PRESQU’ILE VINEYARDS ESTATE, PINOT NOIR, SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA 2016/2018

About the Producer
In 2007, after an extensive search that spanned the West Coast of the United States, the Murphy family acquired an ideal unplanted 200-acre property in the hills of the Santa Maria Valley. Over the next two years, the Murphys, along with Santa Barbara County Vineyard Manager Jim Stollberg and Winemaker Dieter Cronje, meticulously planned the design of the Presqu’ile Vineyard with an emphasis on diversity. To achieve their vision, they mapped the site’s deep sandy soils, distinct airflows, patterns of sunlight, hillside angles and elevations. With the insights derived from these measurements, they planted the vineyard to maximize the diversity of row directions, spacing, clones and rootstocks. To further augment this diversity with older vines, Presqu’ile also acquired an adjacent 11-acre parcel of Clone 777 and 667 Pinot Noir vines planted in 2001. Collectively, the result is a winemaker’s dream, offering a treasure trove of individual blocks and sections, allowing Dieter to craft complex and layered small-lot wines.

One of the most essential elements in what makes the Presqu’ile Vineyard so special is the valley itself. The Santa Maria Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) was established in 1981, making it the second oldest AVA in California after Napa Valley. It is also one of the world’s most unique AVAs. Along with the nearby Sta. Rita Hills, the Santa Maria Valley benefits from the only two transverse mountain ranges on the entire West Coast of North and South America. Framed between the San Rafael Mountains to the north, and the Solomon Hills to the south, this geographic feature creates a natural funnel, drawing in cool marine air. Additionally, ocean temperatures just off the coast of Santa Maria are typically only about 55˚ to 59˚ F, further cooling the ocean breezes funneled into the valley. As a result, the average annual temperature is just 64˚ F, resulting in a true cool-climate viticultural region boasting one of the longest winegrowing seasons in California

About the Wine
Pinot Noir is the second-most planted grape in Santa Barbara County, just behind Chardonnay. It thrives in cooler areas of the region, namely in the of the Sta. Rita Hills, which is part of Santa Barbara’s larger Santa Ynez Valley sub-appellation. Thought for decades to be too cool for viticulture, Sta. Rita Hills began to gain notoriety in the 1970’s, thanks to the pioneering work of Richard Sandford and Michael Benedict, among others.

Santa Barbara Pinot Noir dances across the palate with vivid red fruit and spice. Precision, bright acidity, elegance and fruit-driven silkiness make Santa Barbara Pinot delightfully enjoyable, whether on their own or with a variety of dishes.

Sustainably farmed.

Grape / Blend
Pinot Noir

Origin
Santa Barbara, Central Coast, California

90 Points – Wine Spectator
Well-structured, with rich flavors of dark cherry, dried plum and currant, backed by firm acidity. The contoured finish offers flinty accents and plenty of spice notes. Drink now through 2022.

Product size: 750ml