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  • Etude North Canyon Pinot Noir
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2018 North Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir

2018 North Canyon Vineyard Pinot Noir

Santa Maria Valley750ml 14.2

As Santa Barbara County’s northernmost AVA, Santa Maria Valley is renowned for its unique funnel created by two transverse mountain ranges running east by west. Pinot Noir excels in this well-kn...

As Santa Barbara County’s northernmost AVA, Santa Maria Valley is renowned for its unique funnel created by two transverse mountain ranges running east by west. Pinot Noir excels in this well-known transverse valley that, despite its proximity to the Pacific Ocean, is uniquely situated just north of Point Conception, right where the climate is warm and mild enough to ripen grapes to full maturity.

  • Alcohol 14%
$50.00
$50.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2019
  • Region: Santa Barbara County
  • Appelation: Santa Maria Valley
  • ABV: 14.2
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir
  • pH: 3.57

Tasting Notes

The signature of North Canyon Pinot Noir is the fragrant primary red fruit tone and this vintage is no exception, showcasing its bright fruit character and lovely shimmering ruby red jeweled color. Notes of bright red cherry, red currant, red raspberry, and hibiscus come through, dancing alongside secondary notes of cherry kirsch, sour cherry compote and rooibos tea. A beautiful nod to the oak aging, there are hints of vanilla, cola nut, graham cracker, clove spice and pink peppercorns. Lithe and sinewy with a viscous, supple mouthfeel and soft tannin texture, all supported by vibrant acidity, contributing to a signature buoyancy this is a true characteristic of this mouthwatering wine. Full of balance, depth, and complexity, leading to a long plush satisfying finish.

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Expert reviews

94 POINTS

“A fine-tannined, toned and elegant pinot with strawberry, orange-peel and crushed-stone character. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity and a vivid finish. Drink or hold.” - James Suckling, December 6 2021

92 POINTS

“Lively, with wood spice and grilled savory notes a half step ahead of the core of crushed cherry and red currant fruit flavors. This is all laced up, with a mouthwatering black tea note that extends the finish nicely. Drink now through 2028.” - MaryAnn Worobiec, May 18, 2022

The Vineyard

GRACE BENOIST RANCH

Less than twenty miles from the Pacific Ocean, North Canyon Vineyard sits along the Santa Maria river bench in a secluded canyon that provides some protection from the region’s renowned maritime influences. Located a bit off the direct valley, temperatures are often a few degrees warmer and North Canyon is exposed to extended periods of sunshine that ensure Pinot Noir matures to a bright red fruit character. A variety of rootstocks and clones are planted in calcareous clay sandstone at North Canyon, which differs from the valley’s defining marine mixture of ancient seabed, clay loam and sand. Fruit from one select block, located on a bluff in the southern, cooler end of the canyon, was chosen for this Pinot Noir. In order to achieve the same high level of quality wines, the farming of North Canyon is uniquely hands-on, which ensures viticulture practices and farming measures are comparable with that of Etude’s Estate Vineyards.

Process

The 2018 vintage

  • Napa & Carneros

    A near perfect season was welcomed in 2018 after several tense vintages, beginning with abundant February rains followed by drying sun and weather that allowed for even flowering and bud break. The slightly later start was followed by consistently ideal weather, with harvest for Pinot Noir occurring in late August and early September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Sonoma Coast

    Hallberg sits in one of the coolest areas of Sonoma County. Cooler temperatures and moderate weather allowed grapes to ripen perfectly, developing deep complexity, intensity, ripeness and balance with a beautiful freshness that came naturally. There was little to no frost during the spring fruit set and no heat spikes throughout the growing season – all of which helped the grapes reach full maturity, with harvest occurring in mid-September. Generally normal to heavier fruit-set with great flavor intensity and complexity will be the hallmark of the season.

  • Willamette Valley

    The Yamhill-Carlton District of Willamette Valley experienced an almost return to normal vintage in 2018. The spring and summer were some of the warmest and driest on record, but with no heat spikes recorded, the season increased in length due to the cool autumn weather. That allowed grapes to hang and develop complex flavors on the vine, while retaining freshness and acidity. The characteristic of the vintage is rich Pinot Noir fruit, with fully developed flavors, and a richness of tannins that gave structure to the wines.

  • Santa Barbara

    What may be considered a ‘classic’ vintage, the wines from 2018 show tremendous intensity and complexity. Santa Barbara County provided a mild to warm summer, with a cooler autumn, allowing the grapes to remain on the vine until they reached ideal maturity. While the quality of the grapes was phenomenal, our overall yields were down slightly due to smaller berry size and clusters. The fruit was harvested in late September, yielding wines with beautifully balanced acidity, exceptional weight and texture, and complex varietal flavors.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

Crafted with the same minimal winemaking techniques as Etude’s celebrated Carneros Pinot Noirs, each regional wine purely reflects the unique essence and character of its regional vineyard and still maintains Etude’s hallmarks of aromatic intrigue, vibrancy of expression and depth in ageability.