Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County reveals a medium ruby color as well as a downright Burgundian bouquet of ripe cherries, forest floor, dried spice, and hints of exotic flowers. Gamey, medium-bodied, complex and exotic, it has plenty to love but is for those who don't mind some wild, exotic notes in their Pinot.
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.
Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.