Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir

Growing Region:

Known for growing terrific pinot noir decades before the movie "Sideways" was released, Santa Barbara County enjoys a long growing season, encouraging development of concentrated and balanced berries. The coastal climate is key--it is just warm enough that the fruit fully ripens, yet not too hot that vegetal undertones appear. The well-draining sandstone and limestone soils consistently produce small berries that are richly concentrated with flavors and aromas. The majority of the fruit for this wine was sourced from the North Canyon, with the vineyards situated on the cool end of this box canyon in restrictive hillside soil.

Winemaking:

After a gentle de-stemming process the whole berries were fermented in stainless steel open-top tanks and punched down daily. A portion of the wine was then aged in a combination of 1-3 year old French and American oak barrels. The remainder of the blend was aged in stainless steel to preserve the fresh fruit flavors and maintain good acid structure to the finished wine.

Winemaker's Notes:

The Greg Norman 2008 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir has bright aromas of ripe black cherry, floral notes and subtle earthy characteristics of forest floor and mushroom. The wine's palate is fruit forward with pronounced flavors of cherry and tamarind. The flavor of the wine is also highlighted by sweet oak and vanilla notes. The wine is well rounded with a smooth mouthfeel and lingering silky tannins.

Technical Information:

Appellation: Santa Barbara County, California
Alcohol: 13.5%
pH: 3.47
Total Acidity: 0.52 g/100ml
Harvest Date: September 2008
Release Date: September 2009

 

Ratings & Reviews

No ratings or reviews.