Winemaker Notes
Hitching Post's flagship cuvee of best barrels and vineyards is rich in flavor, yet smooth, balanced, and elegant. The vineyard emphasizes deep fruit, spice, and earthiness to be enjoyed with food, family and friends.
Professional Ratings
-
Vinous
The 2019 Pinot Noir Highliner is a blend of sites in Santa Maria and the Sta. Rita Hills. Black cherry, plum, cloves, leather, mocha and incense lend notable complexity to this mid-weight, refreshing Pinot Noir. There is good depth and plenty of freshness to pull it all together.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.