Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
From a block that's directly influenced by a large, ancient oak tree, this bottling begins with herbaceous aromas of foggy fennel, green peppercorns, bay leaf and nori wrap on the nose. Firm tannins envelop the palate, where plum and cranberry flavors meet with menthol, dark sage-oil and eucalyptus-leaf elements.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sous le Chêne is the star of the Domaine de la Côte portfolio this vintage. Medium ruby-purple, it features wild blue and black berry fruits on the nose with pure touches of pipe tobacco, lavender, conifer and earth. Chalky and fresh, the palate is bursting with pure, mineral-laced flavors, and it offers singular floral detail on the lengthy finish.
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Wine Spectator
Very pure and focused, with a lovely beam of damson plum, cherry puree and red currant coulis infused gently with rose petal, red tea and savory accents. Long, streamlined finish. Drink now
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.