Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Shows nicely coiled energy, with a core of black cherry, mulberry and plum fruit allied to racy acidity, which carries through on the iris- and anise-tinged finish. A subtle, smoldering earth accent hangs in the background, leaving a flinty echo. Drink now through 2033.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée combines the stellar La Rinconada, Wenzlau, Sanford & Benedict and Rancho La Viña sites. A dark yet buoyant and graceful nose of blue fruits and savory accents introduce a polished, lush palate with similar precision as found across the range. The finish is intensely saline, with fine-grained, stem-derived tannins appearing after aeration. This is a beautiful introduction to one of the more exciting projects in the Sta. Rita Hills.
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Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is dense, plush and explosive. The purity of the flavors is just remarkable. Bright red cherry/plum fruit, spice, cedar, new leather and spice infuse the 2021 with tons of nuance. This is a fabulous appellation-level wine.
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.