Made by Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman out of the Domaine de la Cote winery in the Sta. Rita Hills. The Sandhi label allows an exploration of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines throughout the Santa Barbara County terroirs. The Santa Rita Hills wines benefit from fruit that doesn’t make the cut at Domaine de la Cote, while the single vineyard offerings highlight the uniqueness of a handful of other sites in the appellation. Generally, the Sandhi wines are made to be pretty approachable upon release. Among other considerations, the Pinots in this range are mostly done with destemmed fruit.
Sourced mostly from our Domaine de la Côte estate (83%), the blend is buttressed by old vines fruit from the Patterson Vineyard (11%) and the Casa Cassara Vineyard (6%). The wine was fermented 30% whole bunches and raised in neutral barrels for 14 months. This brightly coloured wine is brimming with high-toned aromatics and an undercurrent of dark plum. Tinged with a marine-influenced savoury note on the finish, the wine possesses a purity of flavour and well-integrated tannins.
The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills incorporates about 50% estate fruit and was made with destemmed fruit this vintage and bottled a bit earlier than other vintages. Medium ruby-purple has pretty scents of rhubarb, blueberries, and tea leaves with savoury notes of pipe tobacco, flint, and woodsmoke. The medium-bodied palate is delicate, bright, and chalky with perfumed fruits and a long, floral finish.