Winemaker Notes
Pinot from this vineyard is known for its vibrant, floral aroma and delicate color that belies a vivid structure on the palate. Hi-toned red fruit lays under aromas of rose petal and subtle redwood bark/forest spice.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
From a vineyard 1,700-feet high with 20- to 30-year-old vines, this bottling shows candied raspberry as well as forest undergrowth, olive and dewy thyme on the nose. There's bountiful energy to the sip, which pops with tangy strawberry, oregano, tarragon and pepper spices. A savory smoke quality emerges toward the finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The lighter ruby-colored 2016 Pinot Noir Split Rail Vineyard comes from the Santa Cruz Mountains and is open-knit and sweetly fruited, with ample charm in its red currants, cherries, dried herbs, and earthy aromas and flavors. It’s another beauty from this estate. Unfortunately, there aren’t large volumes of any of these releases to go around.
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 rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.