Winemaker Notes
Tart red cherries and raspberries are revealed on the nose, alongside spicy and herbaceous notes. This Pinot Noir stands out for its vibrant, almost crunchy acidity and long finish.
Pair with lobster ravioli, grilled trout, and Comté cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2020 Pinot Noir Coastal Vineyard Las Brisas in San Antonio in the Leyda Valley was 30% aged in barrels and 25% in foudres. Ruby red in color. The nose is pure fruit with an expression of raspberry, sour cherry and wet earth alongside hints of herb and blood. In the mouth, this is terse with a vibrant expression and sharp freshness, accompanied by fine, almost grippy texture before the fruity 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.”
An officially recognized sub-zone in the southern part of the San Antonio Valley, the Leyda Valley was the original settlement of the wine pioneers who came to the area in the 1990s. They were in search of cooler and wetter growing conditions—as compared to more eastern, drier and often warmer locations.
Planting, which began only in the late 1990s, focused on Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot noir and some limited spots for Syrah. The area continues to receive well-earned accolades for wines of these varieties.