Wrath San Saba Pinot Noir 2014
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A barrel selection from their estate vineyard, the 2014 Pinot Noir San Saba Vineyard is another classy, outstanding wine from winemaker Michael Thomas. Seeing a small portion of whole cluster, it has rich, forward notes of black raspberries, toasty oak and licorice to go with a medium to full-bodied, polished, rounded and even sexy style on the palate. Drink this pleasure bent beauty anytime over the coming 6-7 years.
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Michael worked closely with viticulturist Steve McIntyre and winemaker, Sabrine Rodems, to create a program focused on producing small lots of wine that depict the influence of land, weather and winemaking. To preserve the local ecosystem., Wrath developed a sustainable farming program that is certified by the CCVT. In addition to protecting the local environment, the winery team believes it enables them to produce wines that are more authentic and specific to the local terroir.
The name for the winery was inspired by both the ‘wrath’ of nature and the ‘wrath’ of the creative process that winemakers must have when crafting wine.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.