Winemaker Notes
Shimmering ruby red, with enticing components of dried rose petal, sage, cigar box and toasted fennel come through initially while delicate hints of candied cranberry, dried mushrooms and apple cider linger in the background. The mouthfeel is lush and velvety, with prickly tannins that deliver lift and gorgeous texture to a cohesive and elongated finish.
The Sandy’s block is named in honor of Ron Melville’s sister and was deliberately planted on the extremely sandy northwest section of our east vineyard. Sandy’s has performed heroically over the years particularly when considering its extreme location combined with the poor, well drained soils of this section. This block also contains clonal material representative of our new era of plantings and includes selections from Calera (Clone 90) and clones 37, 459 and 114. These four selections, when planted on sand, produce wildly intense and pretty aromatics with a very ethereal and harmonic palate impression.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of snappy pomegranate, smashed pine, dewy chaparral and dried carnation show on the epic nose of this bottling by Chad Melville, who took over winemaking duties on this vintage. It’s crisp and bright in feel, where sour cherry, thyme, sage and blistered tomato flavors engage all parts of the palate.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Pinot Noir Sandy's, which was fermented with 60% whole bunches, reveals pretty notes of red cherry, plum preserve, forest floor and candied berries, with some stemmy top-notes on the upper register. Medium-bodied, saline and quite open-knit on the palate, this is a supple, approachable Pinot Noir to enjoy over the next five to six years.
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.