Winemaker Notes
This 2012 is dark and rich with fresh boysenberry and raspberry jam on the nose. The palate features tart red plum with hints of black peppercorn, hibiscus tea, straw and candied raspberries. This is a great expression of a Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. The finish is luscious and leaves one craving more.
2012 is a perfect wine for pairing with pepper rubbed leg of lamb and fresh beet salad with goat cheese. Or this is the perfect accompaniment for pulled pork sliders or chicken coq au vin.
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.