2021 Pinot Noir, Rio Vista Vineyard Dijon
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Join NowSpecifications
- Alcohol 14.1%
- Acidity 5.7g/l
- Appellation Sta. Rita Hills AVA
- Bottling Date February 13, 2023
- Country USA
- Harvest Date September 17, 2021
- ph 3.60
- Region Santa Barbara County
- Type Still
- Varietal Pinot Noir
- Vineyard Rio Vista Vineyard
- Vintage 2021
- Winemaker Norm Yost
Food Pairing
Pair with Triple Creme Brie, prime rib, yorkshire pudding, or German chocolate dark cake.
Production Notes
Pinot Noir Clones 667, 777, & 115; 381 cases produced
Tasting Notes
This wine is dark garnet in color, like black cherries. The nose offers aromas of smoke, dark plum, herbaceous dried spices of sage or oregano, and fat drippings on the grill. The palate offers a fruit bomb! The flavors of Olallieberry and ageable tannins blend together with oak components lingering on the back palate. This is typical Sta. Rita Hills AVA peppery spice, with candied fruit such as dried dates.
Vineyard Notes
The Rio Vista Vineyard, appropriately named as it overlooks the Santa Ynez River, is the eastern gateway to the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. Although it’s slightly warmer during the growing season than vineyards further to the west, Rio Vista is also tempered by the marine environment of the nearby Pacific Ocean. Three different blocks and three different clones comprise our expressions of Rio Vista Vineyard Dijon. The grapes for our wine hail from the steep, eastern hillside of the vineyard, with soils laden with rocks and chert. Our Dijon blend is made up of clones 115, 667 and 777. Each of these “dijonaise” clones contributes a component and enhances the others in this blend.
Winemaker Notes
After hand harvesting, the perfect little clusters were gently de-stemmed and the whole berries placed into fermenters. After inoculation with yeast, the “must” slurry of juice and skins was punched down by hand twice each day to extract flavor, color and tannins. Upon completion of fermentation, the wine was placed into French oak barrels and allowed to age for about 18 months. After a light filtration to ensure clarity and remove any unwanted sediment, the wine was bottled and stored. This bottle aging allowed the tannins, acids and flavors to meld and integrate, providing a wine that is enjoyable upon release.