Winemaker Notes
In 2016 the fruit ripened gradually, with cool onshore breezes giving a classic and deeply colored Santa Maria Valley expression.
That dark cherry core is powerful as ever here, while those more wild stem aromas swirl around as fine accents: blackberry leaf, bay and rubbed sage at first, then with some oxygen those pretty botanical notes melt and reveal a more exotically woodsy kind of landscape. So that said, this wine will benefit from some time, in bottle or a decanter for now. It’s less about levity and charm as it was in the past few warmer years—this is a structured and brooding pinot that’s just dazzling to watch unfurl in the glass.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I suspect one of the finest wines I’ve tasted from this incredibly talented team, the 2016 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido offers heavenly notes of red currants, forest floor, flowers, and spices, with subtle marine-like salinity. A wine that just glides over the palate, with incredible elegance, especially from this more masculine site, it has ultra-fine tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, and a great, great finish. It’s a incredible Pinot Noir from a great winemaker and a great vineyard. Drink it over the coming decade or more.
Santa Maria Valley lies mainly in northern Santa Barbara County, with a small portion of it overlapping southern San Luis Obispo County. It is close to the Pacific, and runs east-west, which means warmer air in the eastern end draws cool air off the ocean in the west, and brings it through the valley. This effect, combined with abundant sunshine, lengthens the growing season. The longer growing season leads to long hang time, which promotes both ripeness and optimal acidity levels in grape berries. As early as the 1970’s, Santa Maria Valley was recognized as being a superior source of wine grapes, certainly including Chardonnay and Syrah. But arguably the top variety here is Pinot Noir.
Originally a domain primarily of growers, including the Miller Family of the justifiably famous Bien Nacido Vineyard, this AVA is now home to over 30 wineries. Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir consistently offers full flavors of cherry, strawberry and raspberry, often accompanied by notes of spice, cola, vanilla and earth. They show impressive balance and elegance, as well as great versatility with food.