Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Gainey winemaker John Falcone brings us a seamless, velvety, layered Pinot with ripe berries that pleasurably pour over the palate. Mocha-raspberry swooshes in at the finish-a complete charmer.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Showing superb balance and richness, the active and charming 2013 Gainey Vineyard Pinot Noir stays in the sweet spot of this grape variety. The wine exhibits red fruits, a shading of some blackberries, and savory spices. Its fresh and lively finish make it an excellent choice with a mildly-seasoned lamb stew. (Tasted: March 15, 2017, San Francisco, CA)
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.