Land of Saints Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, California

Seven vineyard sites and three distinct coastal growing areas come together in 2024 Land of Saints Pinot Noir, a transparent expression of California's Central Coast shaped by granite, riverstone, diatomaceous soils and ancient seabed. Each site is harvested and vinified separately, with the Arroyo Grande fruit completely destemmed and the Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills lots incorporating 25% whole clusters. Thirteen months in neutral barriques keep oak influence deliberately restrained, allowing Pinot Noir's fruit, savory detail and coastal freshness to remain at the center. The result is a medium-bodied, site-driven Pinot Noir built around purity, texture and the contrasting personalities of its seven vineyard sources.

Product Details:

• Winemakers: Angela Osborne, Jason Osborne and Manuel Cuevas
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
• Vineyards: Seven vineyard sites, harvested and vinified separately
• Farming: Practicing organic
• Soils: Granite, riverstone, diatomaceous soils and ancient seabed
• Fermentation: Arroyo Grande fruit completely destemmed; Santa Maria Valley and Sta. Rita Hills fruit fermented with 25% whole clusters
• Aging: 13 months as separate vineyard lots in neutral 59-gallon barriques
• Blending: Individual lots brought together in tank one lunar cycle before bottling
• Alcohol: 13%
• Production: 2,598 cases

Sensory Description:

Fresh and finely structured, with Pinot Noir's red-fruited character supported by savory nuance and an earthy, mineral dimension. The combination of fully destemmed fruit and selected whole clusters builds aromatic complexity and gentle structure without sacrificing delicacy. Neutral-barrique aging keeps the fruit and varied vineyard soils in focus, while the wine's moderate alcohol reinforces a sense of freshness and balance. The palate remains supple and composed through the finish, emphasizing purity, restrained texture and the coastal character at the heart of the Land of Saints style.

Winemaker's Background:

Land of Saints Wine Company is the collaborative project of winemakers Angela Osborne, Jason Osborne and Manuel Cuevas, three friends who met during the 2013 vintage and found common ground in their fascination with California's Central Coast. Angela, originally from Auckland, New Zealand, and Jason, from Cornwall in southwest England, are also associated with A Tribute to Grace Wine Company, while Manuel brings decades of experience working with vineyards and wineries throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties. Their different Kiwi, Cornish, and Mexican-American backgrounds inform a project devoted to exploring the diversity of the place they now share. The Land of Saints name comes from Jason's native Cornwall, where scores of saints left their names across the landscape beginning in the early medieval period. After moving to California, he found an affectionate parallel in the state's many Sans and Santas. The winery embraces that connection through wines that change with the sites and varieties of each vintage, rather than imposing a fixed formula. Their guiding Cornish proverb, "What's said of old, is said in truth," reflects a commitment to honest expressions of the Central Coast and its remarkably varied vineyards, climates and soils.

Serving Suggestions:

The wine's moderate body, restrained oak and fresh Pinot Noir structure make it a versatile red for the table. Its balance of fruit, savory character and gentle whole-cluster structure is particularly suited to dishes that allow the wine's delicacy and vineyard expression to remain prominent.