LUTUM La Rinconada Pinot Noir 2013
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
This first showing of the new soil-focused partnership between vintner Bill Price and winemaker Gavin Chanin promises great things. Aromas of cardamom, raspberry, violet, black pepper and herbes de Provence give way to a herbal palate of oregano, thyme, dried basil and sage that give lift to the sour-cherry fruit.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
One of the more plump and fruit-driven wines in the lineup, the 2013 Pinot Noir La Rinconada has beautifully sweet strawberry and raspberry notes to go with classic sous bois, mushroom and spring flower characteristics on both the nose and palate. Completely destemmed and aged 16 months in 33% new French oak, this medium-bodied, full, layered and balanced Sta. Rita Hills Pinot can be drunk anytime over the coming 7-8 years.
Other Vintages
2012-
Robert
Parker
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 superior source of California Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the coolest, westernmost sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley appellation within Santa Barbara County. This relatively new AVA is unquestionably one to keep an eye on.
The climate of Sta. Rita Hills is a natural match for Chardonnay and Pinot noir, thanks to the crisp ocean breezes and well-drained, limestone-rich calcareous soil. Here, grapes ripen just enough, while retaining brisk acidity and harmonious balance.