Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Rusty red cherry, wild mint, turned earth and rainbow peppercorns show on the lovely nose of this bottling by Chad Melville from his family's property. The palate is extremely fresh and vibrant, with Bing cherry and plump hibiscus flavors at the core, dazzled by white pepper and olive tapenade on the fringes.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Terrific notes of red currants, underbrush/forest floor, and some savory, gamy notes emerge from the 2016 Pinot Noir Anna's, which is from clones 667 and 114. It's another wine that shines for its silky texture yet packs ample mid-palate depth as well as building structure and tannin. It's going to evolve beautifully for 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From vines planted in 2006, the 2016 Pinot Noir Anna's Block offers up aromas of cherry preserve, red berries, dried herbs and some whole-cluster spice on the upper register. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and savory with a dry, saline and definitely stem-influenced finish. I'd give this a year or two in bottle to round out.
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.