Winemaker Notes
With rich flavors of juicy blueberry and pomegranate, this wine further develops into an earthy and fragrant profile. Aromas of peppercorn, bramble, and roses are detectable adding complexity. With excellent structure, it culminates in a pronounced pine finish, showcasing layers and depth in this vintage. It is very approachable now but will develop beautifully into stewed fruits with age.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir La Bauge Au-Dessus, all from Bien Nacido, is a pretty, ethereal wine with a good bit of stem inclusion and notable overall savoriness. Medium in body, silky and approachable, the Bauge is an attractive mid-tier wine in this range that shows plenty of the house style.
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.