Salty Goats Pinot Noir Fort Ross Seaview 2020

Napa Valley is expansive, with almost 45,000 acres of vineyards. Still, the wine industry it encompasses is small and exceptionally tight-knit. The origin story of Salty Goats is a true expression of Napa's wine community. Owner/Winemakers Joe Harden and Phil Holbrook did not meet in the wine world but out on the basketball court, at a weekly pick-up game in Yountville. Joe and Phil were linked to wine from an early age, with Joe growing up on a vineyard in Lodi and Phil learning Napa's winemaking traditions from his grandmother, Margrit Mondavi. 

Their fast friendship grew over the years, playing basketball every week and sharing a love of wine. They eventually became colleagues at Robert Mondavi and then Nickel & Nickel, making some of Napa's most iconic Cabernet Sauvignons. After each harvest, the two would venture to the Sonoma coast in Joe's powder-blue, 1982 Volkswagen van to enjoy fresh ocean breezes and taste the intriguing Pinots made there. Finally, one fateful day, they headed to the coast in search of the perfect vineyard for their new wine venture. Upon the first visit to Fort Ross-Seaview Vineyard, Joe and Phil knew the fruit would showcase all they love about coastal Pinots. The vineyard sits at 1,000 feet of elevation and is only 3.7 miles from the ocean, so the salty, brisk air is ubiquitous. 

In a serendipitous twist, Joe and Phil got lost in Fort Ross that day and stopped by a nearby farm. Surveying them from behind a fence as they got their bearings was none other than Harry the Goat. Harry made a lasting impression: standing confidently with his 3-ft long beard and piercing stare. The farmer shared Harry's story as a 4th-generation Kiko goat who truthfully acted a bit more dog-like than goat-like. At this moment, the name "Salty Goats" was born, highlighting the historical relationship of goats and growers on Sonoma Coast for vineyard management and the salty, biting ocean air. To this day, Harry the Goat greets Joe and Phil when they stop by on their way to the vineyard. 

In late August, they harvested the 2020 Salty Goats Pinot Noir, with a third of the berries being whole-cluster pressed. Ripe and juicy aromas of dark cherries, cranberries, and blackberries burst on the nose leading into more savory flavors of mushroom, forest floor, and eucalyptus. Aging happened over 11-months, and 25% of the wine saw new French oak, which gave the wine delicate, vanilla spice notes.