Wine Region: California - USA

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir | Farmed using organic methods.

Tasting notes: 'The 2019 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills is an attractive, ethereal wine. Sweet dried cherry, mint, tobacco and sage are some of the aromas and flavors that open in the glass. I would give this a few years in bottle to soften. This is an especially savory style of Pinot with plenty of aromatic presence, and the fruit pushed into the background. The Sta. Rita Hills cuvée is a blend of fruit from Domaine de la Côte and La Encantada.'

Expert Rating: 90 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous 

The Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir comes from vineyards that lie on the Santa Rosa Road corridor of the Santa Rita Hills. These sites consist of varying soil types from sandy loam, clay loam, chert, shale. This is a wine that they believe best represents the potential of the region as a whole. Vineyards: La Mesa Vineyard, La Encantada Vineyard, La Rinconada Vineyard & Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

On average, 50% whole cluster is retained during fermentation using native yeast. They manage fermentation with a combination of foulage and pigeage for about three weeks before being put to 228L barriques for elevage. Aging: 17 months in French, oak barrels (15% new).

Expert rating:

About the winery: Racines is a collaboration between two classic houses from France, led by vignerons Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Champagne (Champagne Pierre Peters). The team came together to join their individual experiences in hand-crafting wines of purity and transparency to create a range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cool climate of the Sta. Rita Hills in California.

The project is the first venture for Étienne and Rodolphe beyond France and represents the coming together of all that is wonderful about Burgundy, Champagne and California. Production methods are firmly rooted in the traditions of France with all native yeast fermentations, extended elevage, use of whole cluster for Pinot Noir and wines that have ample amounts of fresh acidity and the ability to age.

These wines confirm something many have long suspected: that if you are looking to make terroir driven, elegant, balanced wines in the new world, then Sta. Rita Hills is the place.

More about Racines here...