7/2/2023 0 Comments St rita hills![]() ![]() Davis. Their wines immediately distinguished themselves by showing great acidity, solid structure and intense varietal character. A state of the art, LEED-certified winery is under construction. John and Christine wanted to be hands-on winemakers, so they took courses at the U.C. The first wines were offered in 2008, with contributions from consulting winemaker Paul Lato. In 2004, two natives of Texas, John and Christine, planted a twenty one acre vineyard to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. ![]() Burgundy and Rhône-style wines are featured at their main location. Most famous for their Pinot Noirs, sourced from Bien Nacido, Julia’s and Sea Smoke Vineyards, their wines are opulent, generous and invariably delicious. They have two tasting room locations, one being a historic “Shack” with emphasis on Bordeaux and Italian varieties. They craft small lots of vineyard-designated wines from a number of varieties. They have been making wine since 1985 at the historic Rancho Tinaquaic. Wes Hagen also makes small amounts of his own, somewhat restrained, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in concert with the vineyard’s unique voice.īill Wathen and Dick Dore are industry veterans, who, long before the movie Sideways, pushed the Pinot grape into its legendary status. Owners Stephen and Catherine Pepe grow exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes which are sold to several prominent producers. Wes Hagen, manager and winemaker of the twenty-eight acre Clos Pepe Vineyard is a walking encyclopedia of everything “wine.” Simply being around him certainly enhances one’s wine smarts. Cargasacchi’s winemaking philosophy is simple: deeply dedicated, meticulous vineyard work, conscientious cellar practices and a complete lack of pretense. The majority of the fruit goes to other producers in the area and the rest is used for Peter’s own Point Conceptión and Cargasacchi labels. Armed with a deadpan sense of humor, (The question “Where did you train as a winemaker?” received “Prison” as a steadfast reply.) Peter farms three vineyards, two named Cargasacchi and a Cargasacchi-Jalama Vineyard. Peter Cargasacchi is one of the most highly regarded wine growers in the area. Their latest addition, Hapgood, gave me chills at the last World Of Pinot Noir. They developed Mount Carmel and Huber vineyards that were later joined by 3-D. A taste of 2005 Mount Carmel left no doubt in my mind that these two will go down in New World Pinot history. Parker subsequently compared wines to DRC ( Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), an honor he never bestowed on any other California Pinot Noir. ![]() The momentous decision to partner up and focus on single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays soon got the attention of the famed critic Robert Parker. ![]() Curiously, Brewer’s background is a French literature professor at the U.C. Steve Clifton met Greg Brewer, then winemaker at Melville Vineyards in 1996. Heavy Pacific Ocean’s marine influence is the area’s signature characteristic, creating the perfect environment for growing cooler climate grape varieties. The wines absorb the coastal fog influences, aided by soils that limit vine vigor and yield intense, concentrated fruit with bright acidity and a solid backbone.īrewer-Clifton is a powerhouse comprised of two partners with staggering amounts of talent. In 2005, the originally named Santa Rita Hills AVA was notified by a 135-year-old winery in Chile, named “Vina Santa Rita,” that the title already exists, so it became “Sta.” Rita Hills. A total area of 30,700 acres, it is home to sixty vineyards, planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Syrah and a few others. Rita Hills American Viticultural Appellation is located on California’s Central Coast in Santa Barbara County. One of the smallest in California, it was granted AVA status in 2001. ![]()
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