The 2013 Sandler Boer Vineyard Pinot Noir is our 3rd Pinot from Richard and Carrie Boer's beautiful site in the middle of the Chalone appellation. The dry, hot days combined with the cool nights make for some of the most complex fruit in California. When you add in the unique mix of decomposed granite and limestone soils, this further adds to how special this vineyard is. These are almost always Sandler's first grapes to be harvested, and in 2013, that was on September 7.
I ferment the Boer Pinot Noir with 100% whole clusters, so the resulting wine has more tannin than the other Sandler Pinots. This should add to the long-term ageability of the wine, but it also means it can be a little tough in its youth. The 2013 Boer Pinot should start to soften sometime in 2016 and should improve for another decade and beyond.