Clos Saron Home Vineyard - 2014 - Saron et Gideon Beinstock

Clos Saron’s Home Vineyard is a one-hectare parcel of vines, planted exclusively with Pinot Noir. The vines are ungrafted and cultivated organically and were planted in 1979 and 1999 on volcanic soil over a decomposed granite bedrock at an altitude of 490 metres. Sheep, ewes and chickens graze between the vine rows, and the soil is fertilized with organic compost. The grapes are harvested by hand, and the yields are kept low. The vinification is natural and without additives, including maceration of whole grape bunches for nine days, and maturation for 15 months on fine lees in barrels that have seen several wines. Bottled by gravity, without fining or filtration, and just a low dose of sulphur to protect the wine. 1512 bottles produced and numbered.

Gideon and Saron Beinstock, both longtime veterans of Renaissance Winery in California’s Sierra Foothills appellation, got an opportunity in the late 1990s to take over a tiny parcel of vines. Their friend Leonard, who had planted some Cabernet there for his own consumption, gave them his permission to graft the vine stocks with Pinot Noir. In Gideon’s and Saron’s eyes, the grape variety was sure to acclimate much better to this cool region than Cabernet. They even doubled the density of the vineyard by planting additional, ungrafted Pinot Noir vines. Three years later, in 1998, Léonard sold them the plot, and so Clos Saron was born. Since then, the wines have been recognised the world over for their freshness and uncommonly elegant mouthfeel. Clos Saron – a micro-estate with an enormous following.