2022 Héroe Pinot Noir
Our 2022 Héroe Pinot Noir incorporates painted aromas of cherry, raspberry, and wild strawberry. Amusing bouquets of garden-fresh herbs, violet, oregano, pepper spices, wet stone, truffle, and mushroom come to life with each sip. The two clones are blended together to perfection; each one shining through, working wonders in the glass. The wine has a strong backbone of weighty acidity, giving it a refreshing and pleasant finish. It’s medium-bodied, round, balanced, and supple. The color is a gorgeous garnet-red in the glass with a moderate alcohol level. The wine was bottled with ten months of oak barrel aging, making it young, inviting, and ready to go upon release.
Sculpterra Winery produces its Héroe Pinot Noir completely on the estate; from fermentation to bottling. The grapes are not crushed but instead solely destemmed and pumped to large stainless tanks for fermentation. The grape must was kept at a chilling 50 degrees for 2 days before the introduction of yeast. Yeast 3001 was selected to ferment Pinot clone 115, and yeast BM-45 was chosen to ferment Pinot Noir 777. Both clones fermented in separate tanks allowing the true expression of the vineyards to show forth. The tanks were drained, skins pressed, and the young wine settled for 6 days in a new stainless tank before being put into oak barrels. Clone 115 was aged in exclusively 500L large format used French Oak barrels, while clone 777 was kept in smaller 240L barrels. The lots were blended together the week before bottling, then lightly filtered and bottled using a mobile bottling line. This wine is intended to be enjoyed young but also will mature further in the bottle with extended cellaring.
Héroe wines have been produced commercially at Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden since 2012. Héroe celebrates the vineyard and winery workers; more specifically, the vineyard workers who are responsible for every operation at Sculpterra! Lugardo “Uga” Zatarian, featured on the front label of this bottle, is that man. Uga worked eight years at Frankel Family Vineyards doing all sorts of jobs in the vineyard. His tireless efforts and dedication to farming excellence, like all the others who work in our vineyard, are the reason our wine taste so wonderful. Uga retired in 2011 and this label honors the memory of his dedication to Sculpterra as he set a high standard!
| Download Wine Notes |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Varietal Composition | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Appellation | Paso Robles |
| Vineyard | Frankel Family Estate |
| Harvest Date | 09/02/2022 |
| Acid | 0.63 |
| PH | 3.50 |
| Residual Sugar | 0.85 |
| Alcohol | 14.50% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 08/16/2023 |
| Cases Produced | 720 |
Our Héroe Pinot Noir comes from the Frankel Family Estate Vineyards in Paso Robles, California. It is grown in a part of the state that is traditionally not known for Pinot. However, Frankel Vineyards has the perfect mesoclimate for high quality Pinot Noir. This 31-acre vineyard, planted on the valley floor of the estate, is protected by mountains to the south and west. The soils are a blend of clay and loam with sections containing limestone and large gravelly stones. The mountains provide early afternoon shade, protecting the thin-skinned berries from overheating and dangerous sun exposure. Two clones are produced in the block; clone 115 and 777. These Pinot Noir clones have big differences in taste and structure but work marvelously blended together. Clone 777 was harvested first, as typical. Clone 115 takes longer to ripen and develops more tannins. The grapes were harvested at night and delivered to the winery at first light for winemaking to begin!
