Wine Region: California - USA
Grape: Pinot Noir
Tasting notes:
"The 2019 Pinot Noir Saint Rose is a new wine in this lineup. The 2019 blends the best barrels from Domaine de la Côte and La Encantada vineyards. Ripe red cherry, blood orange, spice, menthol and a good deal of savoriness from the 50% whole clusters are front and centre. Pliant and creamy, the 2019 is so expressive today. A few years in bottle should help the tannins soften.
Racines is the Sta. Rita Hills project headed by Etienne de Montille, Rodolphe Péters and Justin Willett. The wines are deep, layered and, not surprisingly, super-expressive regarding the site. The Pinots, in particular, tend to show notable breadth from a combination of a high percentage of stems, classic winemaking and relatively long ageing of around 19 months in barrel."
Expert rating: Vinous 94/100
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.
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