Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County

The Santa Barbara Pinot Noir is made up of fruit from the Santa Barbara County AVA, between the Santa Rita Hills and the Santa Maria Valley. The specific vineyard sites are Bien Nacido, Dierberg Drum Canyon, and Sanford & Benedict vineyards, which all range in vine age as they were planted between 1973 and 1999. After the grapes are harvested, they are hand-harvested and undergo a combination of the whole cluster and destemmed press in large oak open-top fermentors. After 3-5 days of fermentation, the wine is transferred to French oak barrels, a third of which is new. The wine is left on its lees for 8-9 months before being racked, and blended back into stainless steel of addition age.

Aromatically the wine is fruit driven with notes of tart cherries, red cherries, blackberries and plums with hints of crushed stone and fine black pepper. On the palate, the wine is much more earthy with dried herbs and a touch of citrus.

Ingredients: grapes.