About The Wine
We've known about Fiddlestix Vineyard since before Pali Wine Co. existed. That's because Fiddlestix boasts a decorated roster of local and well-regarded winemakers, who have consistently produced beautiful Pinot Noirs from the vineyard site. So when we earned the opportunity to work with Kathy Joseph, who owns and farms the vineyard, to source Pinot Noir for Pali we jumped on and never looked back. Since 2006, we have made a Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir each vintage without a break. Typical of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, the site benefits from low hanging morning fog, mild-sunny afternoons and sea air and soils. This wine is a combination of Dijon clones 667, 777, 115 and Pommard 4. All grapes are hand-harvested and hand sorted before fermented in small lots and aged in 50% new French oak barrels and 50% neutral French oak barrels before being bottled. All of our vineyard designated wines express the nuanced characteristics discovered on remarkably unique and excellent vineyards.
The AVA
With a total area of 30,720 acres, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is home to over 59 vineyards, totaling 2,700 hundred acres planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and 18 other cool climate wine grape varieties. The combination of a purely East/West maritime throat, poor marine-based soils, elevated calcium in the soil and the Pacific’s cooling influence through fog, wind and moderating summer heat combine to form one of the world’s best cool-climate viticulture areas for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Winemaker Notes
Heavy aromas of black cherry, root beer, purple flowers and crushed clove show on the nose of this rich yet complex bottling from a vineyard planted in 1998. The intensity continues on the palate, where black cherry and chai spices make for a powerful experience.
Accolades
93 Points, Wine Enthusiast / 93 Points, Wine Spectator / 93 Points, Wine Advocate
