Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Partially destemmed and raised in 30% new French oak, the lightly hued 2020 Pinot Noir Zotovich Family Vineyard offers a pretty perfume of ripe cherries, mulberries, sappy, gamey herbs, and some subtle yet classic Sta. Rita Hills salty, iron, marine-like nuances. This medium-bodied, spicy, elegant, silky Pinot Noir isn't massive or hugely concentrated, but I love its balance, and it has a lengthy finish. It should evolve for 7-8 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pinot Noir Zotovich Family Vineyard was matured for 12 months in oak and an additional six months in sandstone vessels. It has layered aromas of red cherry, cranberry, orange peel, tea leaves and wild fennel, plus earthy undertones. The light-bodied palate is soft and bright with delicate, detailed flavors and a long, nuanced finish. It's easygoing and ready to drink without sacrificing complexity. 115 cases were made.
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Vinous
The 2020 Pinot Noir Zotovich Family Vineyard is quite attractive. There's good aromatic presence, but the 2020 feels a bit light. Sweet dark cherry fruit, mint, lavender, incense, spice and blood orange open nicely with a bit of time in the glass, with a whole range of floral and savory accents that carry through to the finish. The 2020 is a bit ethereal in feel, but it is nicely done just the same.
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Wine & Spirits
From a sandy vineyard along Highway 246, this starts off floral and red fruited, lined with caramel accents. It gains dimension with air, framed by leafy tobacco scents, needing cellar time to tuck in the oak. —P.J.C. (126 cases)
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.