Winemaker Notes
A moderate, cool and long growing season with no heat spikes yielded stunning wines at a number of addresses. The finest 2018s are exquisitely perfumed, nuanced and quite deep, yet never come across as heavy handed or overdone.
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
Aromas of Bing cherries, damp leaves and potpourri, this exudes a clarity and purity that is nearly impossible to find at this price point in a Pinot Noir. Echoing their Santa Barbara County Chardonnay bottling, Tyler Winery’s introductory Pinot Noir is blend of classic vineyard sites in Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. Aged in 30% new French oak for eight months, then racked to stainless steel before being bottled.
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.