Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-garnet, the 2015 Pinot Noir Satisfaction has red cherries, blackberries and blueberries on the nose with dried leaves, perfumed earth and potpourri. Light to medium-bodied, it gives up earthy fruits with vibrant acidity and a long finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Candied pomegranate, alpine strawberry and tarragon aromas show on the nose of this bottling by Steve Clifton. The palate is tangy with tart red-fruit and dried mint flavors, enlivening the mouth with each tart sip.
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.