 The
Taz Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir is a “best-of-both-worlds” wine. It
takes two distinct expressions of Santa Barbara County and blends them
into a balanced wine with plenty of nuance.
The first component of the blend comes from our North Canyon
Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. This vineyard lies at the northern
edge of Santa Barbara, butting up to the San Luis Obispo County line.
The Pinot Noir from North Canyon is soft and silky with delicate floral
notes and red fruit character. The lots from North Canyon Vineyard are
complemented by grapes from our Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Santa Rita
Hills, located at the southern end of Santa Barbara County. Fiddlestix
Pinot Noir is big and lush; it lends structure and core of dark berry
fruit to the blend. I love the juxtaposition of the two regions in this
wine.
"The 2005 growing season yielded exceptional fruit. I believe that
great wines are created in the vineyard. We typically farm less than
two tons per acre, and this year was no different. About a quarter of
this blend was aged in new French oak, while the rest of the lots went
into neutral barrels. I like to let the fruit shine, using just a hint
of new oak to spice things up. To me, this wine showcases the true
varietal character of Pinot Noir." -- Natasha Boffman, Winemaker
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