Winemaker Notes
Enjoy this bold Pinot Noir with grilled pork chops covered in fig compote and a fresh green salad topped with dried cherries and goat cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Stewed red plum, pepper, dried herbs and baked earth show on the nose of this bottling. The palate starts quite zesty in a snappy raspberry-jam flavor, lifted by a hint of white pepper and solid acidity.
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Wine Spectator
Firm and rich, featuring mulled berry flavors blending with notes of underbrush and spice. Peppery accents show on the broad finish, with hints of dried green herb. Drink now through 2022.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.