Adri’s Cuvée 2020 Pinot Noir

Sta. Rita Hills, California | La Rinconada Vineyard

The 2020 Co^lluvial™ “Adri’s Cuvée” Pinot Noir bottling is grounded in the majesty of California’s Santa Rita Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area). The fruit is drawn from the La Rinconada Vineyard.  Planted in 1997, La Rinconada sits adjacent to the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard. Home to 20 vineyard blocks and 12 clones, La Rinconada is also primarily Pinot Noir, complemented by some very special Chardonnay vines. This site enjoys the maritime influences of the Pacific Ocean, in particular the fog and cooling winds provide the perfect conditions for a longer growing season. The lower portion of La Rinconada is a sandy loam, which transitions to more clay loam mixed with diatomaceous earth, alluvium soils and shale on the hills closer to Sanford & Benedict.  The wine is a Barrel Selection (best 5 barrels) from the lot dedicated to my middle daughter Adriana for driving cross-country with me to work harvest.

Tasting Notes

“Light ruby hue. Pretty, even perfumed, aromas include those of essence of red cherry, raspberry, anise and a hint of rose petal. Once again there is good richness to the beautifully textured medium weight flavors that possess a suave mouthfeel yet no lack of vibrancy that seems to build as the impressively long finish is seriously intense. This is definitely a wine that deserves at least mid-term cellaring and one that could be aptly described as possessing power without weight . ” 93 Pts/2028+Allen Meadow’s Burghound Issue #90

“Bright and energetic, with engaging blood orange and pomegranate notes lined with a red tea accent. Picks up a mouthwatering mineral edge as this moves along, extending the finish nicely. Drink now through 2029.” 92 Pts James Molesworth Senior Editor Wine Spectator

“Very pale ruby. Heady, quite complex nose with some violets and some evolution. Attractive perfume and a palate that seems (appealingly) less sweet than most of its stablemates. Quite a serious wine though with a light suggestion of bitterness on the end.” 16.5+ Pts JancisRobinson.com

“Muddled strawberry, plum and pomegranate aromas show just enough depth on the nose of this bottling. Warming notes of nutmeg, clove and oak cruise atop the cherry lozenge flavors of the palate.” 91 Pts – Matt Kettmann – Wine Enthusiast

“Mostly destemmed (20% stems) and brought up in 40% new French oak, the 2020 Pinot Noir Adri’s Cuvée La Rinconada Vineyard has a pretty, up-front, nicely balanced, and medium-bodied style as well as some vanilla-tinged background oak, pretty strawberry and framboise fruit, lots of white flower and sweet spice, soft tannins, and a good finish. It’s a charming, enjoyable effort that builds nicely with air and will offer ample pleasure over the coming 4-6 years or more.” 90 Pts Points Jeb Dunnuck

Food Pairings

To download the full Co^lluvial™ Information Sheet, click here.