Don's Gillette's Wine Blog
Musings from our store's resident wine guru
Don has over thirty years experience in the wine industry. For the last eighteen years his attention has been focused on the growing local industry. Don has a large following of customers who search out his opinions (never in short supply!) on new releases and on what's currently most distinctive on our shelves. Others seek his insights on wineries and trends that are still under the radar. Read Don's full bio...
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Pinot Noir: Regional Character as the Winemaker's Canvas...part four
That outstanding fruit is grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is clear, yet many factors work to limit the areas growth in prestige and the further expansion of its quality sector. It is difficult to visit, has few on-site wineries, and its growers are generally not set up to receive guests. Many local access roads lack signs. This is no Mecca for the rich and famous, as wine lovers are 45 minutes from the nearest fine food or acceptable accommodation.
Twenty miles or so in length, the SLH is a finger-shaped, east facing, mountain plateau, dominated by huge, largely anonymous, corporate owned vineyards. Much of its viable land is already in production. The Highlands are hot and wind-swept by day and fog-drenched by night. The vineyards sit perched above the dusty vegetable crops of the Salinas Valley.
The fruit grown by the SLH's Agri-business giants is cropped for enormous yields. It is meant to fuel the cheap "Coastal" bottlings of national brands. The quality of that fruit, even so watered-down, elevates the lesser juice it is added to. This is a profitable arrangement and one unlikely to change in the near future.
What remains of the SLH is divided between the smaller estates, which initially established and still uphold the areas reputation. Without their help SLH labels would not be as numerous as they are. Most of the small estates, even those like Pisoni and Roar who have well-established labels of their own, sell fruit to other wineries.
Pisoni Vineyard, which was the areas first famous property, lies at the southern end of the appellation. It produces decidedly masculine, intense, darkly fruity juice and wines with a rich gamey-smoky character, fine focus and firm tannins. Talbott's Sleepy Hollow vineyard, far to the north, produces soft-edged, broadly fruity wines, with a rich strawberry-floral fruit that develops tobacconist-shop spice notes in barrel.
The vineyards in between Pisoni and Talbott, and most of the fine properties in the appellation, are less eccentric. They commonly produce well-defined fruit, the character of which ranges from dark cherry, red cherry and red currant to wild strawberry. Oak barrel aging of this fruit typically brings forth smokier elements, rather than the sweet vanilla or roasted grain notes often seen in other appellations.
Mineral notes are prominent here, as are rich body and tannic structure. The various wines made from Pisoni, Garys' and Rosella's vineyard (which provide fruit for at least 40 bottlings annually) should all be investigated. So should vineyard-designated bottlings from Morgan and several others.
The Arroyo Grande appellation is held in esteem primarily because of the long string of terrific Rosemary, and Rincon Pinots, made at Talley Winery; and to a lesser extent for two similar botlings from Laetitia.
The best wines of AG display fine clarity, silky texture, well-hidden but impressive tannic grip and rich body. The fruit profile is more commonly red plum, red raspberry, red cherry, red rose or red currant, than dark berry. Alcohol is rarely detectable in these Pinots, whether they are aged or newly released.
Talley's Rosemary botlings are usually richer than their Rincon versions, if not always superior. Both are outstanding agers. Laetitia's La Colline is a cutting-crisp Pinot of vivid clarity. Its fruit is always bright and is usually centered on red currant, fresh pomegranate or red cherry. Their Les Gallets bottling is darker, plumper and more forthcoming in its youth. Both are agers. Talley and Laetitia are also generous with their fruit and many other fine wineries purchase from them.
Edna Valley has always had the potential to make fine and age-worthy Pinot. Bottlings made in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Edna Valley winery were rich and long lived, but few efforts to make consistent Pinot here have flourished.
These vineyards are coastal-influenced and the wines produced from them can be crisp, firm, well-focused, attractively spicy and rich. Dark berry-cherry and earthy-smoky notes, along with mineral and citric undercurrents, are all typical.
The best Pinots include Stephen Ross' Aubaine vineyard bottlings and the Reserve wines of Domaine Alfred. Talley has some exciting new property there as well.
Next week: further south...