
2018 El Pino Club Sea Floored Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
93 Points & Cellar Selection - Wine Enthusiast
Winemaker Notes
Sea Floored is an ode to the ancient sea floor in which our vineyards
are planted and the cool Pacific breezes that help Pinot to thrive in
the Sta. Rita Hills. You can taste those maritime roots in its
concentrated fruit, balanced acidity and fascinating minerality. Take a deep breath and dive in, savoring this Pinot Noir’s earthy and
dark red fruit aromatics before immersing your palate in its bold
structure, weight and silky tannins. Red fruit qualities of cherry cola
and pomegranate couple with moderate acidity and a hint of black
pepper with a long finish of black tea and barrel spices.
Composition
100% Pinot Noir
Wine Specs
Vintage
2018
Varietal
Pinot Noir
Appellation
Sta. Rita Hills
Acid
6.4 g/L
pH
3.51
Aging
15 months in French oak barrels (50% new)
Alcohol %
13.9
Wine Enthusiast
93
Production Notes
The 2018 growing season got off to a fast start with a warm
February, followed by a cooler spring. Warm weather arrived
mid-June with no extreme heat spikes, allowing the grapes to retain
their acid levels with slow and steady maturation of flavors. Picking
was three weeks later than usual, but the gradual ripening rendered
rich and in-depth flavor profiles that were worth the wait.
Vineyard Notes
Fruit was sourced exclusively from our two estate vineyards in the
Sta. Rita Hills, each sited to benefit from the cooling influence of the
Pacific Ocean. The Rancho Santa Rosa vineyard is planted on
steep, south-facing slopes in limestone soils. Rancho Las Hermanas
is the westernmost property in the AVA, with vines growing in over
six different soil types, all of ancient marine origin.