Winemaker Notes
The Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir shines dark ruby with classic aromas of cherry, limestone and oak. Light tannins hold up flavors of fresh berries, plum and dried herbs.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Hints of charcuterie and elegant lavender scents enhance the raspberry-paste aromas on the nose of this bottling. The palate is smooth in texture, offering potpourri, cranberry and citrus rind flavors as well as a lingering sense of game.
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.