‘Gorgeous’ Sta. Rita Hills Pinot – Best Price in the Country!

STA. RITA HILLS WITH A FRENCH ACCENT

“When you have a collaboration between two classic houses from France, led by vignerons Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Champagne in the cool climate of the Sta. Rita Hills, the result is a terrific venture called Racines! They make both vineyard-specific and appellation wines, and we are thrilled to bring you the wine that Antonio Galloni of Vinous describes as ‘a terrific introduction to the range,’ concluding that it is ‘such a gorgeous and expressive Pinot.’ The 2020 Racines Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is a beautiful expression of the unique Sta. Rita Hills terroir, and by using whole-cluster fermentation, which adds elegance, lift and spiciness, combined with pigéage throughout fermentation, the wine has a wonderful complexity and exceptional aging potential.

When I tasted the range by this powerhouse group of producers, they exclaimed that after searching out different regions in California and Oregon, they found that Sta. Rita Hills most resembled Burgundy and felt that they had finally found the right place to make wine in the states. This wine is bright, lifted, and full of crunchy red cherry. It shows great depth and is delicious now, but can certainly be held for a few years to come. Even better, we have the best price in the country!” – Glen Knight, Wine House

We are thrilled to welcome Chantal Forthun, Director of Winemaking at Flowers Vineyards & Winery, for an in-store tasting on Wednesday, April 10, to celebrate the release of their 2023 Flowers Sonoma Coast Rosé! Chantal has led the winemaking team at Flowers since 2012, and is dedicated to crafting elegant and balanced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Their grapes are unique to the land they farm and the coastal proximity yields wines with nuance, complexity, and fresh coastal minerality. Experience Flowers’ elegant and expressive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines with the winemaker!

93 Points: “The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Cuvée is a terrific introduction to the range. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, spice, rose petal and a touch of whole cluster savoriness are all beautifully delineated. This is such a gorgeous and expressive Pinot. Drinking window: 2023 – 2030” – Antonio Galloni, Vinous (March 2023)

FROM THE WINERY

VINEYARDS
From vineyards that lie on the Santa Rosa Road corridor of the Santa Rita Hills and farmed using organic practices. These sites consist of varying soil types from sandy loam, clay loam, chert, shale. This is a wine that we believe best represents the potential of the region as a whole. Vineyards: La Encantada Vineyard, La Rinconada Vineyard, Rancho la Viña Vineyard & Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

PRODUCTION
On average, 50% whole cluster is retained during fermentation using native yeast. We manage fermentation with a combination of foulage and pigeage for about three weeks before being put to 228L barriques for elevage.

TECHNICAL
Elevage: 17 months - 15% new French oak
Alcohol: 13%
Soil Type: Gazos clay loam over shale

ABOUT RACINES

Racines is a collaboration between two classic houses from France, led by vignerons Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Champagne. The team came together to join their individual experiences in hand-crafting wines of purity and transparency to create a range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cool climate of the Sta. Rita Hills in California.

The project is the first venture for Étienne and Rodolphe beyond France and represents the coming together of all that is wonderful about Burgundy, Champagne and California.

These wines confirm something many have long suspected: that if you are looking to make terroir driven, elegant, balanced wines in the new world, then Sta. Rita Hills is the place.