The story
The Noble Vines Collection takes renowned vine stocks and cultivates them in California to showcase the superior expression of each variety. A glass of Noble Vines wine reflects the rich history of European beginnings with a distinctive, present-day Californian influence.
Sourced from vineyards in California’s top winegrowing regions, the Noble Vines Collection includes the award-winning Noble Vines 337 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet Sauvignon 337 vine stock (clone) originated in Bordeaux, France and finds an ideal climate and terroir within Noble Vine’s family-owned estate vineyard in Lodi, California, as does Noble Vines 181 Merlot. Two other remarkable wines, Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir and Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay, have been matched to excel in the cooler, coastal California region of Monterey.
Noble Vines is driven by a purpose to bring out the best in wine and people. To do this, the wines deliver on a consistent wine style that brings a California expression to highly coveted vine stocks, crafting wines that continue to exceed expectations. Outside of the vineyard and cellar, Noble Vines desires to continue pouring good into the world with a platform that supports charitable organisations whose goal is to help people out and lift up those in need.
Terroir & winemaking
Another “hidden treasure” source that contributes to the award-winning qualities of Noble Vines wines can be found along the cool Central Coast of California, at San Bernabe Vineyards in Monterey. Designated in 2004 as an American Viticultural Area (AVA), it is the most centrally located AVA within Monterey County, and benefits from numerous microclimates and soil compositions, which impart complex characteristics to the wines.
San Bernabe got its start in 1842 when Petronillo Rios, a cattle rancher, was the first to plant grape vines in the region. His efforts later paved the way for the development of the San Bernabe AVA, which at one time was the largest continuous vineyard in the world. Now, the region has over 2,000 hectares planted providing a rich diversity of vineyards.
Today, the Noble Vines Collection offers a range of wines that not only express the renowned top vine stocks but also grants wine lovers the opportunity to taste the impacts of California’s exceptional climates.
San Bernabe Vineyard, Monterey, California. Wine of California
Noble Vines 667 Monterey Pinot Noir
The Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir is developed from the famous “Dijon clones” brought to the US from Cote d’Or in Burgundy France. This vine stock forms tight, compact clusters that generate deep colour and more layers of tannins than any other Pinot Noir previously grown in California.
The Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir is planted in a unique soil called, Lockwood Shaly Loam that consists of crushed fossilised seashells similar to chalk and limestone. With low nutrient and mineral content, the vines are restrained and must work hard for survival. Strong cold winds, low rainfall, coupled with the Lockwood soils produce velvety tannins and bright, balanced acidity that support core flavours of ripe black cherry and plum.
Additionally, the most recent release – 2018 Noble Vines 667 Pinot Noir – was awarded 90-point score in the February edition of Decanter.
Noble Vines 446 Monterey Chardonnay
The Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay gets its structure and complexity from Chardonnay vine selection 4. This an exceptional vine clone offers unparalleled range of flavours. These flavours vary, according to location, from typical Chardonnay flavours of green apple and citrus to tropical fruit such as pineapple, lychee and mango – which distinguish Chardonnay 4 from variations grown in France. Selection 4 does especially well in our vineyard block 46. Hence, the designation “446”.
The Noble Vines 446 Chardonnay vines are planted in Aeolian soils – a type of wind-blown sand composition not usually found in grape growing environments. The impacts of Aeolian soils on the Chardonnay grapes contribute to the richness medium bodied wine with flavours of pineapple and white peach.
The moderate climate that is partially sheltered from coastal breezes allow the vine to grow and function for an average of six hours a day, the low annual rainfall and dry growing season reduces the amount of pests and insects that could potentially damage the crop.
Grant Cremers, General Manager of Coastal Operations, says “Every day we start off a little bit foggy, about 10 degrees Celsius in the morning, we gradually warm up, get to about 30 degrees around 11 am and then an afternoon breeze comes in and cools the crop off nicely.”
The Noble Vine 446 Chardonnay has been rewarded with numerous awards over the years. The perfect microclimates alongside complex soils and skilled winemaking result in a wine that consumers have grown to love.
