2020 Pinot Noir, Rio Vista Vineyard Dijon
This is a club member only wine. If you are a current wine club member please sign in now or join our club to purchase this wine!
Join NowSpecifications
- Acidity .67g/100mL
- Appellation Sta. Rita Hills AVA
- Bottling Date May 12, 2022
- Country USA
- Fruit Pinot Noir
- Harvest Date September 27, 2020
- ph 3.68
- Region Santa Barbara County
- Residual sugar 23.8%
- Sub-region Rio Vista Vineyard
- Type Still
- Varietal Pinot Noir
- Vineyard Rio Vista Vineyard
- Vintage 2020
- Winemaker Norm Yost
Food Pairing
Pairings could include tri-tip, smoked turkey, dark chocolate or red cherry
chocolate cake or marzipan.
Production Notes
Pinot Noir Clones 667, 777, & 115; 241 cases produced
Tasting Notes
The dark garnet color suggests a deep, dark and mysterious adventure ahead, perhaps expressing the side of your personality that no-one else gets to see. This sexy wine offers aromatics of blackberries, pepper and smoke. The palate expresses hints of lingonberry and typical Sta. Rita Hills AVA black pepper. This full bodied wine offers progressive layers with structure and a long finish, along with smooth “whiskey-esque” qualies. Aging potential is at least 5-10 years.
Vineyard Notes
Three different blocks and three different clones comprise Rio Vista Vineyard. This meticulously farmed vineyard sweeps down the hillside on the southeastern edge of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, overlooking the Santa Ynez River – hence its name, “River View”. 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.
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. Each of these “dijonaise” clones contributes a component and enhances the others in this blend.