In contrast to the big, jammy styles that typified Californian Pinot Noir in the past, Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman take a lighter approach in both the vineyard and the winery. Their Sta Rita Hills estate is characterized by a remarkably cool climate, expressing a much lighter, crunchier, and more deeply perfumed wine.
Like all of their wines, this Pinot undergoes a completely whole bunch fermentation followed by a year of aging in French oak (30% new). Super approachable now but will definitely continue to develop over the next decade.
While most of Domaine de la Cote's offerings are single vineyard, site-specific wines, this particular cuvée is a blend of different parcels that demonstrate the quality and purity of the estate's fruit and winemaking.
The 2020 Estate Pinot Noir (Santa Rita Hills) is a gorgeous introduction to this range. All of the house signatures are present, but in miniature, as readers might expect. Aromatic and light on its feet, the Sta. Rita Hills has enough energy and drive to drink well for a number of years. The only real issue here is that the other Pinots in the range are even more alluring!