"Rich cherry, dark berry, earthy, vanilla cola aromas. Full-bodied in the mouth with cinnamon, vanilla, cherry coke, and toasty oak flavors. The finish is big and long-lasting with oak spice characters." Denise Shurtleff, Winemaker Rae's is Cambria's boldest amplification of flavors from our estate. A winegrowing style, personally selected by our proprietors, that concentrates the inherent velvety textured, berry flavored Pinot Noir from this region into a seamless and elegant wine. The 2002 Rae's Pinot Noir showcases the distinctive fruit profile of a location on the estate that traditionally ripens with deep concentration of color and black cherry flavors. The fruit for our small production of Rae's Pinot Noir is selected in the vineyard as the winegrowing team watches the development of flavors evolve in early summer. Vintage driven, the specific location on the Cambria estate, from which we source our Rae's Pinot Noir, may vary from year to year. The entire Cambria estate is naturally poised for growing outstanding Pinot Noir, and Rae's is sourced from the most expressive of these vine rows. Formed from alluvial deposits, Cambria's gravelly, well-draining soils restrict vine vigor to promote the growth of fruit with concentrated flavors. The maritime influences that funnel in from the Pacific Ocean, cloak the Santa Maria Valley in mild temperatures, extending the vineyard's growing season to provide ample time to balance the fruit's acid profile and develop optimal flavors. In the vineyard, the development of fruit laid the foundation for flavor and quality and set the stage for our winemaking process. Cambria's vineyard management techniques, such as leaf thinning, allowed more sunlight on the clusters for full, even ripening and evolution of concentrated flavors. Together, these techniques ensure maximum quality in the Rae's Pinot Noir before beginning the winemaking process.
© 2002-2007 Cambria Winery