Donnachadh Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2024

Lighter in color and slightly hazy in the glass, this bottling offers aromas of black cherries, wild raspberries, blood oranges, tea leaves, forest floor and crushed stones on the nose. The palate is mid-weighted with concentrated red berry flavors, fine citrusy accents, a silky, layered mouthfeel, finely framed tannins and bright acidity. Fresh and focused, friendly and approachable, with a pure, polished style that's very pretty and finesse-driven. It's ready to go and will keep for 4-6 years.

100% Pinot Noir sourced entirely from the family owned and organically farmed Donnachadh estate in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County. Hand harvested, fermented with native yeast, 5% whole cluster, matured for 10 months in French oak, with about 8% new oak. The climate of the Santa Rita Hills is dominated by the Pacific Ocean, which lies about nine miles from the vineyard. Morning fog cools the grapes and consistent afternoon ocean breezes keep heat from building up over the course of the day.

Drew and Laurie Duncan searched almost a decade for the perfect cool climate site to grow Chardonnay and Pinot Noir before finally discovering Donnachadh Vineyard. Organically farmed in the heart of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, the property was planted to vine by the Duncans in 2013. Santa Barbara Winemaker Ernst Storm is at the healm for winemaking. Having hailed from the Western Cape of South Africa, his experience making balanced wines from cool climate grapes has served him well in the Sta. Rita Hills. Ernst believes that the diverse soils and microclimates within Santa Barbara County make it a region with endless potential.

Pronounced "DON-nuh-kuh," Donnachadh is a 4th century Gaelic name ancestral to the modern Scottish surname, Duncan. The label art by Chris Buzelli shows a sea serpent from Scottish legend surrounded by mist and blowing fog to represent the mystical, rugged setting and marine influence of the vineyard site in the Sta. Rita Hills.