Smith Story "The Boonies" Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley, CA 2021

May 2023 marked Ali & Eric Story's 10th Wedding Anniversary. Their "love story" began 20 years ago while working together at K&L Wine Merchants. Fast forward to 2013, May 14 they eloped on the Big Island of Hawaii where they officially named their future winery "Smith Story Wine Cellars". Ten years full of ambition, true love, grit, hearbreak, passion, laughter, and incredibly dedicated work and winemaking. The Anderson Valley is the very place they began falling in love two decades ago and no better way to celebrate with them than to enjoy the 2021 Smith Story "The Boonies" Pinot Noir from the deep end of the valley. 

2021 honestly was a blur for the Smith Storys, a hard year recovering from 2020 pandemic hardships then the challenges of Ali Story's breast cancer fight combined with relocating their tasting room from Philo to Healdsburg. One of their fondest memories of 2021 was walking this special vineyard together in all hours of the day and night. Organically farmed, pommard clone, 28 years old and soils of Bootling and Bearwallow-Wolfey. 

Winemaker notes: 

Handharvested on September 24, 2021. After arrival to the winery the pinot noir was handsorted before a slow and cool fermentation before barreling down. 25% new French Oak, aged on its fine lees (no stirring) for 18 months. 2021 was a very dry year thus mother nature created small and compact clusters resulting in low yields but very concentrated high-quality fruit. A medium-bodied wine with fantastic structure and balanced acidity. Layers and layers of lingering dark red fruit, dried currents wrapped with very elegant concentration. 13.9% alc.  150 cases made. One for the cellar, the aging potential of this beauty is tremendous.  - Eric Story