THE HEART OF BETHEL HEIGHTS VINEYARD IS PINOT NOIR. More than half the vineyard, over thirty acres, is planted to Pinot noir. The oldest vines, planted in 1977 and 1979, are the Pommard and Wädenswil clones. More recent plantings include Dijon clones 114, 115 and 777. Over the years the different slopes and soils of each block have asserted themselves in the character of the wines grown on them. Our viticultural and winemaking practices have been refined over the years to maximize the specific potential of each.

We produce several different bottlings of Pinot noir each year, of which the largest is around 2000 cases of Estate Grown Pinot Noir which blends fruit from a cross section of the estate vineyard, creating a unique signature wine with many layers.

OUR VITICULTURE emphasizes small crop size and intensive canopy management for wine quality. We practice sustainable agriculture for the health of our soils and vines, and for the quality of our wines.

OUR WINEMAKING emphasizes gentle handling, for wines that are approachable when young without sacrificing ageability. At harvest the fruit is destemmed but not crushed and then poured into small open fermenters where fermentation is allowed to proceed spontaneously without inoculation. After fermentation the wine remains on the skins for up to two weeks to soften the tannins, and then it is aged in center-of-France oak for ten to eighteen months depending on the character of specific lots. The wines are racked as little as possible, and are usually bottled unfiltered.

Harvest dates: October 18 - 20, 1999
Grapes at harvest: Brix : 23-24, pH: 3.35, TA: 7.8 gr/liter
Barrel aged 14 months in Center of France oak, 30% new
Finished wine: Alcohol 13.24 %, pH: 3.45, TA: 6.8 gr/liter
1610 Cases produced
Bottled unfiltered, December 2000
Suggested Retail $25

The 1999 vintage: Cold rainy weather throughout the spring and early summer left the vineyards a whole month behind their normal timetable. The crop was thinned drastically in early August to give it the best possible chance to ripen, then an unprecedented stretch of warm sunny weather that lasted through the end of October brought the fruit to peak maturity under optimal conditions.