ranch Pinot Noir

For nearly three decades we've had the opportunity to roam Carneros, seeking the best Pinot Noir vineyards for our various bottlings, including numerous small non-commercial amounts of select individual vineyard wines for our wine library. We watched how these wines age and how the expression of terroir is nuanced by the specifics of each growing season. We liked the results and decided to go public with our venture into showcasing the outstanding plantings of the Carneros appellation.

The historic ranch of Judge Stanly anchors the southeastern corner of the Carneros, greeting visitors to the Napa Valley as they drive up Highway 29 towards the city of Napa. The fourth incarnation of grape vines on this property began in 2001 with the development of 350-acres of vines using modern clones, spacing and vertical trellising on the property’s clay-loam soils and gently rolling hills. Saintsbury has purchased Stanly Ranch fruit since the 1984 vintage and during the last 20 years it has been a significant source for the Carneros Pinot Noir and Reserve bottlings. Now we come full circle as the Vineyard Series Stanly Ranch replaces the Reserve Pinot Noir in our Pinot Noir lineup.