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After several years of offering a blended wine made exclusively from Santa Rita Hills grapes, I decided to broaden my blending choices by going outside this viticultural appellation.  Essentially, this wine is a Santa Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley blend with almost equal parts of each.

The 2006 harvest was ideal for the slow and steady ripening of Pinot Noir grapes in both areas. The wines were produced following our usual procedures of 100% destemming, fermentation in small open top tanks and aging for eleven months in French oak barrels of which about 35% were new. Bottling took place in early September.

The wine has a beautiful ruby color. The aromas are very forward and spicy, with hints of cranberry and dark cherries. On the palate, the wine is immediately round, soft with sappy flavors almost identical to the aromas. The oak is so beautifully integrated that you might not be able to detect that there was any oak aging involved.

The soft texture and delicious flavors of this wine will make it an enjoyable wine to drink in the short term and for a few years after release.

This wine is a perfect complement to pork with currant sauce, roasted game or salmon.

Rick Longoria, Winemaker
February 1, 2008
Composition:  100% Pinot Noir
Vineyards: Bien Nacido Vineyard – 48%
Rancho Santa Rosa Vineyard – 33%
Fe Ciega Vineyard – 19%  
Production:  257 cases
Alcohol by volume:  14.5%
pH:  3.70
Titratable acidity:  .56 g/100 ml.
Cellaring potential:  Two to four years
Bottle price:  $32.00

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