Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The dark ruby/purple-colored 2005 Pinot Noir Bulldog Reserve (65% from the Solomon Hills Vineyard and the rest from Bien Nacido and a handful of other small plots) is a 500-case cuvee offering beautiful black cherry, tapenade, strawberry, and loamy soil aromas, medium to full body, and superb structure and length. With good acidity and moderate alcohol (by Californian standards) of 13%, this Burgundian-styled Pinot should evolve nicely for a decade.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fans of delicate Pinot Noir need not apply. This is a big, tough, drily tannic wine, with almost the heft of Syrah. That makes it an oddball, but there’s no denying its deliciousness and complexity. You can criticize it for non-varietalness, but the wealth of cherry and blackberry jam, dark chocolate and rum punch flavors is addictive. It’s a blend of some of the best Pinot vineyards in California, including Bien Nacido, Laetitia and Solomon Hills, which is owned by the family that owns Bien Nacido. Could be an ager, but we know nothing of its history.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.
DDE131941_2005 Item# 131941