Winemaker Notes
Red fruit characters of cranberry, cherry, pomegranate. A balance of earth and baking spices; elegant tannins and a savory fi nish.
Vegan
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This excellent Pinot offers aromas of dried cherry, toasted sage and roasted strawberry that lead into a palate that's snappy and light, yet with tons of weighty stuffing. Flavors of bright raspberry and wild thyme lead into a vanilla-kissed finish.
Editors' Choice -
Jeb Dunnuck
A good value, the 2017 Pinot Noir Julia's Vineyard has a complex, nuanced style that carries lots of spiced red and dark fruits, leafy herbs, forest floor, and underbrush notes as well as medium-bodied richness on the palate. Nicely textured, balanced, and already drinking nicely, it should keep for a solid 4-5 years. You're getting a hell of a lot of wine for the price!
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.