Racines, Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2021, Santa Barbara
2 in stock
Racines is a collaboration between Etienne de Montille of Domaine de Montille in Volnay and his Californian-born winemaker Brian Sieve. A combination of world-famous vineyards and world-class winemaking makes this one of California’s most exciting, modern winemaking projects.
In 2016, Etienne and Brian spent months travelling across the Golden State in search of its finest vineyards. They aimed to discover the Golden State’s great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers and get to know its innumerable AVAs. After hundreds of tastings and encounters, they were eventually captivated by Santa Barbara County and its combination of ambitious young winemakers and historic vineyards such as ‘Bien Nacido’ and ‘Sanford & Benedict’.
Together, they sought out highly coveted sites in the Santa Rita Hills and founded Racines, releasing their first vintage in 2017. The wines hail from vineyards across the Santa Rita Hills AVA, planted on soil types ranging from sandy and clay loams to quartz and shale. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean (just 10km away) imparts a coolness and clarity to the wines. Most of the fruit is sourced from a long-term lease of the ‘Wenzlau’ vineyard. However, Racines also work with growers in ‘Sanford & Benedict’, ‘Bentrock’ and ‘La Rinconada’ as well as the ‘La Mesa’ vineyard, which comprises part of Domaine de la Côte’s prized estate.
The Pinot Noirs consist of a Santa Rita Hills ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir, the Sainte Rose (made from a blend of ‘Sanford & Benedict’, ‘La Rinconada’, ‘La Encontada’ and ‘Domaine de la Cote’) and two single-vineyard wines, ‘Sanford & Benedict’, ‘La Rinconada’. They are made using indigenous yeasts and up to 50% whole-bunch fermentation which lends a lithe and nuanced charm to the wines. An attractive wine, with flavours of sweet, dried cherry, mint, tobacco and sage. A savoury style of Pinot Noir, with plenty of aromatic presence, and plenty of fruit in the background.
