The 2021 Pinot Noir crop ripened slowly and evenly. The result was a nose loaded with dark fruits. A smokey, plummy note is first noticed and then fresher strawberry and melons aromas slowly become evident. A deep ruby color, the wine looks great in the glass, and the flavors are a “knock out”.
It is difficult to mention Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir without bringing up the Alexander Payne movie ‘Sideways.’ The release of the movie could not have come at a better time. Prior to Sideways, Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir was on its way to stardom.
Our winemaking has changed little in 39 years; we are still making handcrafted wines using the same basic, time proven techniques. We still use François Frères French oak barrels (about 10% new) aging 10 months in barrel. The barrel aging gives the wine some depth complexity. All of our Pinot Noir goes into small barrel. Barrel work such as topping, emptying and cleaning is time consuming but is essential here at Au Bon Climat The production on this wine has increased some, but it still takes time to make fine wine.
Pairs well with beef, veal, deer, venison, and poultry dishes.