2005 Peregrine Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir

This is the first release of our fourth blended wine, Peregrine, from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County. It expresses the tannic structure, herbed nuance, and beautiful fruit of the appellation with boldness and finesse. The Santa Rita Hills appellation is a cool-climate growing region, which stretches between Lompoc and Buellton in a series of rolling east-west hills. The coastal fog and winds influence the climate and cool the area, yielding concentrated fruit and wines with complexity and excellent structure. Named for the peregrines which have made a resurgence in the region after a successful reintroduction program, this wine does a great job of expressing the character of the appellation through fruit sourced from the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard and Rancho Encantada – two terrific sites for Pinot Noir. Bright acidity lifts the rich fruit character of clones 667 and 777 from S&B, while the earthiness of the Pommard clone from Encantada brings further texture and depth. On the nose, smoky notes mingle with fruit and earth, and the palate is complex and structured, exhibiting really nice delineation in flavors and a vibrant mouth-feel.