Solomon Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2018
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Hand harvested at night and fermented with native yeast and malolactic fermentations. Aged 16 months in French Oak, 30% new. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Starting with the pale garnet color, this wine again will challenge some of the best wines of Europe when served side by side. Solomon Hills always tends toward the old-world character with red currant buds, sweet cranberry and white strawberry preserve. The sandy soils always continue to show steeped green tea, mint and brown spices. With 30% whole bunch fermentation and only 30% new oak this is a high wire act. The savory and fruit balance each other amazingly and will continue to do so for at least a decade from release.
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Wine Enthusiast
A brisk raspberry aroma meets with bushels of bay leaf and green peppercorn on the excitingly herbaceous nose of this bottling from the appellation's most coastal vineyard. The same pepper and herb tones show on the savory sip, where juniper also arises alongside the cranberry and raspberry core.
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Tasting Panel
From the westernmost—and coolest—site in the Santa Maria Valley AVA comes this complex Pinot, aged in (30% new) French oak for 16 months. Alluring aromas of bright cherry, green tea, and sweet earth come to life; on the palate, jasmine and roses lead with bright, freshening acidity, followed by heather, spiced nutmeg, new leather, and cranberry.
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The Somm Journal
Vines grow on sandy soils on the westernmost—and coolest—site in the Santa Maria Valley AVA, just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Alluring aromas of bright cherry, green tea, and sweet earth come to life in this Pinot Noir, aged in (30% new) French oak for 16 months. Jasmine and roses lead with a bright acidity that keeps the palate fresh. Heather, nutmeg, new leather, and cranberry ensure further complexity
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2021-
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The Solomon Hills Vineyard was planted by the Miller Family in the late 1990's. Known for pinot noir and chardonnay, Solomon Hills found its tenor early on in its relatively young life among a broad range of talented winemakers who found its vibrant, youthful flavor profile exhilarating, and, at times, profound.
The soils of Solomon Hills Vineyards are composed primarily of ocean derived sandy loams. Because it is the western most vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley appellation, it is the coolest of all vineyards in this growing region. With the Pacific coastline only miles away, a constant maritime influence results in wines of precise acidity, bright fruit and an inherent elegance.
The Solomon Hills Vineyards takes its title from neighboring hills named for Solomon Pico, a celebrated bandit who in the 1850's traveled frequently along the stretch of El Camino Real that is known today as Santa Maria Valley.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.