Bright delicate cherry, fragrant lavender, fresh picked strawberry. Pomegranate juice, sea spray, pure raspberry. Star anise and spearmint, forest floor and oyster mushroom. High-toned and expansive fruit seems to fill the room with a swirl of the glass, emanating cranberry cocktail and ripe rhubarb plus a subtle citrus note. Elegant floral tones of lilac and mild violet soon follow and are eventually superseded by tree bark and subtle yet complex sous bois. Anise, cardamom, and coriander point to neutral oak and just a touch of stem - still allowing for an unmistakable expression of saline sandy soil. Weightless, expressive, and exceptionally pretty. This 2016 Estate Pinot Noir by Spear Vineyards & Winery is pristine Santa Rita Hills Pinot.

Spear Vineyards & Winery has quickly become one of the most exciting young operations in all of California's Central Coast. Led by proprietor and vigneron Ofer Shepher and winemaker Kat Gaffney, the Spear team is growing some unbelievable fruit and producing amazing wine from their 34 acre estate vineyard in Santa Barbara's Santa Rita Hills. This bottling, crafted from 100% Pinot Noir sourced completely from their own estate property, is completely extraordinary. It is fresh and dynamic -  projecting not only contemplative and intellectual nuance but also a streak of pure hedonistic pleasure. Its typicity is flawless, its composition is faultless, and it expresses a distinct sense of place. This medium bodied wine is still young and bright, and its elevated tannin and acidity hint at a long life of graceful development. Phenomenal stuff again here from Spear.