Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Yes, even for a California Pinot, this is a big, strong, full-bodied wine. Southing always is. It could almost morph into a Cabernet Sauvignon. But who cares? It’s compellingly delicious, and isn’t that what wine is all about? Flavorwise, it tastes of cherries, oranges, red currants, violets, raspberries, cedar and peppery spices, with 65% new oak.
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Wine Spectator
Firm and well-structured, with a mix of spicy dried berry, currant, blackberry and blueberry, picking up a nice touch of mineral and sage and ending with well-integrated tannins.
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.