Winemaker Notes
Bright and vibrant magenta in color. Aromas of red cherry, red rose petal and pomegranate. Flavors of raspberry and cinnamon red hots. Soft tannin with a round and supple mouth feel.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Made from 100% Pinot Noir that was completely destemmed and aged just three months in neutral barrels, the 2024 Pinot Noir boasts a ruby, semi-opaque color and gives up juicy blackberry, mulberries, peppery herbs, and sappy, floral-driven notes. Medium-bodied, pure, and juicy on the palate, it has an incredibly supple, seamless mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and ripe tannins. This is one heck of a value, offering plenty of richness and ripeness while staying balanced, light on its feet, and weightless.
-
Vinous
The 2024 Pinot Noir is very rich, ripe and forward, with bright cherry fruit and attractive textural suppleness. It's certainly not the last word on complexity, but it impresses most for its harmony and creaminess without exuberance. Purity of red cherry/berry fruit here is really lovely. Greg Brewer is certainly no one-trick pony, showing here that he can deftly handle Pinot Noir without stem inclusion (100% destemmed).
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.