Winemaker Notes
Spellbound Pinot Noir has an alluring color and inviting bouquet of rich raspberries, cherries and red currant, vanilla bean and roasted coffee, all in a remarkably approachable glass. The wine is crafted to unleash dark and luscious characteristics, while managing tannins to deliver an opulent and juicy Pinot Noir. Grilled pork chops, roast chicken, lamb curry and meatloaf with roasted vegetables, especially Brussels sprouts. Nutmeg and cinnamon work well with this beautiful Pinot Noir.
Everyone knows the warm sun nurtures plants, bringing grapevines to full maturity. But since ancient times, farmers have also depended on the moon, ruler of the tides, whose gravitational force pulls water up from the soil, supporting vines during the cool nights that maintain beautiful balance in wine grapes. The founding partners of Spellbound chose the name and label imagery to suggest the ever-present magical, mystical force of the moon.
Spellbound first made its mark with one of the first varietals to be grown in California, Petite Sirah. This award-winning wine has earned 90 points from The Wine Advocate across multiple vintages. The portfolio also includes a core lineup of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Rosé, all crafted with grapes from established and emerging regions throughout California, where warm sun and cool, moonlit nights result in expressive, approachable, balanced wines. These wines are true to their roots, expressing ripe varietal character with a style that elevates every occasion - from special events to everyday meals around the family table. Savvy wine shoppers, will appreciate Spellbound for its everyday affordability, consistent quality and fruit-driven wine profile.
Internationally recognized for gorgeous, pure fruit combined with great elegance, California Pinot noir thrives among the state’s cooler, coastal zones. Characterized by eclectic flavors and aromas of strawberry, black cherry, plum and potpourri with notes of forest floor, mushroom or black tea, the best California Pinot noir boast a supple texture and good acidity, giving them the ability to improve with age.
Credited with the beginning of Pinot noir’s glory in California, two growers, Joe Rochioli and Joseph Swan in the late 1960s independently planted Pinot noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Today Sonoma County remains the leading producer of Pinot noir in the state, and Pinot noir is the leading red grape in the county, achieving its highest potential, in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast.
Other coastal appellations where Pinot noir flourishes include Carneros, Anderson Valley and most of the Central Coast.