Typicite
2023 Bien Nacido Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Bien Nacido Vineyard - Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara
Bien Nacido Vineyard, located in the Santa Maria Valley, benefits from the region’s distinctive cool climate and diverse soils. The vineyard’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean ensures that it experiences consistent coastal breezes and fog, which moderate temperatures and extend the growing season.
This cool climate allows Pinot Noir to ripen slowly and evenly, developing complex flavors while retaining vibrant acidity. The soils at Bien Nacido are a mix of sandy loam and clay, providing excellent drainage and encouraging the vines to produce small, concentrated berries. As a result, Pinot Noir from Bien Nacido Vineyard is known for its elegant structure, rich fruit prole, and nuanced layers of spice and earth, reflecting the unique terroir of the Santa Maria Valley.
Profile
Palate: The palate is vibrant, layered, and beautifully structured, delivering concentrated red fruit flavors framed by complex savory notes and bright acidity. Tart red cherry, cranberry, and tangy raspberry flavors are at the forefront, showcasing the cool-climate site and vibrant 2023 vintage. The earthy, savory, and peppery notes from the nose carry through beautifully, adding depth and complexity (forest floor, spice, mineral). The oak is seamlessly integrated, providing a subtle backdrop of spice and texture without dominating the delicate fruit. A defining characteristic is the bright, refreshing acidity, which provides energy and length, balancing the wine's richness and making it incredibly lively and focused on the palate.
Visual: Medium ruby core with vibrant cherry and garnet hues extending to a slightly lighter, luminous rim. The color is transparent yet shows good concentration for Pinot Noir, indicative of the site and careful extraction. It appears brilliantly clear and bright, with moderate viscosity and persistent, stained tears on the glass.
Nose: The aroma is intense, complex, and beautifully lifted, a pure expression of cool-climate Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir. It opens with bright, pure notes of red fruit: think tart red cherry, wild strawberry, and juicy cranberry, potentially with hints of raspberry. Classic earthy and savory notes are prominent, reflecting the vineyard's terroir and soil: forest floor, damp earth, crushed rock, and a subtle mineral or clay character. The 30% whole cluster inclusion adds significant layers of complexity: distinctive black pepper and white pepper spice, a captivating floral lift (violet, rose petal), and a subtle savory or green stem note. The 50% new French oak is well-integrated, contributing elegant notes of warm baking spice (clove, cinnamon), vanilla bean, and a refined touch of cedar or toast. The overall nose is harmonious, layered, and deeply intriguing, promising complexity.
Winemaker notes
Hand harvested.
Sorted and destemmed with 30% whole clusters added to fermenters.
Fermented in open top stainless steel tanks with gentle pumpovers 2-3 times daily.
This 2023 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir is an exceptional and highly successful expression of this renowned Santa Maria Valley site. It beautifully captures the essence of cool-climate Pinot Noir, offering a complex tapestry of bright red fruit, earthy depth, savory spice, and elegant structure. The combination of the vineyard's unique terroir, the judicious use of whole cluster, and careful oak aging results in a wine that is both intensely flavorful and remarkably balanced. It is a vibrant, sophisticated, and age-worthy Pinot Noir that stands out for its purity, complexity, and refined character, truly reflecting the pedigree of Bien Nacido.
Wine specs
- Vintage 2023
- Varietal Pinot Noir (100%)
- Aging Aged 10 Months in 100% French Oak, 50% New
- pH 3.53 pH
- Acidity .61 TA
- Winemaker Collin Cranor & Craig Ploof
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