Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From a vineyard just across from the Memorious vineyard, the 2013 Pinot Noir Bloom's Field has a similar saltiness to the straight Sta. Rita Hills (the estate) release, yet has much more purity and focus to both the aromatics and flavors. Showing almost Burgundian notes of sous bois, pepper, rose petal and cherry and darker berry fruits, it's elegant and lively on the palate, with an attractive, focused and lengthy finish. This is a beautiful Pinot Noir to drink over the coming 4-6 years.
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.