BLUE BOOK TASTE PROFILE

Appellation: Santa Lucia Highlands
Varietal: Pinot Gris | Grigio

TASTE BENCHMARKS
	Profile #1	Profile #2
Appearance	Straw with a tiny hint of pink which give a grey cast.	Apparent pink.
Aroma	Peach, almond and fennel.	Orange peel and fennel along with an earthy, slightly reduced note.
Flavor	A rich, soft, oily impression on the palate and flavors of orange peel which one also finds in Pinot Noirs of the region.	A more structured style. Oily and lush on the palate, but with a slight tannin and an appetizing bitterness.
Balance	Round and rich but relieved by good acidity.	Good acidity and minerality.
PRODUCTION CORRELATIONS
Oenological	Cool stainless steel fermentation, no oak, no malolactic.	Skin contact prior to fermentation to bring tannin, flavor and color. Cool stainless steel fermentation, no malolactic but a short time in neutral cooperage.
Viticultural	Uneven terrain does not lend itself to factory farming as on the valley foor. Individual attention to hand-tended vines adds to bottle price but pays dividends in quality.	Uneven terrain does not lend itself to factory farming as on the valley foor. Individual attention to hand-tended vines adds to bottle price but pays dividends in quality.
Terroir	A raised escarpment underlain with shale. Still subject to daily winds, it is nevertheless completely distinct from the Monterey AVA valley floor to the east. The further south one plants along the 15 mile strip, the warmer and more sheltered are its vineyards, and thus the riper and less acidic are the wines, but some of the best are made in the north, which has better access to hand labor.	A raised escarpment underlain with shale. Still subject to daily winds, it is nevertheless completely distinct from the Monterey AVA valley floor to the east. The further south one plants along the 15 mile strip, the warmer and more sheltered are its vineyards, and thus the riper and less acidic are the wines, but some of the best are made in the north, which has better access to hand labor.