2012 SAMsARA Pinot Noir Rancho La Vina Vd Sta Rita Hills

Another savory, peppery effort, the 2012 Pinot Noir Rancho la Vina Vineyard has a solid core of black raspberry and cassis-scented fruit to go with plenty of sous bois, wild herbs and tapenade on the nose. Medium-bodied, beautifully balanced and graceful on the palate, it has polished tannin, nicely integrated acidity and a great finish. Like the Las Hermanas, it has plenty of stem influence, yet has everything in the right proportions, lots of charm, and is a joy to drink. Fermented with 70% stems and aged 20 months in 30% new French oak, drink it anytime over the coming 5-7 years.

The 2012 Pinot Noir Rancho La Vina Vineyard is dense and compact, with real sense of virile power that takes shape in the glass. Powerful and intense, with plenty of latent pliancy, the 2012 should drink well for a number of years. Violets, lavender and cloves all add nuance to a wine that captures the intensity of this clay-rich site.