The L'Usine Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir is a bold, expressive, and fruit-forward New World red wine that perfectly captures the cool-climate, maritime-influenced spirit of Santa Barbara County's prestigious Sta. Rita Hills AVA. It pours a brilliant medium ruby-purple colour with distinct crimson reflections in the glass, lifting with an immediate, refreshing bouquet of ripe black cherries, wild raspberries, sarsaparilla, and pomegranate seeds, seamlessly layered with complex undertones of cracked black pepper, vanilla crème, wild sage, and damp earth. On the palate, this medium-to-full-bodied Pinot Noir is remarkably smooth, juicy, and round, coating the mouth with pure, velvety intensities of dark fruit tarts, rhubarb crisp, and a touch of black tea. Vinified thoughtfully and matured in French oak barrels to maintain maximum fruit purity and structural depth, it is driven by a balanced, food-friendly acidity and soft, polished tannins that carry into a clean, savory finish accented by a lingering touch of baking spices, cola, and anise.
Food Pairing: Pairs beautifully with casual or refined fare, including pan-seared or BBQ salmon, tomato-based pasta dishes with meat ragù, wood-fired mushroom pizzas, gourmet duck burgers, roasted pork sliders, and semi-hard or aged cheeses.
2018 Vintage Ratings:
94 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby-purple colored, the 2018 Pinot Noir needs a little coaxing to unlock notes of raspberry leaves, Bing cherries and mulberries with touches of wild sage, mossy tree bark and wild fungi. Medium to full-bodied, the palate explodes with the most beautiful perfume, framed by very fine-grained tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long and fragrant.
93 Points - James Suckling
Cranberries, blueberries, cracked black pepper, raw mushrooms, lemon zest, cloves and chalk on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with powdery tannins and a chalky texture. Focused, mineral finish. Linear and fine at the end. Drink from 2022.
93 Points - Wine Spectator
Big, rich and filled with concentrated dark cherry, berry and plum tart flavors that feature plenty of Asian spice notes. Creamy accents in the midpalate lead into a powerful and well-structured finish featuring unctuous toastiness and chocolate nuances.
93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
Smooth aromas of cherry, sarsaparilla and cola are well integrated on the nose of this bottling. Baked red-fruit flavors dominate the palate, but peppery spices, pinches of herbs and lingering acidity complete the experience.
