Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Black cherry and black raspberry notes meet crushed mint, wet slate, Mediterranean spice, blistered tomato and Kalamata olive on the nose of this estate bottling. Lively herbs including marjoram and thyme mark the palate, then the wine warms toward tarter cherry, cranberry and turned earth on the midpalate. It finishes with aromatically lifting menthol notes.
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Wine & Spirits
With plenty of leafy stem spice cutting through the plump fruit of the 2013 vintage, this is bold, hearty and firm. Theoretically it’s a selection of the more forward lots of the Presqu’ile estate, but its herbal character and oak (55 percent new) could use a year or two to integrate. It’s a savory wine with power, structure and enough flavor to match yakitori dishes like grilled chicken hearts.
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.