2021 Jewell Martini Clone-Old Girls Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

The 2021 Jewell “Old Girls” Pinot Noir, Martini Clone, reflects a restrained and thoughtful approach to winemaking. We layered 15% whole cluster at the bottom of the fermenter, followed by destemmed fruit, allowing a native fermentation to unfold slowly over two weeks, peaking at 80°F to encourage gentle extraction and preserve the delicate character of Pinot Noir. A small fraction of press wine was blended with the free-run to enhance complexity before the wine was racked to barrel, where native malolactic fermentation occurred. Aged sur lie for 16 months and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this wine offers lifted aromatics, refined texture, and a pure expression of site and clone.

The 2021 Martini Clone – “Old Girls” opens with an expressive bouquet of pomegranate, garden strawberries, Bing cherry, and wild berries, interwoven with subtle hints of thyme, sassafras, fresh leather, and warm nutmeg. The palate is driven by mouth-watering acidity and a vibrant core of red fruit, where spicy mid-palate notes unfold into layers of wild raspberry, dried cranberry, and bright red cherry. A lingering finish of citrus zest adds lift and energy, promising graceful aging. Enjoy now or cellar through 2033.

Decant 30-60 minutes prior to enjoying

When Adrian first learned of the "own-rooted" Martini Clone Pinot Noir planted in 1971, the third oldest Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley, he had to have them. In California, it is rare to find grape vines that are “own-rooted,” or planted on their own rootstock. Most vines are grafted onto a different rootstock to increase vitality. These old, gnarly vines have stood steadfast and determined for over 50 years producing a finite yield - just one ton of fruit per acre - of undeniable quality. This single-clone, single-vineyard block is planted in the Starscape Vineyard, located in the heart of the Russian River Valley, and has provided us with beautiful berries full of complexity, richness, and elegance.