Winemaker Notes
Windstream Pinot Noir wine is dark and structured with intense flavors of black cherry and raspberry. French oak barrel aging contributes nuances of oak spice and cedar with a long, mouthfilling finish. Both clonal selections are fermented separately in small, open-top tanks. The cap is “punched down” in order to delicately extract color without creating excessive tannins. After aging in French oak barrels, the individual lots are evaluated and blended.
The maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean creates morning fog and afternoon winds: an ideal climate for the production of world-class Burgundian varietals. This “stream of winds” directly affects the Sarmento Vineyard, which is located in the prestigious Santa Lucia Highlands appellation of Monterey. The soil is well-drained loamy sand with many fist-sized cobblestones. Winemakers Anthony Riboli and Arnaud Debons employ traditional techniques and modern technology to create wines that express ripe fruit flavors with balance and finesse.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A dried cherry-skin note meets with leather and dried herbs on the rather mellow nose of this young bottling. The palate combines roasted meats in plum sauce with Christmas spices, offering bright fruit alongside a hint of vanilla on the finish.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Perhaps the most highly regarded appellation within Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a combination of warm morning sunshine and brisk afternoon breezes, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and fully. The result is concentrated, flavorful wines that retain their natural acidity. Wineries here do not shy away from innovation, and place a high priority on sustainable viticultural practices.
The climatic conditions here are perfectly suited to the production of ripe, rich Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These Burgundian varieties dominate an overwhelming percentage of plantings, though growers have also found success with Syrah, Riesling and Pinot Gris.