Winemaker Notes
The 2016 Siduri Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of the more structured 2016 Siduri Pinot Noirs and one of our most structured Rosella’s since we started using this vineyard back in 2001. This backbone undoubtedly came from the fact that, the 777 clone had smaller than normal clusters and this led to a higher skin-to-juice ratio creating more structure. Blending this in with our other clones at Rosella’s ended up producing a wine that is truly compelling, but also a darker fruited and more age worthy wine. This is a truly outstanding wine that should only improve with several years in the cellar. The taste aromas of this vintage are ripe black cherry, roasted espresso, fresh brambly/wild berry/blackberry, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Some of the flavors include plush and
round texture in the mid-palate with moderate acid that holds on from middle to end. There also are flavors of ripe, fresh red cherry, strawberry jam, and clove.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Seeing 30% whole clusters, the 2016 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard is a fruit-forward, rounded, sexy wine from this estate. Bing cherry, violets, wild strawberries, and sappy herb notes all flow to a vibrant, fresh wine that changes in the glass beautifully. It has good acidity and a lightly textured, elegant style that’s a joy to drink. It should keep for upwards of a decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard has a pale to medium ruby color and notes of earth and wet leaves over a core of black berry and cherry fruit with potpourri and Earl Grey tea touches. The palate is light to medium-bodied with a good core of dark, spicy fruits, grainy tannins to frame and juicy acidity, finishing long.
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Wine Enthusiast
Both gamy and sweet aromas show on the nose of this bottling, with cranberry, pomegranate and candied strawberry touches offset by meaty funk. The palate is lightly bodied, with long simmering acidity and herbal touches enhancing the dark strawberry core.
Let’s start with the obvious – Central Coast Pinot Noir is an incredibly broad category. This of course is because the Central Coast appellation is enormous, and it contains several stellar Pinot Noir regions within it, all of them kept cool by elevation or proximity to the ocean (or both). So we’ll break things down a bit with a brief look at each of these: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey and the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. These are not the only Central Coast sources of good Pinot Noir, but they are the major ones. So let’s get started.
In the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, just west of Silicon Valley, producers craft excellent Pinot in spite of serious challenges. The land is mountainous, rugged and can be foggy, the topsoil is thin and poor and yields tend to be low. Yet Pinots from the likes of David Bruce, Martin Ray, Mount Eden and Thomas Fogarty exhibit undeniable quality, along with bright red fruit, minerality, earth and herbal hints.
Just south lies the large Monterey appellation. Monterey Pinot Noir is grown in coastal areas, taking optimal advantage of the cooling effect of the Pacific. The most highly regarded of these is the Santa Lucia Highlands. Situated on hilly benchlands south of the city of Monterey, this central coast region relies on a long growing season, night and morning fog and consistent afternoon winds to produce world class Pinot Noir. Attributes include intense, rich fruit, subtle earthy notes, spice and a silky texture. Look for producers like Siduri, Kosta Browne, Talbott and Lucienne.
The Santa Maria Valley in northern Santa Barbara County (a section of it falls into southern San Luis Obispo County) is also a haven for quality Pinot Noir. A mere 15 miles from the Pacific, the valley runs east-west, creating a natural tunnel through which ocean breezes and fog flow. This effect lengthens the growing season and promotes both ripeness and development of acidity, lending Santa Maria Valley Pinots their characteristic full flavor, balance and elegance. The famous Bien Nacido Vineyard is located here, and notable producers include Cambria, Foxen, Byron and Au Bon Climat.
Finally, we arrive at the Sta. Rita Hills, also in Santa Barbara County. Located in the western part of the Santa Ynez Valley, it too benefits from an east-west orientation that leads to the same conditions mentioned above. Once again the result is extended hang time for the grapes, which can be tasted in the vibrant, ripe red fruits evident in these Pinots, along with dense coloration and an impression of richness and intensity. Try wines from producers like Ken Brown, Ampelos, Fess Parker and Melville.
As you can see, California’s Central Coast offers a wealth of options for any lover of Pinot Noir. Cheers!