Our Wines
Estate Grown Pinot Noir & Syrah
93 points for the 2018 Pinot Noir, Wine Enthusiast
“Exceptional.” – Rusty Gaffney, ‘The Prince of Pinot’, in PinotFile about the 2009 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir.
“An ‘outstanding Pinot Noir discovery.” – Christina Waters in the Santa Cruz Weekly about the 2009 Muns Vineyard Pinot Noir. ““From Muns Vineyard comes a spectacular example of Santa Cruz Mountains terroir. This could be one of the top 5 Pinot Noirs I’ve ever tasted.”
Our Pinot Noir and Syrah reflect the rugged, high elevation terroir of our vineyard, at 2600′ elevation on the Loma Prieta ridge top, the highest vineyard for these winegrapes in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Our Pinot Noirs are characterized by flavors of dark cherry, spice and earthy notes. The tannins are distinctive, provide the structure for a well-balanced wine and bottle aging, and are ameliorated during the winemaking process to result in a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Each vintage is different, influenced by that year’s climate and the impact of bottle aging (and our wines are made to age), but the basic characteristics can be defined throughout. We currently have available the 2016, 2017 and 2018 vintages; plus limited availability on Library vintages. See the Wine List below.
As well, we make a Rosé of Pinot Noir. The 2022 is currently available for your summer sipping pleasure. Also perfect for the holidays.
Our Syrahs are characterized by rich blackberry balanced with the earthiness of black olive and the meaty character of the Northern Rhone. We currently have available the 2017 and 2018 vintages. See the Wine List below.
The mouthfeel of our wines is a sensory experience with soft and velvety tannins. Tannins and acidity are balanced, with the minerality typical of the Santa Cruz Mountains and our vineyard. Enjoy our high elevation wines from our ‘vineyard in the sky’!
To Order
- Call Mary at 408-234-2079 and she will take your order
- See The Order page here for more information and the Order Form. Fax the form to 408-317-9305 or scan and email to sales@munsvineyard.com.
The Winemaking
Our Pinot Noirs are a blend of four Dijon Pinot Noir clones designated for premium dry wine: 114, 115, 667 and 777. In addition, these four clones are planted on three different root stocks. What Bordeaux achieves with blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, we achieve wholly within the Pinot Noir variety, using clone/rootstock combinations which each exhibit unique characteristics. The resulting Pinot Noir “blend” is a complex portfolio of rich color, flavors, aromas and robust structure. At harvest, the crushing operation gently separates berries and stems producing the must that is fermented in chilled stainless steel tanks. Some juice is drawn off and cold-fermented for our Rose‘. After fermentation is complete the juice is gently pressed off to settling tanks, then gravity-fed into oak barrels, 30% of which are new Hungarian oak, with its tight grain that imparts more subtle tannins. As the wine ages in the barrels, for 16-18 months, it is stirred occasionally but no racking is done. This imparts soft tannins that accentuate, but not dominate, the wine. Finally, the wine is gravity-fed into the bottling line so as to minimize “bottle-shock”. This minimal-intervention winemaking style along with the barrel choice supports and highlights the delicate nuances of flavor in the Pinot Noir (and our Syrah) .
Our Syrah is a blend of three different Dijon clones: 383, 470, 525.
