Flying Goat Cellars, Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County, California) Pinot Noir 2012

Norman Yost, owner and winemaker of Flying Goat Cellars, acquired detailed knowledge of the vineyards of Santa Barbara County when he worked for Foley Estates, one of the region’s largest producers.  Now, making his own wine, he knows from whom to buy grapes.  For the last 10+ years he’s been buying grapes from the Rio Vista Vineyard, a highly regarded one where other well-known Pinot Noir producers, such as Hitching Post and Ken Brown, get fruit. The 2A designation indicates the part of the Rio Vista Vineyard from which the grapes came.  Flying Goat’s Pinot Noir has a masterful combination of ripe, but not over ripe, red fruits and intriguing savory elements.  Suave elegant tannins add to its appeal.