Lutum
Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir
Sta. Rita Hills, Central Coast, California, USA
I’ve been meaning to try this producer for some time now. I’ve heard & read good things about their work. So when I saw this on “Last Bottle” for $35, I picked a few up. It didn’t disappoint.
The one thing about the Santa Rita Hills region that I struggle with is a number of their Pinot Noirs, for me, are over extracted. That is not the case here.
The fruits were generally mid red. Some blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, cherries, nice hues of blueberries, pomegranate & cranberries. Gentle wood use, softly layered baking spices, excellent acidity & nicely polished even finish.
Drinks well now but, will hold my other two bottles 2-3 years for further integration & even something a little better.
Photos of; their winery facility, Winemaker- Gavin Chanin and one of their Santa Rita Vineyards.
I’ve been meaning to try this producer for some time now. I’ve heard & read good things about their work. So when I saw this on “Last Bottle” for $35, I picked a few up. It didn’t disappoint.
The one thing about the Santa Rita Hills region that I struggle with is a number of their Pinot Noirs, for me, are over extracted. That is not the case here.
The fruits were generally mid red. Some blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, cherries, nice hues of blueberries, pomegranate & cranberries. Gentle wood use, softly layered baking spices, excellent acidity & nicely polished even finish.
Drinks well now but, will hold my other two bottles 2-3 years for further integration & even something a little better.
Photos of; their winery facility, Winemaker- Gavin Chanin and one of their Santa Rita Vineyards.
Fruit is more subtle, mid palate it tends toward the minerality side. Quite good
Fruit is more subtle, mid palate it tends toward the minerality side. Quite good
1 person found it helpfulAug 23rd, 2019
Cherry nose and flavor. Elegant yet fruit-forward Pinot. I prefer Burgundy but this is a nice wine.
Cherry nose and flavor. Elegant yet fruit-forward Pinot. I prefer Burgundy but this is a nice wine.
1 person found it helpfulMar 3rd, 2019
Nose- fresh red cherry and tart cranberry. Palate- vibrant red fruit, dried herbs and savory spice. Nice acid, long finish. Good balance of elegance and power.
Nose- fresh red cherry and tart cranberry. Palate- vibrant red fruit, dried herbs and savory spice. Nice acid, long finish. Good balance of elegance and power.
1 person found it helpfulFeb 5th, 2015
Wow, this took a while to open up. Definitely started off with almost a sour note to it, and I was a little worried. The bottle was past its prime. However, after a good 30 minutes of allowing it to breathe, he really got some good herbal and forest floor notes among cool fruit with a nice structure that wasn’t flabby or overly processed. Got basically a horizontal tasting of this and the other sub regions of this producer and I’m excited to see what the other ones bring. 
Wow, this took a while to open up. Definitely started off with almost a sour note to it, and I was a little worried. The bottle was past its prime. However, after a good 30 minutes of allowing it to breathe, he really got some good herbal and forest floor notes among cool fruit with a nice structure that wasn’t flabby or overly processed. Got basically a horizontal tasting of this and the other sub regions of this producer and I’m excited to see what the other ones bring. 
Jan 15th, 2025Sharks fin, abalone, steamed fish, shrimp, and fried rice
Sharks fin, abalone, steamed fish, shrimp, and fried rice
Nov 23rd, 2021
Nice weeknight bottle. Excellent QPR.
Nice weeknight bottle. Excellent QPR.
Sep 30th, 2021
Solid Pinot from California’s Santa Rita Hills. Gushes with cherry with a hint of allspice. We enjoyed this one although prefer a bit more heft and acid. 13.5%
Solid Pinot from California’s Santa Rita Hills. Gushes with cherry with a hint of allspice. We enjoyed this one although prefer a bit more heft and acid. 13.5%
Sep 19th, 2021
New world style, lots of cherry, red currant and some raspberry.
New world style, lots of cherry, red currant and some raspberry.
Jan 25th, 2021