Blend – 100% Pinot Noir
Clone 115 & Pommard co-fermented
Appellation – Walla Walla Valley
Vineyards – Breezy Slope
Wine Analysis
10.64 grams/L Total Acidity
3.03 pH
13.2% Alcohol
90% ML Complete – Native
Techniques – Gently whole cluster pressed to and native fermented in neutral barrels, egg shaped fermenters, and stainless steel barrels to introduce nuance and texture. Aged on lees for 10 months before tirage and aged an additional 22 months on yeast before hand disgorging and bottling.
Production – 1,300 bottles
Retail Price – $65
Winemaker’s Notes
The 2020 Falx Blanc de Noir marks our second traditionally crafted sparkling wine from Dusted Valley. Inspired by many of the great grower Champagnes, our goal has always been to showcase the unique attributes of Breezy Slope and to allow it to tell its own story through this special bottling. Breezy Slope is uniquely singular in its location and temperature compared to the rest of the Walla Walla Valley. Its westerly aspect, high elevation (1,700 feet) and cool morning and evening temperatures make this an ideal site to grow traditional Champagne grapes like Pinot Noir. The cooler temps allow us to pick on the riper side and take advantage of the site’s beautiful fruit flavors creating something pure and refreshing yet complex and nuanced.
The Label
The original artwork on the label depicts Ceres, our muse and the goddess of agriculture, presiding over the harvest with a curved blade or “falx” in hand. The starry sky serves as her backdrop and illustrates the actual night sky from the winery in Autumn. As Ceres watches over planet earth from above the Blue Mountains, she harvests the grapes and carefully clutches them to her chest. Each sphere represents the grape varietals planted at Breezy Slope – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.