2021 La Rinconada Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Rita Hills AVA
Tasting Notes
“Dark red color. Aromas of pomegranate, plum, cherry, and sage enchant your senses and are met with secondary notes of anise, cola, and blackberry transforming perfectly into the palate. The texture is exquisite with bright acidity, fine grained tannins, and full of dimension. With a silky, smooth, and persistent finish, expect many wonderful days ahead from this Pinot Noir. Enjoy now through 2032.”
~Bill Brosseau, Director of Winemaking
March 2023
“Delivers warmed raspberry and blackberry compote notes laced with a racy bramble streak, along with light red tea, licorice and wood spice notes on the finish, which has nice underlying freshness. Drink now through 2027. 456 cases made.”
James Molesworth
Wine Spectator
June 2023
Production Data
Growers: Terlato Family
Winemaker: Bill Brosseau
Appellation: Santa Rita Hills AVA
Elevation/Exposure: 235 feet; Northwest
Soil: Bayshore silty, clay loam
Vineyard Age: 24 years
Viticulture Practice: Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing (CCSW)
Vinification: Destemmed, fermented in Stainless steel
Cooperage & Ageing: 16 months in 100% French Oak, 63% new
Production: 19 barrels
Composition: 100% Pinot Noir (53% Clone 4, 47% Mount Eden Clone)
Acidity: 3.18 pH, 7.78 TA (g/L)
Alcohol: 14.2%
Harvest: October 6, 2021, hand harvested
Club Release: April 2023
Release Price: $76
Drink Now through 2032
Past Vintage Wine Scores
“Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Very alluring perfume of warm cherry pie with spicy a la mode. The essence of red and dark red cherry and raspberry is long in the mouth and infused with tasty spice. Refined in character with bright acidity, agreeable tannins, and a compliment of oak. This wine is simply outstanding.”
Rusty Gaffney
PinotFile
December 2022
“Moderate garnet color in the glass. Soaring aromas of blackberry fruit, dark rose petal and wine cave. An exceptional wine with midweight flavors of black cherry and blueberry-pomegranate accented with welcome spice. Quite forward and giving with impressive purity of Pinot extract and gracious balance. There is a hint of earthiness that I find common in Pinot Noir from this vineyard. Even better when tasted several hours later and the following day from a previously opened bottle. The best La Rinconada Pinot Noir I have ever tasted.”
Rusty Gaffney
PinotFile
June 2021
“Medium ruby color, fresh and layered, silky and subtle with elegant style and fine acid structure, smooth and quite lovely, long and lovely.”
Anthony Dias Blue
September 2020
“Medium ruby color; crisp, bright and tangy, fresh and long with cherry fruit.”
Anthony Dias Blue
July 2019
“Slightly better than the La Encantada, the 2016 Pinot Noir La Rinconada Vineyard reveals a medium ruby/translucent color as well as complex notes of dried cherries, strawberries, dried flowers, and spice. Elegant, ethereally textured, and balanced, drink it over the coming 5-7 years.”
Jeb Dunnuck
“This is a lovely fresh wine, very fruit forward with dark cherry fruit flavors and toasted oak and smoke on the nose . It is soft on the palate and mouth filling with good intensity of ripe fruit flavors, and concentrated with a long finish. ”
International Wine Review
October 2017
“A plush and focused red, filled with creamy cherry, plum and currant flavors that are supported by cilky tannins. The elegant finish is rich and persistent with notes of chocolate and savory spice that linger with velvety accents. Drink now through 2021.”
Kim Marcus
Wine Spectator
September 2017
“A savory, slightly herbal nose with underlying dark red pomegranate fruit. This Pinot has a silky mouth feel, intensely flavored with layers of red and black fruit. Very dense, slightly earthy and dry on the palate. finishes long.”
International Wine Review
The La Rinconada Vineyard
Planted in 1997, La Rinconada sits adjacent to the famed Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, the cornerstone of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. The same soil and climate conditions that make Sanford & Benedict an ideal spot for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay exist in the neighboring La Rinconada Vineyard.
The vineyard is made up of 11 acres of Pinot Noir and 9 acres of Chardonnay. Testarossa has been making both since 2012.