2021 Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir
Solomon Hills Vineyard is the most coastal vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley, with weather that is often cool and foggy, a region known for such trends. In a vintage like 2021 where concentration is a hallmark characteristic, the lighter wines in our portfolio tend to show a more serious side we don’t usually see. This is the case for the 2021 Solomon Hills Pinot Noir. Although it is the newest (to us) Pinot vineyard we work with, it is quickly becoming one of our favorites. This vintage has all the hallmarks that Solomon Hills is known for - nori, iodine, and being light on its feet - but with slightly darker fruit characteristics and slightly more weight.
- 92 points: Decanter
- 92 points: Drunken Cyclist
The grapes were hand-harvested at optimal ripeness. They were then hand-sorted and destemmed. We cold-soaked the grapes for 3 days to extract color, after which fermentation began spontaneously. Daily pump-overs and punch-downs were performed for cap management. When the fermentation was dry, the grapes were pressed and put into 30% new French oak barrels plus 70% neutral barrels to age. The wine was racked 5 months after harvest to assemble the cuvee, then returned to barrel for another 12 months. We bottled this wine in June of 2023, unfined and unfiltered.
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Appellation | Santa Maria Valley |
| Vineyard | Solomon Hills |
| Designation | Solomon Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir |
| Harvest Date | 09/22/2021 |
| Aging | 17 months, 30% new French oak |
| Alcohol | 14.60% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 06/22/2023 |
| Cases Produced | 130 |
| Country of Origin | UNITED STATES |
| State of Origin | California |
