Winemaker Notes
Duvarita vineyard is a certified Biodynamic vineyard located in Santa Barbara
County, west of the Sta. Rita Hills. The vineyard lies on gentle, south-facing
slopes of almost pure sand. The low vigor soils, small canopy and a low fruit zone
combine to make this one of the earliest ripening vineyards we farm. The small
clusters here give wines that are lean and elegant, with terrific intensity, stony
minerality, and a firm Pommard-like edge of red fruits, earth and herbs.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Darker, foresty, sous bois, and salty notes all emerge from the 2019 Pinot Noir Duvarita Vineyard, a cool-climate, firmer yet balanced, concentrated, almost bloody and meaty Pinot Noir that will keep for 10-12 years. It’s certainly a masculine, singular wine in the lineup and will be loved the by the Cote de Nuits lovers out there.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale ruby, the 2019 Pinot Noir Duvarita Vineyard has pure raspberry preserves and cranberry sauce on the nose with nuances of cured meats, dried flowers, autumn leaves and amaro. The palate is light-bodied bright, fresh and chalky, with citrusy sparks on the long finish.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.