There seems to be some chatter about this Central Coast winery but not a lot of praise. Visited the winery a couple years ago and fell for the wine club while there to save on tasting (a weak moment). Stayed on list for about a year and received about a dozen and a half 09’s, mostly pinots. Been drinking a few of them lately when looking for a no thought, easy drinker and have come to the conclusion that these are great wines. The most nuanced and sophisticated pinots around? No. Consistently delicious? Yes. Smooth as silk, nice restrained fruits and really great spices. No hard edges and they go down like water.
Heres a quick list of what I have been drinking lately with no tasting notes -
2009 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Clone 667 La Encantada Vineyard
2009 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard
2009 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
2009 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Mt. Eden Clone El Jabali Vineyard
Not one of these bottle lasted longer than 30 minutes.
Their chards are also very good and all wines are priced between $25 - $35 (with club discount). Really priced well for the quality and if you have ever met Richard Sanford, one of the pioneers of Burgundian varietals in the area, nice to support one of the good guys.
didn’t they go through bankruptcy?
I guess they came out of it okay…
Not sure what their current financial situation, but Richard Sanford certainly is a ‘living legend’ in our neck of the woods. His wines definitely continue to fly under the radar and for the money, I do believe they are good values . . .
Cheers!
I liked the La Encantada Pinot I tried at Pinot on the River several years ago.
I’ve been very impressed by the 2009 and 2010 Alma Rosa Single Vineyard Pinots that I’ve tasted. They certainly bring a nice elegant lift to the dense and earthy SRH profile.
Thanks for the timely info. Never had the wines but my friends and I are going to stop at the winery while in the area next week.
Here is the bankruptcy thread.
The property was listed for sale but don’t know if anyone bought it.
Zillow still shows the property listed for $9M.
This approximately 140 acres of prime agricultural land is located within the prestigious Sta.Rita Hills Viticultural Appellation. The rich soil and plentiful water, and the marine influences from the Coast through the Santa Ynez River Valley, create the ideal climate for producing exceptional grapes, primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as other varietals.
I’ve always enjoyed the Alma Rosa wines, and as Larry mentioned, they seem to fly under the radar. The Pinots may have the prettiest aromatics of any from the Sta. Rita Hills.
The wines are good, and I think the pinots need some age to show their best, consistent with Richard’s track record for making long-aging reds. It’s also a fun and friendly stop when visiting the area.
I don’t think his new vineyard sources are (yet at least) the equal of his original vineyards, which are now (still?) owned by Sanford winery. Both wineries are well worth a visit if you’re in the area or passing through.