Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the reds, the 2016 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido is brilliant, with a rare sense of purity and class. Black raspberries, forest floor, spice, and ample salinity and minerality all give way to a vibrant, medium-bodied, pure, incredibly elegant Pinot Noir that does everything right. This cuvée was fermented entirely with native yeast and spent 16 months in one-third new French oak.
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Tasting Panel
First planted in 1973, these vines - and the vineyard - have become one of the most renowned in the world. The wines remain small production and continues to keep Santa Maria AVA on the map. The vineyard’s diversity in soil (shale, loams, uplifted marine volcanics and limestone) and its low 1.8 per-acre yield add to its dynamic complexity and intensity. Aged for 16 months in French oak. Aromas of rhubarb and earthy, peppered blackberry are significantly gratifying. Brilliant acidity to its core, lifted notes of cherry-cinnamon, black tea tannins and orange rind lead to a dry finish, stark and exciting.
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Wine Enthusiast
Intense cranberry and raspberry aromas meet with sultry baking spices, dried ginger, exotic wood and game on the nose of this bottling. The palate is intense in the same red fruits but layered in wild sagebrush and roasted quail, with bright acidity that is strong yet balanced.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby color and broody—but pretty—nose with tar, wild blackberries, red fruit sparks, turned earth and wet leaves with notions of spice in the background. Medium-bodied, it has a good core of earthy fruits with juicy freshness and grainy tannins, finishing long. This needs more time in bottle! And definitely a decant if you open it soon.
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Wine & Spirits
This brooding wine starts out dark, with reductive scents of tobacco and spice. With air, a soaring, juicy cherry note releases the wine from its structured underpinnings. The texture has the feel of suede; for duck confit.
Bien Nacido Vineyard, one of Santa Maria Valley’s first and most renowned cool-climate vineyards, has been a celebrated source of world-class grapes and estate wines since its founding by 4th generation farming brothers Bob and Steve Miller. The vineyard’s name, meaning "Well Born" in Spanish, reflects its deep historical roots, having been planted on the historic Rancho Tepusquet land grant. The Miller’s planted the first 300 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1973, capitalizing on the region's unique geography, climate, and meticulously farmed, sustainable vineyards. These ideal conditions have made Bien Nacido Estate Vineyards synonymous with distinctive and expressive wines.
Widely acclaimed, Bien Nacido has been recognized as one of the top 20 terroirs in the world by Wine Spectator and named by Wine Enthusiast as one of the 10 vineyards behind the world’s most famous wines. Known for its cool-climate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, the vineyard continues to thrive thanks to its remarkable terroir and a dedicated team that upholds its legacy of excellence with each passing vintage.
Looking ahead, the fifth generation of the Miller family is carrying this legacy forward, shaping the future of Bien Nacido with the same passion and commitment to quality. In 2005, they introduced the Bien Nacido Estate brand—a true reflection of their enduring dedication to farming and winemaking at this world-renowned vineyard. Each vintage is an opportunity to showcase the vineyard’s unique identity, offering a pure expression of the land that has defined Bien Nacido for generations.
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.