San Simeon Pinot Noir 2012
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This smells like a cherry crumble pie that's been heavily hit with cinnamon and other brown spices and served on slate. It dances across the palate with hearty spice, very vibrant fruit, cola and acidity that carries from beginning to end.
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San Simeon Wines are terroir-driven wines shaped by unique soils and the Pacific Ocean’s influence, which cools the vineyards at night to give the wines their distinct freshness. The name pays homage to the vital role the fog and cool air from the sea plays in the vineyards, and the label honors the heritage of the region by featuring the historic San Piedras lighthouse. San Simeon wines are crafted to provide a sense of place and can only be described as… Rugged. Refined. Respected.
The Riboli Family has made a steadfast commitment to producing the highest quality grapes from estate vineyards in two of the most prestigious regions along California’s Central Coast: Monterey and Paso Robles. Our vineyards are meticulously farmed to yield grapes with concentrated flavors and aromas, while our winemaking techniques create unique wines of the highest quality and character. They pay special attention to the cultivation of their vineyards and have confidence you’ll taste the fruits of their passion in the complexity of their wines.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A geographic and climatic paradise for grape vines, Monterey is a part of the greater Central Coast AVA and contains within it five smaller sub-appellations, including Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, San Bernabe, Hames Valley and the famous Santa Lucia Highlands. The climate is relatively warm but tempered by cool, coastal winds, allowing the regions in Monterey County an exceptionally long growing season. Bud break often happens two weeks sooner and harvest tends to be two weeks later compared to other surrounding regions.
Monterey’s coastal side, where the cooling ocean fog allows grapes to develop a perfect sugar-acid balance, excels in the production of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Warmer, inland subzones are home to fleshy, concentrated and full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel.
Chardonnay, covering about 40% of vineyard acreage, is the most widely planted grape in all of Monterey County.