USA

Pinot Noir from limestone and decomposed granite soils of Enz Vineyard in Lime Kiln Valley (San Benito County). The Enz family has been farming this site since 1967 (the vineyard is also notable for Mourvedre, where the old vines date to 1895). The Pinot Noir vines were re-grafted onto much older roots in the 1980’s, and have been farmed organically without irrigation. The fruit was handpicked between August 24th and September 1st and fermented with 30% whole clusters. The wine was matured for 13-months in neutral barrels and puncheons, unfined/unfiltered.

There’s lots of Chenin between here and Santa Barbara, but there is good reason to traverse all those miles. Of all the sites with which the winery works, Jurassic Park, planted on its own roots on quartz sand atop lime- stone in the late 1970s exhibits the most vintage variation, and small variations create very strong signals in the wine. Some years lean toward the lithe and appley; some towards the exotic; some toward the saline and chalky.