93 POINTS
  • 2019 Heirloom Pinot Noir
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2019 Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir

2019 Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir

Sta. Rita Hills750ml 14.8

Sta. Rita Hills is home to some of Santa Barbara’s best-known Pinot Noirs and occupies the western portion of Santa Ynez Valley between Buellton and Lompoc. The region’s east-to-west orientation...

Sta. Rita Hills is home to some of Santa Barbara’s best-known Pinot Noirs and occupies the western portion of Santa Ynez Valley between Buellton and Lompoc. The region’s east-to-west orientation, extreme proximity to the Pacific Ocean and ancient marine bed soils are perfect for world class Pinot Noir.

  • Alcohol 14%
$50.00
$50.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2019
  • Region: Santa Barbara County
  • Appelation: Sta. Rita Hills
  • ABV: 14.8
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

This Pinot Noir is bright and cheery with aromas and flavors of lifted red berry fruits, red plums and Bing cherry, alongside notes of ripe nectarine and golden peach. Layers of sweet baking spice notes come through from the well-integrated oak, with nuances of cinnamon and clove, all framed by a lithe texture with vibrant acidity, great balance and a lengthy mouthwatering finish. This Pinot has substance and complexity, making it very appealing to drink now, and also promises much more to come.

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Expert reviews

93 POINTS

“Lovely clarity to this, with cranberry, citrus and hibiscus in the nose. Medium-bodied with fine tannins that give the wine a creamy texture and subtle, focused fruit on the finish. Will age well in an elegant way. Drink or hold.” - James Suckling, December 6 2021

91 POINTS

“Blended from several blocks of this large vineyard, Etude's 2019 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard offers up bright cherries and a hint of celery seed. It's medium to full-bodied, tart, taut and mouthwatering, with a silky-textured finish.” - Joe Czerwinski, June 2022

93 POINTS

“Ripe and solidly built but still comes off as lithe and beguiling, featuring a core of gently steeped red and black cherry fruit flavors, which unwind slowly as bergamot, rose water and wood spice notes swirl through. Lovely. Drink now through 2030.” - James Molesworth, May 4, 2022

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

The vineyard lies a few miles inland alongside the Santa Ynez River bench at the western end of the transverse-oriented Santa Ynez Valley. Fiddlestix receives a consistent marine influence from Pacific currents but sits low enough against the hills to achieve some protection from the area’s strong afternoon winds. Exposure to coastal breezes and fog ensures cooling influences throughout extended sunny days, which helps to add depth and vibrancy to the fruit. Temperatures are rarely above the mid 70’s. In 35 small blocks on 96 acres, a variety of rootstocks and clones are planted in well-draining Gazos and Batella clay loam and calcareous marine shale providing complexity and diversity to the vineyard. Nearby are some of California’s most famed and historic Pinot Noir vineyards.

Process

The 2019 vintage

  • Winter

    The 2019 harvest started one to two weeks later than previous years, mostly due to February rains, but because the vines were in their winter dormancy, it did not affect the 2019 crop.

  • Spring

    Spring continued to be wet with some rain during flowering, followed by cool temperatures that allowed the grapes to mature gradually.

  • Summer

    Most grapes ripened at lower sugars, thanks to the extended, cool growing season, and winemakers were pleased with the full flavors, fresh acidity and superb balance of the 2019 fruit.

  • Harvest

    Wildfires in October did not impact this year’s harvest as the vast majority of the grapes were already brought in, resulting in a crop size pretty much on par with previous years.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes for this wine were harvested at night to preserve freshness and integrity. They were placed in open-top fermenters for 3-5 days of cold maceration followed by fermentation. A small percentage of the grapes were left as whole cluster to preserve the buoyancy of aromatics of the fruit and to add structure and refinement to the wine. Punch downs were performed during the early stages of fermentation with the extraction becoming gentler as the wine became dry, and followed with a quiet extended maceration to help modify the richness and mouthfeel of the wine. The wine was lightly pressed into small French oak barrels where it rested for 12 months.