Winemaker Notes
Each year, the goal for Southing is to create the ideal marriage of complexity and elegance. The ever-changing nose of the Southing exhibits Montmorency cherry, sage, hibiscus and subtle baking spices. The fine tannins and minerality are enhanced by our estate vineyard’s characteristic cool climate acidity.
Professional Ratings
-
Tasting Panel
Expressive in both aroma and flavor, with full body and deep flavors, this takes a stab at answering the question, "How big can a Pinot Noir be and still taste like Pinot Noir?" The answer it offers is "very big," as long as the fruit is extremely pure and structured with fresh acidity, fine-grained tannins, and a measured dose of high-class oak.
-
Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Southing shows a step up in elegance in this tasting of the 2020s and 2021s, layering plush textures over generous berry and cherry fruit. A touch of bitter spice and gentle acidity add lift, keeping the wine poised and engaging through the finish.
-
Wine Spectator
Raspberry and plum pate de fruit notes are expressive, while lightly singed apple wood and red licorice hints streak through. Late flashes of savory and rose hip keep this honest through the lengthy finish. Drink now through 2031. 9,000 cases made.
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.