Red

Alma Rosa La Encantada Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)

Sta. Rita Hills · Central Coast · United States

Fact sheet

duck · salmon · mushrooms · pork loin · herb-crusted chicken

201491 pts

Richard and Thekla Sanford of Alma Rosa produce much lighter styles of Pinot Noir than many of their neighbors. In this bottling, that translates to bright pomegranate and cranberry fruit with hints of anise and rose on the nose. The palate offers raspberry fruit and sagebrush s…
201292 pts

Brisk freshness characterizes this Pinot from Richard Sanford, a pioneer in the region. The wine presents violet and elderberry on the nose and is soft yet extra-expressive once sipped, with mocha, strawberry, black tea, and, on the edges, a grapefruit peel bitterness.
200790 pts

Elegantly structured, with firm tannins, a silky texture and a fine balance of fruit, acidity and oak. Shows cherry, red currant, cola and sandalwood flavors that are delicious, but those tannins close in on the finish, making the wine hard. Try after 2011.
200689 pts

This is a very good wine, albeit with some coarseness to the tannins at this time. It's also a little earthy and mushroomy. But there's a solid core of black cherry, red currant, mocha and tangerine zest flavors. The vineyard is near Sanford & Benedict, whose Pinots require time…