Racines, `Sainte-Rose` Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2019
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | RA308B19 | 6 x 75 | Diam | Contact Us |
Producer
Racines is a collaboration between Etienne de Montille of Domaine de Montille in Volnay and American-born winemaker Brian Sieve. A combination of world-famous vineyards and world-class winemaking makes this one of California’s most exciting, modern winemaking projects.
In 2016, Etienne and Brian spent months travelling across the Golden State in search of its finest vineyards. They aimed to discover the Golden State’s great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir producers and get to know its innumerable AVAs. After hundreds of tastings and encounters, they were eventually captivated by Santa Barbara County and its combination of ambitious young winemakers and historic vineyards such as ‘Bien Nacido’ and ‘Sanford & Benedict’.
Together, they sought out highly coveted sites in the Santa Rita Hills and founded Racines, releasing their first vintage in 2017. The wines hail from vineyards across the Santa Rita Hills AVA, planted on soil types ranging from sandy and clay loams to quartz and shale. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean (just 10km away) imparts a coolness and clarity on the wines. Most of the fruit is sourced from a long-term lease of the ‘Wenzlau’ vineyard. However, Racines also work with growers in ‘Sanford & Benedict’, ‘Bentrock’ and ‘La Rinconada’ as well as the ‘La Mesa’ vineyard, which comprises part of Domaine de la Côte’s prized estate.
Racines makes four Chardonnays. The Santa Rita Hills ‘estate’ Chardonnay hails from a blend of vineyard sites and is complemented by three single-vineyard wines, ‘Wenzlau’, ‘Bentrock’ and ‘Sanford & Benedict’. Each is fermented using indigenous yeasts in a combination of 500-litre puncheons, 350-litre barrels, and 228-litre barriques, resulting in around 20% new oak on the finished wines. After a year in barrel, the wines are aged for an additional six months in stainless steel before bottling. They express a precise definition of their site, each with a vibrant, detailed, and saline character.
The Pinot Noirs consist of a Santa Rita Hills ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir, the ‘Sainte Rose’ (made from a blend of ‘Sanford & Benedict’, ‘La Rinconada’, ‘La Encontada’ and ‘Domaine de la Côte’) and two single-vineyard wines: ‘Sanford & Benedict’ and ‘La Rinconada’. They are fermented with indigenous yeasts and up to 50% whole-bunch which lends a lithe and nuanced charm to the wines.
The ‘Grand Reserve’ Sparkling is a Blanc de Blancs made from 100% Chardonnay. Produced using the traditional method, the 2018 vintage base also includes 15% reserve wine from the 2017 harvest. Sourced from ‘Wenzlau’, ‘Sanford & Benedict’ and ‘Bentrock’, the varying soil types of these three sites create an elegant, expressive wine with great minerality and length.
Vineyards
The grapes for this wine were grown on four different vineyards - Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, La Encantada and Domaine de la Cote. The larger volume for this cuvée came from the last two vineyards. These were barrels that either exceeded the capacity of the vineyard designate cuvée or provided Racines with an opportunity to blend a few of the best Pinot parcels together. The parcels complement each other to create a more complex, earth driven wine compared to the Santa Rita Hills cuvée appellation.
Vintage
The 2019 vintage offered optimal growing conditions in the Santa Rita Hills. Cooler, mild spring days resulted in a later bud break and flowering. Flowering took place after the common springtime winds and helped to ensure a good set. Summer offered overall moderate conditions, with few heat spikes leading to consistent and predictable ripening and longer hang-time. Cooler autumn temperatures allowed the fruit to ripen evenly and steadily, resulting in a later picking date than the previous two vintages. While the yields were slightly smaller than the previous years, the vineyards produced high quality, flavourful fruit.
Vinification
The grapes were fermented 50% whole cluster and in 20% new oak.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
Flavours of ripe cherry, blood orange and spice dominate, with a bold hit of savoury from the 50% whole cluster. Supple and creamy, this is a very expressive wine.
Alcohol (ABV)
13%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Racines | Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay | RA301 | W | Factsheet | |
| `Wenzlau` Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay | RA302 | W | |||
| `Sanford & Benedict` Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay | RA304 | W | Factsheet | ||
| Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir | RA305 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `La Rinconada` Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir | RA306 | R | Factsheet | ||
| `Sanford & Benedict` Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir | RA307 | R | Factsheet | ||
| Grand Reserve Sparkling | RA309 | SpW | Factsheet |