2016 La Encantada Vineyard Pinot Noir - Alma Rosa Winery

Cranberry cocktail, fresh lavender, chopped strawberry. Wild raspberry, sandy earth, rhubarb compote. Crushed clove and allspice, shaved cedar and dry underbrush. Pronounced bing cherry and pomegranate rise from dirty holiday spice and pulverized salt. Wonderfully composed & structured exhibiting beautiful acidity & balance. This 2016 La Encantada Vineyard Pinot Noir by Alma Rosa Winery is magnificently sophisticated Pinot with a bit of a history.

Santa Barbara wine pioneer Richard Sanford planted the La Encantada Vineyard in the year 2000. He would eventually sell the property and in 2005 Richard founded Alma Rosa Winery. Although he no longer owns La Encantada, Richard and his team continue to source fruit from this hallowed site, and the resulting wines are nothing if not spectacular. Pure, deep, expansive red berry fruit leads a charge backed by assertive spice and classic secondary earthy tones so typical of this vineyard. A dusting of Santa Rita Hills salinity sneaks in on the finish to add further complexity to this pretty yet powerful bottling. There are more than a few great producers making fantastic wine from La Encantada fruit and this stuff absolutely belongs near the top of that list.