“Black cherries, black raspberries, leafy herbs, and sappy, floral nuances all emerge from the 2021 Pinot Noir Dierberg Vineyard, a pure, medium-bodied, beautifully textured Pinot Noir displaying a terrific, salty character on the finish that is classic Sta. Rita Hills. This is the second vintage of this cuvee, which comes from sandier soils at the base of the Drum Canyon slope, and the estate thinks of this as their Premier Cru release." 92pts - Jeb Dunnuck

Production Notes

In Santa Barbara, the 2021 vintage provided a good growing season with ideal ripening weather. Tyler Thomas, winemaker at Dierberg Vineyard, noted cool mornings, ample fog, and no significant heat events. "Weather during the ripening period was about as ideal as you could ask for in Santa Barbara County." The vintage progressed smoothly with yields matching historical averages. Wines are showing excellent flavor depth, lower alcohol levels, and higher acidity. “We are very excited about the ability to promote energy in wines with terrific depth and generosity,” says Thomas, "particularly with the Pinot Noir from Drum Canyon."

Winemaker Notes

From what are considered the "grand cru" blocks of Drum Canyon, this Pinot Noir has a bit of dark fruit with a fennel-like spice and earthy notes that drive the youthful aromatics. The structure wraps itself around the very finesse driven weight and mid-palate. The wine has great length which suggests it should age for quite some time.