TASTING NOTES
A well-balanced wine with bright acidity and ripe, structured tannins, our 2015 Rita’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir reflects its Sta. Rita Hills origins with rich aromas of violets, black cherry, cola and black pepper. An elegant palate of bright, peppery notes and juicy, ripe red fruit flavors is framed by a smooth mid-palate and a hint of vanilla from seamless oak integration.
VINEYARD NOTES
Rita’s Crown Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA has a well earned cult following, given its rocky soils and proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The hills run east-west in Santa Barbara County, bringing cooling breezes and fog through the valley and across the vines at Rita’s Crown. An unmatched terroir—east-west coastal valleys, cooling wind and fog, and soils that limit vine vigor—creates the ideal conditions for growing Pinot Noir with intense flavor characteristics. We love the complexity we get from the cool-climate fruit here, with its natural acidity and firm structure.