Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Herbs, toasted spice, licorice and mulled red fruits define the 2013 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, and, as far as Pinot Noir goes, it's a terrific value. Possessing plenty of fruit and ripe tannin, it's delicious now, yet should easily keep for 4-5 years. Note, this is a multi-vineyard blend that’s mostly John Sebastiano and La Encantada, but includes smaller parts from Fiddlestix, Radian, Bentrock and Duvarita. It saw a tiny portion with whole clusters and 16 months all in neutral oak.
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.