Winemaker Notes
Alluring aromas of strawberry compote interwoven with bright red raspberry, fresh tangerine and light cinnamon spice and earth. Delicate and layered with flavors of rhubarb, ripe plum, and black cherry, with whispering notes of green tea. A soft pillowy texture with seamlessly integrated tannins, assertive structure, and a memorable lasting finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Sourced from a single vineyard and pouring a pure ruby hue, the 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is spicy with a perfume of wild herbs, cinnamon, and ripe red cherry. Medium to full-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins, a silky texture, and notes of ripe wild raspberry, red plum, and a bit of iron-rich earth, it’s charming and elegant. Drink 2023-2030.
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Wine Enthusiast
Detailed aromas of pomegranate, rose petals and sandalwood oil show on the nose of this bottling by the brand of Kosta Browne cofounder Michael Browne. The palate lands softly, offering rich black plum and dark berry flavors alongside sarsaparilla spice and pepper-spiked acidity.
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Wine Spectator
Shows a ripe, almost plump profile, with friendly cherry and plum compote notes backed by singed alder and red tea. Reveals a subtle savory hint on the finish, with the fruit keeping the upper hand easily.
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.