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  • A bottle of Etude Forte Pinot Noir from Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills
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2023 Forte Pinot Noir

2023 Forte Pinot Noir

Santa Rita Hills750mL13.8
$70.00
$70.00

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Specifications

  • Vintage: 2023
  • Appelation: Santa Rita Hills
  • ABV: 13.8
  • Varietal: Pinot Noir
  • pH: 3.43

Tasting Notes

Radiating a ruby garnet hue, this wine opens with a deep, evocative nose of mulberry, blackberry and ripe plum, underpinned by a subtle turned earthiness that adds complexity. The palate greets with a rich, generous entry, where vibrant red fruits of raspberry and mulberry take center stage. Lifted acidity extends the flavors with precision and freshness, while a youthful tannin structure gently enrobes the fruit, creating both balance and depth. Poised and structured, this wine holds the promise of graceful evolution, making it an excellent candidate for cellaring.

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Winemaker Jon Priest walking between rows of grapevines in a vineyard.

Fiddlestix Vineyard

In the heart of Sta. Rita Hills, Fiddlestix Vineyard was deliberately planted for Pinot Noir, and the alluring varietal is not only the vineyard’s but also the appellation’s “forte.” Comprising the finest blocks of the vintage, Etude Forté is a limited bottling that best exemplifies the characteristics of Fiddlestix Vineyard: dense concentration of fruit flavors, natural balance, and vibrant acidity.

One of the smaller AVAs in California, Sta. Rita Hills occupies the portion of Santa Ynez Valley west of Highway 101 and is home to some of Santa Barbara County’s best-known Pinot Noirs. Located a few miles inland alongside the Santa Ynez River bench at the western end of the transverse-oriented Santa Ynez Valley, Fiddlestix Vineyard receives a consistent draw of Pacific currents, but sits low enough against the hills to achieve some protection from the area’s strong afternoon winds. This unique exposure to coastal breezes and fog ensures cooling influences throughout extended sunny days, which helps to add depth and vibrancy in resulting Pinot Noirs. In 31 small blocks, a variety of rootstocks and clones are planted in well-draining clay loam and calcareous marine shale.

vintage

In 2023, Grace Benoist Ranch, situated in the cool, maritime-swept Carneros region of Sonoma, benefited from a classic growing season defined by moderation and persistence. A wet and cool winter segued into a foggy "June gloom," delaying bud break and pushing veraison late into the season. Throughout summer, temperatures remained mild, with daytime highs generally between the low to mid-70°F range, which allowed fruit to ripen evenly and maintain vibrant natural acidity. Harvest was unusually late; this extended hang time permitted development of excellent flavor and structural depth without loss of finesse. The resulting wines display hallmark traits of Grace Benoist Ranch: clarity of fruit, refined minerality and bright acidity. Age-worthy, they are beautifully balanced - structured yet elegant - with vivid aromatics that reflect the cool-climate precision of this remarkable 2023 vintage.

Winemaker Jon Priest holding up harvested grapes near stainless steel fermentation tanks.

Crafted Excellence

Winemaking

The grapes for this wine were harvested at night to reserve 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 14 months.