Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Extremely alluring aromas of black plum and blackberry meet with touches of caramel, vanilla and fresh rose on the nose of this bottling. Raspberry and cranberry pop on the sip, but it's the garrigue character of black sage and thyme, plus a bit of white pepper, that rounds out the seamlessly integrated palate.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Reminding me of Premier Cru from the northern part of Burgundy with its darker cherry, saddle leather, and sappy floral aromas and flavors, the 2015 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard is medium-bodied, supple and seamless on the palate. It drops off too quickly on the finish, but it's still a beautiful wine. This site lies on the eastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills, and the 2015 spent 17 months in 36% new French 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.