Fulcrum Releases the 2009 Vintage Pinot Noirs
This release marks the fourth for Fulcrum and the 2009 California vintage is already being hailed as a great one. We believe our 2009 Pinots live up to the hype. Our growers produced great fruit with the cooperation of Mother Nature and our flexibility in our new facility has allowed us to step up quality.
At Fulcrum we are more interested in complexity and finesse versus overt fruitiness. Picking earlier in the harvest, barrel aging for 15 months, delicate handling in the winery, and bottle aging for 6 months all help us to create a style of Pinot Noir that is our signature. Not only delicious, but age-worthy and with layers of aromas and flavors that continue to evolve in the glass.
Careful blending was also very important in 2009. In fact, rather than bottling a vineyard designated Pinot from the Floodgate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley, we decided to use that wine as a backbone to our new Christinna's Cuvee which, as you will see below, we feel was very successful. We produced three wines from 2009- Fulcrum Gap's Crown(Sonoma Coast), Fulcrum Londer(Anderson Valley), and On Point Christinna's Cuvee(North Coast). Total production is just below 600 cases in total .
The 2009 Fulcrum Pinot Noirs
Fulcrum Anderson Valley, Londer Vineyard- Anderson Valley holds a special place in our hearts as it creates some of the more elegant Pinots in California. This is our first vineyard designate from AV and we are very proud to list Londer Vineyard on the label. While initially dark, brooding and a bit closed this wine opens up with air to display a brambly berry core with earth and notes of cedar. This is a blend of clones 115 and Swan. This is a classic Anderson Valley Pinot that has the acid and tannic backbone for the cellar. Intriguing now, but watch it unfold over the next decade into something even more special.
Fulcrum Sonoma Coast, Gap's Crown Vineyard- Each year we buy more fruit from this vineyard and the 2009 wine shows why. Deep and complex with berry, anise, clove and a hint of smoke. Balanced and ageable, but already showing some lovely layers of flavors. Blend of Clones 667 and 777. This is our third year with this vineyard and we think our best. This is the wine for those that like a little WOW! in their Pinot. Jumps out of the glass and impresses.
On Point, Christinna's Cuvee, North Coast- A blend of Pinots from the finest vineyards in California including Gap's Crown, Londer and Floodgate Vineyard(RRV). Elegant strawberry, cherry, cola and spice with seemlessly integrated tannin. Do not let the price fool you. This is serious stuff. All of the same care and cost went into the making of this wine as with our Fulcrum Pinots.
What is New at Fulcrum in 2011
There has been a lot of changes for the better this year and here are some quick highlights:
- Release of our first wines from our new winery
- Selection of Remond as the only cooperage we will use for new barrels
- On Point label redesign integrating our "Acrobat" into the graphics
- Improved cork: upgrade to higher quality grades and a longer cork
- New On Point Christinna's Cuvee which captures the essense of California's North Coast
- Release of our Anderson Valley Pinot under a vineyard designation- Londer Vineyard
- Improved customer service and logistics through Copperpeak Logistics.
If you have any questions about the 2009 vintage please contact us at 732-610-9602.
