PAST VINTAGES

2006 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills

A combination of Pinot clones from our organically-farmed vineyard, and a variety of new and used French oak barrels join forces to create our ’06 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Not as high in the treble notes as our ’ 05, this wine has the bass knob turned up, showcasing the darker, more covert aspects of Pinot Noir. Rich fruit flavors and aromas are bolstered by a smoky spiciness that would pair well with classic grilled preparations, roasts and stews, even hearty fish dishes (halibut filets done osso-buco-style). Just say “yes, please…”

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2005 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills

Quintessential Pinot Noir characteristics of cherry-berry fruit, brown spice, a little forest-floor earthiness and a thought-provoking deep, dark complexity... still a happy wine but showing a more serious side as well... Enjoy with grilled quail, ribs, pork tenderloin, classic Santa Maria-style barbeque, elegant roasts, or anything with mushrooms.

Wine Enthusiast Editors Choice, 93 points

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2004 Pinot Noir - Sta. Rita Hills

There are delightful aromas and flavors of berries, cherries, and plums with intriguing spice and smoke notes in this still young pinot noir. Lively acidity speaks to an ageworthiness and compatibility with a wide variety of foods. Steak-y seafood (salmon, halibut, swordfish) would share company here, as would soft cheeses, anything from off the grill, coq au vin, ragout of mushrooms, etc.

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2006 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Clones 667 and Swan are combined in the '06 La Encantada bottling, aged in a combination of both new and used French oak barrels. Luxuriant, dark and supple, packed with vivid ripe berry flavors, a deep smoky plumminess and slick balanced tannins, the wine promises a very rewarding future (although the present is quite nice as well).

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2005 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

The “Encantada” shows quintessential Pinot Noir characteristics of cherry-berry fruit, brown spice, a little forest-floor earthiness, and a thought provoking deep, dark complexity… still a happy wine, but showing a more serious side as well… Winter-y soups and stews; hearty braises; anything with black truffles or wild mushrooms; Sunday-night roasts, etc.

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2004 Pinot Noir - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Bold, smooth, rich, and spicy, here is pinot noir for the aficionado: good depth, balanced structure, richness of flavor and, again, sturdy acidity all contribute to a great wine for a few years in the cellar (or enjoy tonight!) Beef, lamb, game, hearty poultry, rich sauces, big cheeses would all be welcome companions here.

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2007 Pinot Noir - Mt. Eden Clone, El Jabali Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Our Mount Eden cuttings were obtained by Richard Sanford around 1970 from the Santa Cruz Mountain vineyard of the same name. The wine is bright and brilliant,  perhaps the prettiest and most feminine of our three single-clone bottlings. Lots of flowery aromas, spicy herbal notes and high-toned cherry, raspberry fruit. Classic with grilled salmon, lighter roasts, French onion soup, etc.

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2007 Pinot Noir - Clone 667, La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

This single-clone, single-vineyard Pinot Noir is a bold, approaching-chewy wine, somewhat earthy-foresty, with a hint of mushroom in the nose, and a dark complexity weaving in purple flowers, purple fruits, violets and berries, giving way to a dense, nice finish.

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2007 Pinot Noir - Clone 777, La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Clone 777 is probably the “Noir-est” of our individual Pinot clone bottlings, showing deep, dark, rich texture and character. Lots of black fruit flavors: black cherries, black plums, black berries… There is also a loamy, sweet-earth day-old-rose component pushing this wine in the direction of pairing with hearty meaty dishes, game, roasts and grills and deep rich sauces employing mushrooms and/or truffles.

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2007 Chardonnay - Santa Barbara County

Exhibiting the bright energy of exuberant youth, this wine is like a swift arrow let loose from the bow… right on target with the tropical fruit aromatics characteristic of Chardonnay from Santa Barbara County. Here we have a citrus-apple acidity and a just-barely noticeable oak presence. This is the firm, angular and crisp side of the Chardonnay spectrum, which is especially complementary with food to balance its mouth-watering freshness.

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2008 Long Beach Grand Cru Gold Medal Winner

2006 Chardonnay - Santa Barbara County

A slight change of gears from the ’05 Chardonnay... this time around the wine fermented in partially new French oak barrels (for approximately three weeks) then was racked into stainless steel tanks for about four months aging without malolactic fermentation. Still showing a bright citrus and tropical fruit character with pleasing minerality, this wine is a little more plump than our ’05, more akin to a Montrachet than a Chablis. Try it with pan-seared fish filets in butter sauce; pasta with prosciutto, fresh herbs, and green peas; spicy grilled shrimp; or chicken crepes with bechamel sauce.

Wine Enthusiast Top 100 2008, rated #4, 94 points

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2005 Chardonnay - Santa Barbara County

Here is a new-generation style chardonnay; not oaky, not buttery...instead, you get a crisp wine with a racy mineral streak running through tropical fruit flavors and aromas of pineapple guava and citrus-honey, brushed with herbs. Try with any grilled seafood, chicken currys, satay, Chinese, Thai or Indian food.

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2004 Chardonnay - Santa Barbara County

Brisk and clean, with a racy mineral streak running through classic apple and pear flavors, and elements of lemon and honey; this is a chardonnay that is particularly food friendly. Sea scallops, chicken in creamy sauce(s), pork with apples & sage, quiches, frittatas.

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2005 Chardonnay - El Jabalí Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Like Helen of Troy in a bottle, launching a thousand over-the-top descriptors, it is a thing of ravishing beauty, brilliant, elegant, graceful, smelling of flowers, pineapple and lime zest. A chardonnay that's not a dairy product (what an idea!), sleek with crisp acidity. We'd pair it with chicken in rich, creamy sauces, or with fondue, or risotto with white truffles, or soufflés and other egg dishes - maybe even with breakfast on the next day off.

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2007 Pinot Gris - Santa Barbara County

Soft and a bit more lush than our 2006, this Pinot Gris nevertheless stays true to the Alsatian flavor aroma profile established by previous vintages, with its fresh spring-floral element, rich melon fruitiness and refreshing, cleansing minerality. Fermented in stainless steel, no malolactic fermentation, aged 6 months in neutral French Oak. Excellent with Thai food, other spicy Asian dishes, grilled seafood, etc.

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2006 Pinot Gris - Santa Barbara County

Continuing in the crisp, clean style of Alsatian Pinot Gris, our 2006 Pinot Gris, Santa Barbara County shows a purity of fruit with exotic floral aspects, summery stone fruits and a refreshing acid-mineral finish. Happy with Mediteranean dishes, it would be equally at home with spicy Pan-Asian concoctions.

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2005 Pinot Gris - Santa Barbara County

Like a fresh breeze coming off the sea, carrying scents of apricot and tangerine blossoms, a hint of pear, a whiff of honeysuckle; delicately beautiful, with acidity as taut as a bow string... Perfect with a wide variety of Mediterranean dishes, or spicy Asian cuisine, or just to enjoy the anticipation of the summer to come...

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2006 Pinot Gris - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Firm, dry and fresh, this bright Pinot Gris is produced from less than 2 acres of organically grown fruit at La Encantada Vineyard in the western part of the Sta. Rita Hills viticultural area. The wine reveals a clean apple-lime essence crossed with a bit of honeydew melon and hints of subtle white peach, all enhanced by an undercurrent of pleasant minerality.

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2005 Pinot Gris - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

On Santa Rosa Road, eleven miles west of Highway 101 is La Encantada Vineyard, the “enchanted” place. There’s definitive enchantment to this wine, with its exotic floral attributes (the beauty of orchids) and rich tropical fruit character layered over a snappy texture. This is a connoisseur’s Pinot Gris! Alluring food pairings include spring rolls; roasted fish filets with miso glaze; sushi; caprese salad.

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2007 Pinot Blanc - Sta. Rita Hills

No malolactic and relatively brief aging in used oak barrels keeps this wine very true to its grapey fruitiness. Fresh white flowers show first in the aroma of the wine, leading to pear and melon with some vanilla-nutmeg spiciness. There’s a lemon crème quality in there with a hint of white pepper, altogether exotic and complex. Citrusy fish preparations would be good with this wine, also some types of soup (clam chowder with a little spice), lighter pastas or roasted chicken.

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2006 Pinot Blanc - Sta. Rita Hills

This wine is tank fermented cold, prohibited from malolactic fermentation, and undergoes brief aging in neutral French oak barrels. The result is a fresh, vibrant wine; lean and dry, yet with a balancing rich, creamy aspect with a lemon-vanilla nuance. It’s best paired with lighter cuisine, main course salads and simple fish preparations.

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2006 Pinot Blanc - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Less than 2 acres of our organically-farmed vineyard produce this wine which breathes with the essence of fresh ocean-air, clean wet stone, a hint of chamomile, ginger-spiced honey, apples, pears, lemon-thyme, and a toasted hazelnut quality. Its exhilarating acidity makes it refreshing, lush and crisp at the same time.

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2005 Pinot Blanc - Sta. Rita Hills

A firm, almost stony wine offset by a simultaneous creamy quality; aromas and flavors of exotic melon, citrus, and Asian pear... Saffron pasta with scallops; chicken saltimbocca; filet of sole meuniere...

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2005 Pinot Blanc - La Encantada Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

From the beauty of its firm minerality to the concentrated textural creaminess, here is more enchantment from La Encantada Vineyard. Pear, lime, kiwifruit all come to mind, bolstered by pleasant acidity. Brief aging in new oak barrels contributes to texture without woody or smoky flavor. Crab cakes; pot stickers; ceviche; oysters on the half shell.

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2006 Pinot Noir - Vin Gris - El Jabalí Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Fruity and brisk with a strawberry-kiwi freshness and a nice herbal vein, this coral-hued wine is 100% Pinot Noir grown organically at Rancho El Jabalí. We press the grapes to extract the juice from the skins (like making white wine), ferment cold in stainless tanks to total dryness and bottle the wine never having seen oak or malolactic fermentation. Lovely with a wide variety of appetizers; perfect with fruit and cheeses; almost any kind of sandwich; light pastas; or make up a big ol’ batch of cioppino.

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2005 Pinot Noir - Vin Gris - El Jabalí Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Nothing sweet or frivolous about it, this is one “serious” rosé...100% pinot noir fruit from El Jabalí Vineyard on Santa Rosa Road - Sta. Rita Hills. Fermented off the skins to total dryness - strawberry, plum and spice notes and a pale copper color (it’s not pink!). Antipasto; Greek salad; grilled vegetables with hummus; seared ahi; peppers and sausages; vegetables fritters with gazpacho.

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