2012 & 2014 Sandhi "La Rinconada" Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

“From a vineyard just beside Sanford & Benedict, but further up the slope and with less top soil, the 2012 Pinot Noir Rinconada is thrilling stuff. Loaded with minerality, spice, earth and darker berry fruits, there’s a slight rusticity here, but I love the underlying structure and depth. Showing more floral notes with air, give it another year and it will dish out loads of pleasure... (JD)” (08/2014)

“The 2012 Pinot Noir Rinconada is deep, layered and vibrant to the core. Dark red cherry, smoke, game, blood orange and sage meld together in a structured, intense Pinot that needs at least another year or two in barrel for the tannins to soften. This is an impressive showing. (AG)” (07/2014)

“Sandhi’s 2014 Pinot Noir “Rinconada” bottling of pinot noir is flat out gorgeous on both the nose and palate. The complex bouquet is loaded with pure red fruit, jumping from the glass in a very vibrant blend of cherries, strawberries, beautiful spice tones, incipient notes of cola, a hint of dill, superb soil nuances, a touch of orange peel and just a dollop of cedary oak in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, tangy and full, with excellent focus and balance, moderate, suave tannins and outstanding length and grip on the nascently complex and energetic finish. This wine is certainly approachable today, but it will really be better if given at least a few years in the cellar to blossom and start to show some of its secondary layers of complexity.” (07/2017)

“Planted in the late 1990s on a north-facing slope with shallow, silica-based soils. Deeper toned aromatics and more savoury than the bright, lifted La Côte. Deliciously meaty with mushroom reduction and just enough fruit spun through to complete the wine nicely. Delicious and satisfying with lightly tactile tannins well carried by the wash of acidity and mineral elements throughout. Crystalline and stimulating mineral length through the long finish. The Rinconada does well with air as the flavours open further, gaining complexity, and the tannin weds to the acidity. (ECB)” (11/2016)