These wines are extremely limited
There’s only so much to spare of these wines as most of their case production is allocated to the current or upcoming Wine Club, so be sure to act fast.

Greetings Everyone!

We are excited to release the last and longest lived of our Pinot Noirs from 2023. 2023 was a terrific vintage, basically, cool and long with Pinot Noir picks spaced out over a long 6 week period. During September and October John & Brandon are constantly heading out on Santa Rosa Road to check on the fruit and vine condition in each block and to pull cluster samples to evaluate back at the winery. We are in constant communication with our terrific vineyard managers regarding pick dates, and often we are able to pick the grapes within literally hours of our last sample. In 2023, with no severe weather to work around, we were able to dial in each pick at almost perfect timing. The grapes had phenolic and sugar ripeness, with sufficient balancing acidity even after a long season’s effort working on the vine. This is another testament to the climactic uniqueness of Sta. Rita Hills, with its famed refrigerated sunlight that promotes photosynthesis on a measured scale.

In addition, please see some other 2023 Pinot Noirs which are available and which are really showing the promise of 2023. After almost a year in bottle, they display youthful energy, with increasing complexity and expressiveness. The critics agree, so go online and grab several of your favorites!

2023 Pinot Noir Black Label, Sta. Rita Hills

** NOTE TO WINE CLUB MEMBERS: Black Label will be in the Spring Club (April 2026).

The Black Label program was forged from a single barrel of 2010 Pinot Noir (One barrel of La Encantada, Block 12N in a Francois Freres, medium plus toast barrel) that simply insisted that we create a cuvee of our most expressive Pinot Noirs from our favorite vineyards. We describe the selection process as looking for the most dramatic, most “wow” barrels, where the vineyard signature is present, but an extra layer of intensity and pop elevates the experience.  Past Black Label wines have been critically acclaimed, including a 100 point score with the 2019 and plenty of other 98s and 97s.

The 2023 Black Label is comprised of wines that are: 50% Fiddlestix, 25% Radian, 12.5% Bentrock, 12.5% Sanford & Benedict. The blend comes from lots that were 92% destemmed and 8% whole cluster. The wine was aged on its lees for 18 months in French oak barrels (60% new) and bottled unfined & unfiltered. Tasting from the bottling tank, the wine was brilliant, expressive, complex and long, with absolutely perfect balance. This wine should age very well. Drink 2026/7-2040+.

The 2023 wine has been rated 96 Points by Lisa Perrotti-Brown of the Wine Palate, who noted the wine had “exuberant notes of juicy blackberries, wild blueberries, and black raspberries, leading to hints of lavender oil, underbrush, and Provence herbs. The medium to full-bodied palate is so silky and vibrant with a refreshing backbone and a long fragrant finish.” More reviews will come later this year.

Extremely Limited. Only 360 cases were made. This is a Spring Wine Club selection (April 2026), and therefore only a few cases remain for non-members.

2023 Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

Good old Fiddlestix. Long one of our most popular wines, we have made this wine since 2008. Located in the goldilocks zone of the Sta. Rita Hills, it receives just the right amount of sunshine and warmth to ripen Pinot Noir perfectly.

2023 was a great year for Fiddlestix, as there were no big heat events to avoid. We picked the grapes in our 4 blocks from September 7 to 15, which is a month later than some years. Fruit condition was excellent and we were able to use 22% whole clusters in the fermenters. The lower yields and long hangtime meant that only gentle extraction resulted in big flavors with still great acidity. The wine was aged on its lees for 19 months in French oak barrels (38% new). Bottling was unfined & unfiltered. This wine should drink well young but will also age on its flawless balance.  Drink 2025-2034.

The 2023 was rated 95 points by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. Very Limited. Only 500 cases were made. This was a Winter Wine Club selection (January 2025).