Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
While several of the Domaine de la Côte wines were surprisingly expressive given their bottling a few days earlier, the 2016 Pinot Noir La Côte was the most reticent—and also potentially the greatest and most ethereal. It unfurls with coaxing to reveal a highest toned bouquet of raspberry, Griotte cherry, citrus zest and rose petal, followed by a silky, medium-bodied and multidimensional palate, with an extraordinary mineral, saline presence that is compellingly singular. The finish is long and tangy. While Parr and Moorman eschew such comparisons, it would be fascinating to pour this wine blind in a flight of great Burgundies. 96+ points
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.