Winemaker Notes
The 2019 vintage is a truly stunning expression of Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir. The bouquet is alluring, offering fruit-forward notes of wild strawberry, pomegranate, and dried cherry, intermingled with black tea leaves and citrus rind. The wine’s expansive middle palate and medium body are delicately balanced by fine-grained tannins. Intense flavors of tart red fruits and perfumed notes of baking spices are complemented by the vibrant finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This new brand from Zaca Mesa focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and this countywide Pinot blend is a stunner. Aromas of rainy slate, pomegranate and hibiscus roll into a palate of sumac, red fruit and light game that sizzles with acidity.
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.