Winemaker Notes
The plum-colored 2017 Rancho Santa Rosa Pinot Noir features earthy aromas of forest floor and notes of strawberries, pomegranate orange blossoms and cloves. The palate is firm, accented with dark plum and cranberries finishing with just a hint of hibiscus tea, rhubarb pie and sandalwood. This wine would pair well with holiday glazed ham.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
Strong, earthy tones of wild sagebrush and cola spice decorate the black cherry and plum aromas on the nose of this bottling. Baked cherry and raspberry flavors pop on the palate, where cardamom spice and earthy herbs add nuance.
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.