Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Pinot Noir Block 43 Bien Nacido comes from a single block in the Bien Nacido Vineyard and was aged 17 months in one-third new French oak. It's not far from the Block 8 cuvée yet has slightly more new oak as well as beautiful cassis and strawberry fruits, spice box, violets, and crushed rocks. Voluptuous and sexy on the palate, with a stacked mid-palate, this beauty fills the mouth with fruit and displays no hard edges, nicely integrated acidity, and a beautifully pure, balance style.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Block 43 Bien Nacido Vineyard features red and black cherries, blueberries, turned earth, floral perfume and herbs hints. Light to medium-bodied with good concentration and savory accents, it has fine, grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing long.
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Wine Enthusiast
This coveted block designation from a historic property combines rich aromas of black cherry and dark berry with gamy hints of roasted pork and composting violets. It's bright and tart at first on the palate before wood spice, roasted cherry and cherry pit show in the midpalate. It's still a young wine.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.