Winemaker Notes
This Pinot Noir is just so aromatically complete and layered. Initially you find that earthy propensity of this vineyard, with scents of warm earth, iron and rosemary. Then notes of ripe cherries and berries gain exuberance in the glass, melding into a complex tapestry of cola, flowers and Asian spices.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
Lots of framboise and strawberry fruits as well as more Burgundian forest floor and earthy nuances define the 2019 Pinot Noir Fe Ciega Vineyard, one of the standouts in the lineup. With brilliant focus and precision, a great mid-palate, and ripe tannins, it’s going to be well worth following over the coming decade.
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.