2012 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)

The 2013 chardonnays here were being prepared for bottling and were not in a state to taste so I was only able to try Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton's entry-level bottling, which was perhaps the best "basic" wine I tasted during the course of my trip. Taking that into account, I expect that the single-vineyard offerings, which are scheduled to be released in January, should be high-priority buys for fans of this winery. As usual, the 2012 pinots were made entirely with whole clusters and show the flamboyant fruit of the vintage to full effect, but the wines have more than enough acidity and framework to suggest that they'll age gracefully. Brewer thinks that they'll be appealing to those "who drink pinot for its sex appeal" as well as those "who want them to show a little more mystery" down the road.

Never content to stay put, Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton continue to push the envelope on quality in the Sta. Rita Hills. Over the years, Brewer and Clifton have had an enormous impact on the region, both directly and indirectly, in giving advice to newly arrived owners and developing a number of vineyards they no longer farm. The most recent development at Brewer-Clifton is a move towards working exclusively with vineyards they themselves farm, a decision that is the natural closing of a circle that started in 2011, when the winery began to focus exclusively on vineyards in the Sta. Rita Hills. As these notes show, the 2012s are pretty special across the board. Readers will note the addition of a few vineyards to the lineup, including Acin and Hapgood. The Chardonnays are rich and textured in style, with considerable transparency and impeccable balance. All of the Brewer-Clifton Pinots are made with 100% whole clusters and aged in neutral oak.