2002 Freeman Akiko's Cuvée

	Vineyards:	Thomas Road and Meredith Estate
	Harvest Dates:	9/5/02 Thomas Road and 9/19/02 Meredith Estate
	Barrel Aging:	15 months, 100% French oak, 50% new, Cadus, Toutant and Rousseau cooperages
	Production:	150 cases

2002 turned out to be a Pinot Noir winemaker's dream in California's cool coastal appellations, particularly in the Sonoma Coast and Russian River Valley. After the warmer season and more prolific harvest of 2001, cool weather in the spring of '02 limited the flowering of the grape clusters and ensured a small crop. The typical summer weather pattern of foggy mornings and sunny afternoons ripened the grapes in perfect fashion without any unusual hot or cold spells in September. The wine coming out of the fermenters promised both great concentration and finesse--an unusual balancing act that occurs in only two or three vintages each decade.

The process for choosing the barrels to include in the 2002 Freeman Akiko's Cuvée started in the cellar with owners Ken and Akiko Freeman along with winemaker Ed Kurtzman. We tasted each barrel of Thomas Road and Meredith Estate Pinots and evaluated them all separately based on aroma, flavor, texture and finish. Several blends were then assembled from various top-scoring barrels and we tasted these against each other. The unanimous winner was a cuvée (French for blend) of Akiko's seven favorite barrels. This wine is very similar in all aspects to the 2002 Freeman Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, but it's as if that wine were turned up a few notches. The aromas of earthy, spicy Pinot fruit are more intense, the black cherry and toasty flavors seem more abundant, the texture is even more mouth-filling, and the elegant finish lasts substantially longer. The age worthiness of the 2002 Freeman Akiko's Cuvée Pinot Noir may add a few more years as well, but who knows if anyone will be able to hold off from drinking it in order to find out?

The Freeman Vineyard & Winery is located in the Russian River appellation, nestled between the Sonoma Valley and the Sonoma Coast. Because our wine is hand-crafted, we can produce only small lots of our extraordinary Pinot Noir. Created in a Burgundian style, we have an unwavering and uncompromising commitment to creating one of the finest wines available today.