Santa Barbara County is the southern half of California’s Central Coast wine region. It takes in almost 10,000 km2 moving north from Santa Barbara to Santa Maria and then inland from there. It combines stunning beauty, from gorgeous coastlines to beautiful interior rolling hills. And as we recently discovered, it is making some outstanding wines at very fair prices.
2007 Walter Hansel “The South Slope Vineyard” Pinot Noir
A terrific example of a top Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Beautifully balanced with dark red fruits, specifically cherries and currants, combined with black pepper and earth and just enough vanilla to give it a little creaminess. Tons of complexity and expressiveness to this wine, a very smooth mouth feel and a surprisingly long finish for a Pinot Noir. Elegant and structured, this showed everything we love about this variety.
Excellent +
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Just an hour and a half’s drive from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara encompasses a delightful span of California’s central coast that is surprisingly underdeveloped particularly given its location and what it offers visitors: beautiful beaches lined with palm trees, fantastic restaurants, and easy access to a truly unique wine region producing world-class wines.
2007 Brewer-Clifton Rancho Santa Rosa Pinot Noir
Brewer-Clifton is one of our favourite Pinot Noirs out of the central coast of California and it did not disappoint. Big and fruity with lots of cherry and blackberry counterbalanced superbly with notes of earth and baking spices and black pepper on the finish. Medium + in body, it was smooth, intense and complex. Perfectly in balance right now, drink it if you have it!
Excellent
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Iron Horse Vineyards is the love and labour of Californians Audrey and Barry Sterling. In 1976 they drove along the one lane road just outside of the town of Occidental in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County, through the fog and misty rain to find this beautiful vineyard, which they bought, pretty much on the spot. The location is beautiful, often shrouded by the fog that gets held by its rolling hills, and is very remote. Almost 30 years later to the day, we drove along that same road, in similar weather conditions to find their beautiful property and taste their exquisite wines.
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