Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard 2006

Vineyards

Bien Nacido, literally Spanish for “Born Well”, is one of the vineyards in Santa Barbara where Steele Wines purchases Pinot Noir grapes. It is an expansive tract of land with many different aspects and exposures. It sits on a bench above the Sisquoc River and is one of the most well known of the Santa Barbara area vineyards. Many of the most prestigious wineries in California purchase grapes from this vineyard. Our favorite block for the single vineyard wines is “F-Block” which gives the most intense fruit.

Winemaking

With Pinot Noir we take a minimal approach to wine making. Fermentations are carried out with as little manipulation as possible. We use a gentle crusher, one short pump-over per day and cool soak the grapes prior to the onset of fermentation. The wine is always elegant, perfumed and alluring. The wine from Bien Nacido is deeper, richer with more color and body than from other vineyards. Our aging program is always in French Oak barrels which are heavily toasted during the bending of the staves. This toasting gives a smoky aromatic backdrop to the wonderful cherry fruit aromas and flavors. We usually bottle the wine in December of the following year, so at a minimum the wine spends 12 months in French Oak.