Santa Cruz Mountains, Pinot Noir, 2021

Another wine that ourperforms this year is the 2021 SC Mountains Pinot Noir – composed from the regular blend of Alpine, Horseshoe, Mt. Pajaro and including Family Farm and even Skyline this year. Smelling very much like a single vineyard cuvee, this is expressive and layered with notes of black tea and red berries, pine and herbs – true Santa Cruz mountain fruit. There’s a core of real structure below the fruit, suggesting this will be one of longer lived renditions of this cuvee – give it a two to three years in the cellar and it should hugely overdeliver. For those that feel the single vineyard wines are out of reach, this is a must-have and comes hugely recommended.