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2016 Etude North Canyon Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

2016 Etude North Canyon Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

2016 Etude North Canyon Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

Tasting Notes

The signature of North Canyon Pinot Noir is a noticeably darker red fruit tone, and this vintage is no exception, given its beautifully saturated ruby red color. Notes of boysenberry, young plum and black cherry intertwine, ushering in nuances of rooibos tea leaves and oak spice. Elegant tannins develop into a supple texture and bright acidity provides a rich buoyancy. This wine has balance, depth and complexity that remains on the palate long into its finish.

Technical Information

Varietal Pinot Noir
Vintage 2016
Appellation Santa Maria Valley
Blend 100% Pinot Noir
Oak Treatment Aged in 100% French oak barrels (25% new) for 10 months
Alcohol % 14.2%
Enclosure Type Cork
pH 3.63

Scores & Accolades

  • 94

    Vinous

    "The 2016 Pinot Noir North Canyon Vineyard is one of the most finessed wines in the Etude range. Then again, that is the nature of what the best sites in Santa Maria can offer. Bright, finely sculpted and nuanced, the 2016 is all class. Bright red cherry, raspberry, white flowers and mint are all woven together in a Pinot that exudes class." - Antonio Galloni, December 2018

  • 93+

    Wine Advocate

    "Medium to deep ruby-purple in color, it features notions of chocolate-covered cherries, raspberry tart and wild strawberries with hints of garrigue, forest floor and black tea. Medium-bodied with a solid structure of grainy tannins, it has wonderful freshness and a tons of earthy accents on the finish." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, October 2018

Winemaking

Winemaking

Crafted with the same minimal winemaking techniques as Etude’s celebrated Carneros Pinot Noirs, each regional wine purely reflects the unique essence and character of its regional vineyard and still maintains Etude’s hallmarks of aromatic intrigue, vibrancy of expression and depth in ageability.

Jon Priest - Winemaker

For more than a decade Jon has fashioned Etude wines with a simple creed. Inspired winegrowing diminishes the need for a winemaker to intervene in the cellar. Whether sourcing from the estate Grace Benoist Ranch in Sonoma's Los Carneros, or vineyards like Fiddlestix and North Canyon in famed growing regions of California's Central Coast, his focus is on coaxing the very best from the vineyard. It shows in every glass of Etude.

Vintage

Vintage

The extended drought was beginning to cause concern as the 2016 growing season began. However, a very warm spring and early summer with almost no rain allowed the fruit to ripen at a steady and deliberate pace. July and August brought cool nights and gentle warmth to the Sta. Rita Hills to allow the smaller-sized crop to mature perfectly, producing small berries in pristine condition. The drier-than normal conditions and the region’s abundant sunshine resulted in wines with excellent concentration, balance, color and intensity, resulting in Pinot Noir fruit showing exceptional depth and finesse.

Vineyard

Santa Maria Valley AVA

North Canyon, Santa Maria Valley

Vineyard

Less than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean, North Canyon Vineyard sits along the Santa Maria river bench in a secluded canyon that provides some protection from the region's renowned maritime influences. Located a bit off the direct valley, temperatures are often a few degrees warmer and North Canyon is exposed to extended periods of sunshine that ensure Pinot Noir matures to a bright red fruit character. A variety of rootstocks and clones are planted in calcareous clay sandstone at North Canyon, which differs from the valley's defining marine mixture of ancient sea bed, clay loam and sand. Fruit from one select block, located on a bluff in the southern, cooler end of the canyon, was chosen for this Pinot Noir. In order to achieve the same high level of quality wines, the farming of North Canyon is uniquely hands on, which ensures viticulture practices and farming measures are comparable with that of Etude's Estate Vineyards.

Winemaker Jon Priest

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