Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard is a total knock-out and also one of the best wines I have tasted from Ryan Deovlet. It emerges from three blocks on the property. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and spice all build in a sumptuous, layered Pinot that delivers the goods. The 2021 was done with 25% stems and aged in a combination of small and medium-sized oak. It is a great example of this site.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard has slowly unfurling scents of pomegranate, strawberry, aniseed, tea and tobacco leaves, plus loads of spicy and floral nuances. The light-bodied palate features concentrated, spicy flavors supported by chalky tannins and juicy acidity, and it finishes a touch youthfully coiled. It will benefit from 2-3+ years in bottle to unwind. 152 cases were made. Rating: 94+
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.