2 Vineyards, 1 Winemaker — Why the Wines Taste Nothing Alike Pt. 5

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Tonight's Episode

Justin breaks down what's actually in the glass — Pastorale Pinot Noir is fruit-forward and flashy with red cherry and strawberry notes and a long finish, while Quarter Moon, sitting closer to the ocean and the Petaluma Gap, leans Old World: spicier, darker, with bigger tannins and more structure. Thicker skins and smaller clusters mean a higher skin-to-juice ratio in the fermenter, and deeper color in the bottle. Same farming, same winemaking — the site does the talking.

On Chardonnay, Justin makes what he calls "varietally correct" Chardonnay: high-acid, fruit-driven, fermented in large-format oak so the wood supports the wine without smothering it. No butter bombs here.

Then Forrest asks the hard question: is there anything positive to take away from a decade of California wildfires? Justin is candid — nothing positive except the lessons. He recounts the 2017 Tubbs fire that shattered his sense of the industry's invincibility, and the 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fires that forced Freestone to abandon its entire harvest. Grapes breathe, smoke binds into the berry, and those burnt flavors can't be removed — so rather than compromise quality standards, they walked away from the vintage. And he throws no shade at winemakers who made a different call to keep their businesses afloat.

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Key Takeaways

Pastorale Pinot Noir is fruit-forward with red cherry and strawberry notes, while Quarter Moon is Old World-styled with spicier, darker character and bigger tannins due to its proximity to the ocean and Petaluma Gap.
Quarter Moon's thicker skins and smaller clusters create a higher skin-to-juice ratio, resulting in deeper color, while identical farming and winemaking practices show that site differences drive the distinct wine profiles.
Justin's Chardonnay is high-acid and fruit-driven, fermented in large-format oak to support rather than overpower the wine, avoiding butter-forward styles.
The 2017 Tubbs fire and 2020 LNU Lightning Complex fires forced Freestone to abandon its entire 2020 harvest because smoke binds into grape berries and burnt flavors cannot be removed without compromising quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the flavor differences between Pastorale and Quarter Moon Pinot Noirs?

Pastorale is fruit-forward and flashy with red cherry and strawberry notes and a long finish, while Quarter Moon is spicier, darker, with bigger tannins and more structure.

Why does Quarter Moon have deeper color than Pastorale?

Quarter Moon has thicker skins and smaller clusters, creating a higher skin-to-juice ratio in the fermenter, which results in deeper color.

How is Justin's Chardonnay made?

It is high-acid and fruit-driven, fermented in large-format oak so the wood supports the wine without overpowering it, avoiding butter-forward styles.

Why did Freestone abandon its 2020 harvest?

The LNU Lightning Complex fires forced them to abandon the vintage because smoke binds into grape berries and burnt flavors cannot be removed without compromising quality standards.