Laetitia 2019 Reserve du Domaine Pinot Noir

Comprised of an intelligent collection of different clones including Martini, Dijon and Pommard, this beautifully showcases this winery off Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo County. Originally known for their sparkling wines, Laetitia is also quite adept at still wines. Earthy and savory, this reserve opens up with lithe notes of black cherry, plum, pomegranate, Bing cherry and back notes of mushroom, cedar, tea leaf and plantain. This offers enough acidity to keep it fresh and a deft balance between fruit and oak, resulting in a lengthy finish and a wine that cries out for the companionship of food. Aged 11 months in 40% new French oak this charming pinot noir announces that the humble Arroyo Grande Valley can stand shoulder to shoulder with other better-known pinot noir growing regions.

ORIGIN: Arroyo Grande Valley

ALCOHOL: 14.25%

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Vintage:

2019

Current Price:

$44.00USD

Of Purpose, Pigmy Goats and Pinot Noir: Flying Goat Cellars

Norm Yost started his career into the world of wine as a beer drinking football player, specifically offensive guard and tackle. Sure, he was at UC Davis, but he had been recruited right out of high school to play football, Division 2, not to do any mamby-pamby wine related stuff. His roommate in college was studying fermentation science and enology and would conduct wine tastings, which got Norm's attention. “I was really intrigued by it,” he recalled.

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Laetitia 2021 Estate Pinot Noir

Vintage:

2021

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Current Price:

$28.00USD

Having run several wine departments, a question I’m always asked is, Is there an inexpensive Pinot Noir that’s any good? Answer: Yes. Pinot is not an easy grape to work with and it becomes more expensive given its inconsistent growing qualities. However Laetitia has a proved track record with Pinot Noir and has made a solid, comprehensive and affordable Pinot from California’s Central Coast. The 2021 provides notes of strawberry, black cherry, blackberry, red raspberry, along with mild tannins, good acidity and a hint of vanilla spice.

Santa Barbara County Wine: The State of the Grape 2008

In about 1820, a San Antonio winery was built in what is now Goleta, just north of the City of Santa Barbara. The wine was made predominately for the missions as sacramental wine, but the padres undoubtedly made a little extra on the side. The lonely adobe winery is still standing and nearly 200 years later, the wine industry in Santa Barbara County is thriving, in spite of the fluctuations of the economy, transitional markets, fickle consumers and inconsistent harvests.

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Blending Pinot Noir on the Central Coast: Scents and Sensibilities

As with most things in life, collaboration is the key to success. In the world of wine, collaboration is evident between winemakers and growers, winemakers and coopers and so forth. Yet when the critical stage of blending a wine happens, many winemakers go it alone. Blending various wines means that different clones, different toast levels of barrels, and grapes from different vineyards, must be taken into account in order to produce a stand-out wine.

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Decoy 2021 Pinot Noir, California

Vintage:

2021

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Current Price:

$25.00USD

Good Pinot Noir is hard to find. A good Pinot at a good price is even harder. But Decoy’s latest hits the right notes. Black cherry, boysenberry, wild strawberry, black berry and a hint of green tea leaf, this offers mild tannins and acidity and is a pretty comprehensive Pinot for just $25. The grapes were harvested from six different counties in California, and it was aged one year in new French oak barrels, 35% of which were new. The result is a well crafted Pinot Noir that won’t break the bank, but will give you a quality wine that is food-friendly and enjoyable.

Laetitia 2019 Reserve du Domaine Pinot Noir

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Laetitia 2021 Estate Pinot Noir

Santa Barbara County Wine: The State of the Grape 2008

Blending Pinot Noir on the Central Coast: Scents and Sensibilities

Decoy 2021 Pinot Noir, California