Winemaker Notes
Showing Radian’s characteristic concentration, this Pinot Noir has exceptional color and structure. The wine offers pure fruit aromas of blackberry, boysenberry and plum with accents of black licorice and earth. Bold flavors of cranberry and blackberry intertwine with hints of cocoa and white pepper. The firm tannins and balanced acidity encourage several years in the cellar for optimum development.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Superfresh and zippy aromas of cherry and raspberry are elevated by toasted pastry and light licorice on the nose of this single vineyard expression that remains vibrant with five years of age. The palate is tense in texture and presents a wide array of flavors, from concentrated red fruits to minty herbs that cruise deep into the long finish.
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.