Sarah's Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2018
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Flowers, fruit, and herbs, the 2018 Sarah’s Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir is a fragrant garden in a glass. Distinct notes of perfumed rose and violets accent the ripe cherry and berry aromas and flavors. Running seamlessly through the wine is a bright streak of balancing, cold climate acidity. A light touch of vanillin-oak and mid-weight tannins give structure and a long finish.
It should prove a perfect pairing with a wide variety of foods - think roast salmon or herbed chicken or a filet mignon wrapped in bacon.
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Light nutmeg, cranberry, wet slate and gamy meat aromas show on the nose of this single-vineyard expression from 2,600 feet in elevation. There's a wild tone to the sip, where roasted cherry, fennel and charred wood flavors meet with a hint of pine resin.
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Marilyn “Sarah” Otterman purchased the initial 10 acres of Sarah’s Vineyard in the southern Santa Clara County's Hecker Pass area in 1977. She then planted seven acres of Chardonnay in 1978. Tim Slater purchased the vineyards and winery in 2001. Tim’s practices include sectionalized irrigation to conserve water, and minimal sulfur use throughout all stages of production. Sarah’s only uses French oak 228 liter barrels, which are topped twice monthly in their humidity controlled barrel room. Bottling is done on premises using Sarah’s own small, fully automated bottling line.
The property occupies 24 acres in the cool climate “Mt. Madonne” district of the southern Santa Cruz Mountains range at a lower altitude that defines it as a part of the Santa Clara AVA. Here in historic Hecker Pass, chilling winds and fog off nearby Monterey Bay mitigate the sunny daytime temperatures and extend hang time. This affords Sarah's Vineyard a coastal microclimate of foggy mornings, sunny afternoons tempered by strong ocean breezes, and chilly nights that are ideal conditions for premium Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rhone varietals.
Let’s start with the obvious – Central Coast Pinot Noir is an incredibly broad category. This of course is because the Central Coast appellation is enormous, and it contains several stellar Pinot Noir regions within it, all of them kept cool by elevation or proximity to the ocean (or both). So we’ll break things down a bit with a brief look at each of these: Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey and the Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills. These are not the only Central Coast sources of good Pinot Noir, but they are the major ones. So let’s get started.
In the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation, just west of Silicon Valley, producers craft excellent Pinot in spite of serious challenges. The land is mountainous, rugged and can be foggy, the topsoil is thin and poor and yields tend to be low. Yet Pinots from the likes of David Bruce, Martin Ray, Mount Eden and Thomas Fogarty exhibit undeniable quality, along with bright red fruit, minerality, earth and herbal hints.
Just south lies the large Monterey appellation. Monterey Pinot Noir is grown in coastal areas, taking optimal advantage of the cooling effect of the Pacific. The most highly regarded of these is the Santa Lucia Highlands. Situated on hilly benchlands south of the city of Monterey, this central coast region relies on a long growing season, night and morning fog and consistent afternoon winds to produce world class Pinot Noir. Attributes include intense, rich fruit, subtle earthy notes, spice and a silky texture. Look for producers like Siduri, Kosta Browne, Talbott and Lucienne.
The Santa Maria Valley in northern Santa Barbara County (a section of it falls into southern San Luis Obispo County) is also a haven for quality Pinot Noir. A mere 15 miles from the Pacific, the valley runs east-west, creating a natural tunnel through which ocean breezes and fog flow. This effect lengthens the growing season and promotes both ripeness and development of acidity, lending Santa Maria Valley Pinots their characteristic full flavor, balance and elegance. The famous Bien Nacido Vineyard is located here, and notable producers include Cambria, Foxen, Byron and Au Bon Climat.
Finally, we arrive at the Sta. Rita Hills, also in Santa Barbara County. Located in the western part of the Santa Ynez Valley, it too benefits from an east-west orientation that leads to the same conditions mentioned above. Once again the result is extended hang time for the grapes, which can be tasted in the vibrant, ripe red fruits evident in these Pinots, along with dense coloration and an impression of richness and intensity. Try wines from producers like Ken Brown, Ampelos, Fess Parker and Melville.
As you can see, California’s Central Coast offers a wealth of options for any lover of Pinot Noir. Cheers!