Gainey Vineyard

Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2022

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

8.9

Nice. Not fantastic. — 16 days ago

Ray, Hermes and 8 others liked this

Etude

Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

The Fiddlestix Vineyard is located at mile marker 7.28 on Santa Rosa Road in Lompoc, California, which is situated in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. In the mid-90's Kathy Joseph of Fiddlehead Cellars, along with the viticultural icon Taz Steinhauer, acquired the 133-acre, former flower farm, across Santa Rosa Road from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, and in 1998 they planted 100 acres of Pinot Noir. Aside from the small amount earmarked for Fiddlehead's own production, much of the vineyard is contracted to other producers, including Ampelos, Ancien, Anglim, Arcadian, Bonaccorsi, Dragonette, Jonata, Ken Brown, Hartley-Ostini Hitching Post, Gainey, Ortman, Pali, Paul Lato, Prodigal, RN Estate, Rusack, Summerland, Tyler, Vogelzang, Wedell , and TAZ, not to mention Etude.

Opens with an austere earth note in a tone reminiscent of Barbaresco, and in the words of Miles Raymond, it's "tighter than a nun's ass." 45 minutes later, though, and it's singing and juicy. Black cherry, but not overripe, leads this medium bodied, pungent thinker, while a virtual greenhouse of floral shades help twist and shape its direction. Secondary dusty earth and walnut skin reveal the source of its austerity. True to its terroir, there's a tertiary layer of spice and rocks that provides the depth needed to go from good to great. — 8 years ago

Daniel, P and 13 others liked this