Wines Pouring

• 2022 Sarah's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Rancho La Viña

  Santa Rita Hills/Rancho La Viña

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  Our fifth vintage from the Santa Rita Hills AVA spotlights a newer Pinot Noir vineyard source for us: Rancho La Viña. Over the last two decades, the region has become one of California’s most influential Pinot Noir growing districts. Located in Santa Barbara County, the Sta. Rita Hills is part of the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA. e hills of the district run east to west, which allows cool ocean breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean to enter the valley, providing fairly cool microclimates – perfect for growing top-flight Pinot. Dense morning fog gives way to sunny afternoons, and loamy soils make Rancho La Viña and incredible cool climate growing site. In addition to 34.5 acres of top-quality Pinot Noir wine grapes, a variety of other crops are also grown on the ranch, which includes 126 acres of the best walnuts in California. We are excited to have been invited to work with this small, quality grower that really takes pride in their work – and feel that this vintage is a truly excellent wine. After a cold soak, fermentation began using yeast RC212 in small, open top bins. Manual punch downs of the cap occurred three times daily prior to the wine being pressed and barreled down for eleven months aging in small French oak cooperage, with one third of it being “new wood.” Just 143 cases were bottled in late August of 2023.

  Suggested Retail Price: $55.00
• 2022 Sarah's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Tondré Grapefield

  Santa Lucia Highlands/Tondré Grapefield

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  Our annual Santa Lucia Highlands release of Pinot Noir under our “Appellation Series” highlights one of California’s most influential PN growing districts. With its close proximity to cold Monterey Bay, the S.L.H. boasts a long growing season, strong winds, and mountainside soils - perfect conditions for growing Pinot Noir. The Pinots grown in this small appellation are some of the most sought-after in the country. Many years ago, Tondré Alarid established a vineyard on his historic ranch. In the hands of his son Joe Alarid, the estate has become one of the S.L.H.’s best known properties. Literally next door to famed Garys’ Vineyard, Tondré shares the same well-drained hillside soils and crop-limiting afternoon fog and cool winds from nearby Monterey Bay. e combination of a perfect site and meticulous farming makes for truly great Pinot Noir. With the long drought a few seasons behind us, growing conditions throughout the year were fairly “normal.” Yields were slightly below average, but with concentrated fruit, with the harvest coming in right on schedule. The Pinot Noir arriving at the winery in early September from Tondré was of superb quality, with focused flavors and acids. 193 cases produced.

  Suggested Retail Price: $55.00
• 2020 Sarah's Vineyard Pinot Noir, Estate Reserve

  Santa Clara Valley/Sarah's Estate

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  Our black-labeled Reserve from the 2020 vintage continues our string of successes with Pinot Noir here in the historic Santa Clara Valley appellation. It is our annual flagship release. Sarah’s location in the Valley is a unique one, situated as we are in the cooler climate, Mt. Madonna foothills of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains. Here fog and winds from nearby Monterey Bay dramatically cool down the estate, extend ripening, and provide superior conditions for growing superb Pinot Noir. Winemaker / proprietor Tim Slater recalls the harvest and cellar regimen: “Wetter than normal weather in the late spring pushed grape development back – leading to harvest starting a few weeks later than normal. Harvest of Pinot Noir began right at the end of September into October. It’s been the latest harvest that I remember with yields down a little, but quality was excellent. We gently destemmed whole berries into small fermenters, cold soaked for three days, allowed a robust native fermentation, then inoculated with RC212 yeast. Hand punch downs occurred three times daily. The wine was pressed on the skins and fermentation was completed in barrel. The cooperage used was François Frères and Vallaurine, 50% being new oak with the balance in one- and two-year-old barrels; barrel maturation proceeded for 18 months. The wine was bottled and hand-waxed in March, 2022 and allowed a year of bottle age prior to release to our Reserve Circle members.” Only 118 cases produced.

  Suggested Retail Price: $68.00