Ken Brown Rita's Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
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This Pinot Noir from Rita's Crown is dense and rich with alluring, well integrated aromatics and flavors. Vibrant wild cherry and plum aromas mingle with hints of fresh earth, pink peppercorn and a subtle mineral component. On the palate, ripe cherry flavors are enhanced by a touch of pomegranate, dark chocolate and rose petals. The rich Pinot Noir flavors, balanced acid profile and soft tannins give the wine an exceptionally luxurious texture from start to finish, assuring graceful development and excellent cellar potential.
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Rich blackberry aromas meet with loamy soil, wet rocks and pie crust on the nose of this bottling from a vineyard in the geographic center of the appellation. The palate is rich with berry, mace and clove flavors, yet framed by a solid structure and brisk acidity that starts to poke out on the finish.
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2018-
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Most of my career has been spent pursuing the elusive traits that make great Pinot Noir. From my early days at Zaca Mesa Winery to my 20-year tenure at Byron Vineyard to our small family operation at Ken Brown Wines, I have continued to experiment with clones, rootstocks, soils and winemaking techniques, exploring the tremendous potential for Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara County.
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 superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.