Vine Hill Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 2009
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Winemaker Notes
Try pairing with an earthy Portobello Mushroom ravioli.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rich and satisfying, it has a ton of cherry and cola fruit that is wrapped into firm tannins and made brisk with acidity. The finish is dry and spicy. Not an ager, but it’s a beautiful wine to drink now with a great steak.
Nick sees himself as the team's "coach." He lets each individual create their own template for success and is always there to lend a guiding hand as needed. "Putting other's first" was not always Nick's mantra, but as he has evolved, so has his opinion on managing people. He believes that the winery environment engenders an individual's reach for excellence and the ability to collaborate for the common good. Nick understands that this opportunity cannot always be seized in larger, corporate environments, or on the manufacturing room floor. That is why he feels extremely lucky to be surrounded by such outstanding individuals in an environment where their greatest success is celebrating great winemaking and all the efforts that support this goal.
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 rugged and topographically diverse cool-climate appellation with a rich history, the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA stretches from Half Moon Bay, just south of San Francisco, to the northern border of Monterey County. Elevations range from 800 feet to upwards of 3,000 and microclimates vary substantially depending on which side of the mountains the vineyards lie; cool ocean winds and fog play an important role here. This can be a challenging region in which to grow grapes, but it is well worth the effort. Santa Cruz Mountains wines are noted for balanced acidity levels, often showing great aging potential. Wine has been made here since the 1800s, most notably from the legendary Ridge Vineyards, whose Monte Bello vineyard garners international admiration.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the stars of this region, while Merlot and Zinfandel also perform quite well. Organic and sustainable vineyard practices are becoming increasingly common.