Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2018
Trade Tools
America / Sta. Rita Hills
The fruit for this Pinot Noir is sourced from two estate vineyards in cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills AVA. The grapes are harvested based on the ripeness of the tannins, which for Pinot Noir usually occurs between 24.5-27.0 Brix. The fruit is hand picked and hand sorted in the vineyard during the cool morning hours to preserve the aromatics. The clusters are gently de-stemmed with no crushing, and the must is cold soaked in open-top fermenters before inoculation. Each tank is manually punched down daily throughout maceration. Individual lots are vinified and barrel aged separately, spending approximately 18 months in French oak before blending and bottling, with additional time resting in the cellar before release.
94 Points
Wine Enthusiast
2018 vintage
Harvest Note
The 2018 growing season got off to a quick start due to a heat spike in early February which was quickly followed by a cold spell. The season continued with extended frost events and a cool to moderate weather pattern through May. The first pop of notable heat finally arrived mid-June and held steady with no extreme heat spikes, allowing the grapes to retain their acid level and mature at a slow and steady pace. This consistency set the stage for outstanding fruit quality. Harvest began three weeks later than usual, but it was well worth the wait.
Tasting Note
Deep, dark and concentrated, our 2018 Rancho Santa Rosa Pinot Noir features generous aromas of raspberry, blackberry, pomegranate, and sweet toasty oak. The palate is layered, lush and juicy with bright acidity, plenty of fruit and soft tannins.
Technical Data
GRAPES: 100% Pinot noir
APPELLATION: Sta. Rita Hills
PH: 3.62
ACIDITY: 6.5 g/L
ABV: 14.3%
AGING: 18 months, 30% New French Oak
Unique Selling Points
- Sta. Rita Hills AVA is best known for producing world-class Pinot Noir
- Barrels aged separately, spending 18 months in French oak before blending
“The combination of climate and soil diversity found in the Sta. Rita Hills offer some of the best grape growing conditions I’ve ever seen.”
Dave Frazier, Winemaker
About the Grape
Pinot Noir
In France, makes a silky, deceptively powerful wine of elegant, complex aromas and subtle, red fruit flavors, with earthy, floral, mushroom and mineral notes. In California, shows ripe, sweet characters.
