Winemaker Notes
Aromas of cherry, rhubarb, and mint. Flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, and allspice. On the palate, black tea and silt.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An intense, linear wine. So bright, tangy and cherry-like, with great acidity lifting raspberry, cranberry, sage, chalk and rooibos tea flavors.
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Wine Spectator
Offers a beautiful, steady stream of blood orange, bitter cherry and raspberry coulis notes stitched finely with subtle rooibos tea, singed sandalwood, dried anise and savory details. Feels pinpoint in focus, with serious length on the finish thanks to the nicely buried mineral tension.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The most poised and refined Pinot Noir of the range, the 2022 Pinot Noir Machado leads with red licorice, black cherry compote and orange peel aromas. The palate is rich and layered yet pleasantly lifted by the inclusion of whole clusters, finishing with a lovely balance between fragrant, lifted fruits and faintly drying tannins.
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.