Winemaker Notes
The Nielson Vineyard’s location at the warmer, eastern end of the Santa Maria Valley accounts for the wine’s dark color and ripe flavor profile. Prior to fermentation, the Pinot Noir clusters were 100% de-stemmed to accentuate the naturally rich and smooth texture of our estate grown fruit. The wine shows aromas of blackberries, rose petals, dried herbs, and earth. Flavors are driven by a dark fruit core, complemented by sandalwood, black pepper, and crushed stone.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2015 Nielson by Byron Pinot Noir is fragrant, attractive, and nicely textured. TASTING NOTES: This wine has aromas and flavors of warm berries, black fruit, and graphite. Serve it with oxtail stew. (Tasted: February 5, 2022, San Francisco, CA)
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Pinot Noir Nielson Vineyard comes from a sandy site in the Santa Maria Valley and was aged 16 months in 35% new French oak. Black raspberries, strawberries, mulberries, forest floor, spice box and dried earth are just some of the aromatics, and it's elegant, silky and polished on the palate, with juicy acidity and a clean finish. It’s another outstanding wine from Jonathan Nagy.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2015 Pinot Noir Nielson Vineyard gives notes of mulberries, black raspberries, charcoal and dusty soil with a hint of bay leaves. It’s just a little attenuated in the mouth with grippy tannins and an herbal finish.
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.