2008 Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley
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Production: 2300 Cases
Suggested Retail: $34
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2007 Pinot Noir, Julia’s Vineyard
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Production: 450 cases (750ml)
Suggested Retail: $56
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Appellation: Santa Maria Valley
Clone(s): Pommard
Harvest: Hand Harvested- Block B3 on September 6, 2007 and Block B4 on September 20, 2007
Yields: Around 2 TPA
Crush: 100 % whole berry destemmed. Gravitied to small top fermenters
Innoculum: RC 212 after 4-5 Day Cold Soak
Fermentation: 7-10 Days, with punchdowns 2 times daily
Barrel Regime: François Frères tight grain barrels, 65% new; 16 months elevage
Racking: Without oxygen (no pumping), once spring 2008 and again before bottling March 2009
Bottling: March 12, 2012
Production: 450 cases

Robert Parker-The Wine Advocate- Issue 184-September 2009
90 Points- 2007 Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard
The most seductive at present is the 2007 Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard, a dense ruby/purple tinged effort offering sweet aromas of kirsch, black fruits, and forest floor. It displays a broad, full-bodied, velvety mouthfeel as well as good underlying acidity that provides uplift and vibrancy, but the overall impression is one of a silk glove. Drink this beauty over the next 4-5 years.

Wine Enthusiast-October 2009 Issue
92 Points- 2007 Pinot Noir, Julia's Vineyard
Dark, full-bodied and rich. Defines a heavier, riper style that's almost like Grenache. Floods the mouth with black cherry pie filling, plum sauce, beef jerky, pepper, vanilla and sandalwood flavors. Good acidity provides vitality and zest. Could develop further complexities beyond 2009.-S.H

2006 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard - Block 8
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Production: 480 cases (750ml)
Suggested Retail: $54
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Appellation: Santa Maria Valley
Clone(s): Dijon 115- 20%, Wadensvil 2a-60%, Pommard- 20%
Harvest: Hand harvested at night, Sept 19th to Oct 3rd
Yields: 2 ½ to 3 tons/acre; around 4 pounds per vine
Crush: 100 % whole berry destemmed, gravitied into open top vessels
Innoculum: Assmanhauson, Bourgogne RC 212, some indigenous
Fermentation: 4-5 day Cold Soak, 10-14 day active fermentations-Punch down 2x daily. Partial lots extended maceration for 30 days
Barrel regime: François Frères, Allier Forest;
60% new, aged for 16 months
Racking: Without oxygen(no pumping)
Bottling: March 3, 2008 without fining or filtration
Production: 480 cases(750ml) 25 cases(1.5liters)

Bourghound.com, October 2008
91 Points- 2006 Pinot Noir- Bien Nacido Vineyard-Block 8
A notably ripe and seductively spicy nose that offers hints of Pinot Noir liqueur merges into rich and equally ripe big-bodied flavors that are utterly delicious and as long as the wine is kept at proper serving temperature, it carries its alcohol effortlessly. Note that there are moderately firm tannis that will permit this to age over the medium-term though it's awfully pretty right now. In sum, if you enjoy big-bodied pinots, this is a good choice because it doesn't lack for a certain elegance.

2007 Pinot Noir, Bien NacidoVineyard Block 8
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Production: 550 cases (750ml)
Suggested Retail: $54
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Appellation: Santa Maria Valley
Clone(s): 2A(64%), Dijon 113(18%), Mt.Eden(18%)
Harvest: Hand Picked at night, 113 on September 18, Mt. Eden on September 24, and 2a on October 1st.
Yields: 2 1/2 to 3 tons per acre(3 1/2-4 ppv)
Crush: 100 % whole berry destemmed, then gravitied into small, open top fermenters
Innoculum: Assmanhausen and Bourgogne RC 212 after a 4-5 day cold maceration
Fermentation: 14-45 days, with punch down 2x daily
Barrel regime: 60% new Francois Freres tight grain French oak, 16 months elevage
Racking: Without O2, once spring 2008, and again before bottling March 2009
Bottling: March 12, 2009 without fining or filtration

Robert Parker-The Wine Advocate- Issue 184-September 2009
90+ Points- 2007 Pinot Noir, Bien NacidoVineyard Block 8
Slightly more challenging to evaluate, but loaded with potential is the 2007 Pinot Noir, Block 8, Bien Nacido Vineyard. A dark, ruby color is followed by a distinctive bouquet of earth, graphite, black cherries, and black currants. Medium to full bodied, and more tightly wound than the Julia's Vineyard with good acidity as well as an earthy, spicy character, it will benefit from another year of bottle age, and should drink well for 8-10 years.

Wine Enthusiast-October 2009 Issue
93 Points- Cellar Selection-2007 Pinot Noir, Bien Nacido Vineyard, Block 8
Very rich and complex. Shows the immaturity of a young wine, with primary fruit flavors of cherries, black raspberries, red currants, red licorice, teriaki beef and cinnamon, accented with crisp acidity. Very good, but needs time. Best 2010-2013.

2007 Pinot Noir, Sea Smoke Vineyard
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Production: 475 cases(750ml)
Suggested Retail: $75

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Appellation: Santa. Rita Hills
Clone(s): Dijon 777(60%), Dijon 667(40%)
Harvest: October 5th to October 16th, 2007, hand harvested.
Yields: Around 1 1/2 tons/acre
Crush: Whole berry destemmed, gravitied into small French oak fermenters
Innoculum: Assmanhausen and Bourgogne RC-212 after 4-5 day cold maceration
Fermentation: 12-15 days with punchdowns 2 times daily
Barrel Regime: François Frère tight grain French oak barrels, 80% new for 16 months
Racking: Without oxygen (no pumping)
Bottling: March 3, 2008, without fining or filtration

Wine Spectator-June 2009
94 Points-2007 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills Sea Smoke Vineyard
Beautifully crafted, with pure, rich, supple and layered dark berry fruit built around blueberry, blackberry and huckleberry flavors that hold their focus, ending with a delicate, detailed finish. Drink now through 2014-J.L

Robert Parker-The Wine Advocate- Issue 184-September 2009
92 Points-2007 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, Sea Smoke Vineyard
The sensational 2007 Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard exhibits a creamy, concentrated smoky, black currant, and black cherry-scented perfume with notions of earth and spice in the background. It is a meaty, rich impressively concentrated, full bodied, elegant, complex wine that only hints at its ultimate potential. A beauty, it is another excellent example of the potential that exists in the Santa Rita Hills.

2007 Pinot Noir, "Select Smoke"
Sea Smoke Vineyard
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Production: 50 cases (750ml)
Suggested Retail: $125

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Appellation: Santa. Rita Hills
Vineyard: Sea Smoke Vineyard, Block R
Clone(s): 115
Harvest: By hand, early morning September 28, 2007
Yields: Around 1 1/2 tons/acre
Crush: Whole berry destemmed, then gravitied into a small, French Oak upright fermenter
Innoculum: Bourgogne RC-212 after 4day cold maceration
Fermentation: In oak, 14 days with punchdowns 2 times daily
Barrel Regime: François Frère tight grain French oak barrels, 100% new
Racking: Without oxygen (no pumping), Spring 2008 and again before bottling March 2009
Bottling: March 13, 200, without fining or filtration

Wine Spectator-June 2009
96 Points-2007 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills "Select Smoke"Sea Smoke Vineyard
Offers amazing purity of dark berry, plum, blueberry, and blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, complex and concentrated, yet the flavors dance on the palate, joined by a splash of spicy, toasty oak, with a superlong finish. Drink now through 2014.-JL

Robert Parker-The Wine Advocate- Issue 184-September 2009
93 Points-2007 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills "Select Smoke"Sea Smoke Vineyard
The 2007 Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard "Select Smoke" reveals a similar dark ruby/purple-tinged color along with stunningly concentrated flavors that represent the essence of this varietal(forest floor, spice box, black cherry liquer, flowers and subtle smoke). A colossal beauty of elegance, complexity and power, with a gorgeously concentrated., multidimensional, textured, rich full-bodied style, it should age for a decade or more.

2007 Pinot Noir, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Santa Rita Hills -
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Production: 75 cases (750ml)
Suggested Retail: $56

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Appellation: Santa Rita Hills
Clone(s): Mt. Eden Selection
Harvest: October 1, 2007
Yields: 1.25 tons/acre
Crush: 100 % whole berry destemmed, then gravitied into small, open top fermenters
Innoculum: Assmanhausen afer a 4 day cold maceration
Fermentation: 12 days, with punch down 2x daily
Barrel regime: 65% new Francois Freres tight grain French oak, 19 months elevage
Racking: Without O2, once spring 2008, and again before bottling March 2009
Bottling: March 13, 2009 without fining or filtration

Wine Spectator-June 2009
89 Points-2007 Pinot Noir, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Rich, intense and deeply concentrated, showing loamy earth, wild berry and blackberry fruit, with touches of herb and anise. Shows depth and complexity. Drink now through 2013-J.L

Robert Parker-The Wine Advocate- Issue 184-September 2009
91 Points- 2007 Pinot Noir, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
The 2007 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard possesses a medium dark ruby color with less saturation than several of it's siblings, and a big, upfront, forward, spicy, smoky nose revealing notions of black fruits, flowers and earth. It cuts a broad savory swath across the palate, and along with the Julia's, is the most evolved and seductive for current drinking. Enjoy this hedonistic, sexy Pinot over the next 5-6 years.