Sanford Pinot Noir 2012 Sta. Rita Hills (75cl, 13%)

A 2012 Pinot Noir from Sanford Winery in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, California. The fruit comes from vineyards at roughly 600 feet elevation on a cool, north-facing site with calcified marine soils. The wine was fermented in small open-top fermenters with manual punch-downs twice daily, then aged for 18 months in François Frères French oak barrels, approximately 80% new. Sanford Winery traces its origins to 1971, when Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict planted the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. The nose opens with rhubarb, cola and pencil shavings, with deeper earthy layers of beet juice and dried berries and a persistent mineral and iron quality. On the palate, cranberry and cherry carry a saline edge, with dried herbs, crushed rock minerality, subtle spice and structure from the oak. The finish is moderately long, with bay leaf, root beer and an earthy undertone, supported by fine-grained tannins.