Margerum Wine Company Barden Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills Review
This wine is an excellent example of why Sta. Rita Hills is a premier Pinot Noir wine region in California. When I drank it, it was a modestly complex earthy Pinot Noir with a strong oak profile, chewy tannins, and a long finish.
Wine review by: Jessyca Frederick |
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About this Wine
Wine: 2020 Barden Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Winery: Margerum Wine Company
Region: Sta. Rita Hills, Central Coast, California
Cases produced: 216
Retail price: $68
I consumed it: September 2022
My source: The Signature Series of The California Wine Club
Discover More
From this wine club: The Signature Series of The California Wine Club
From this winery: Margerum Wine Company
Region: Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, Central Coast, California
Wine color/style: Red wine
Grape variety or blend: Pinot noir
Tasting notes: Red fruit, Spice, Earthy, Mushroom, Dried herbs
Other characteristics: Small production, Organically farmed
Barden Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills: What I think
Let me start by saying that Pinot Noir from Sta. Rita Hills is among my very favorite wines. This Barden wine includes fruit from four organically-farmed vineyards — La Encantada (64%), Sanford & Benedict (26%), Radian (7%), and Peake Ranch (1%). La Encantada and Radian are (to date) my favorite Pinot vineyards — I’ve tried the wines made from different blocks at these vineyards from Dragonette Cellars, Ken Brown Wines, Sanford Winery, The Hilt, and Spear Winery.
Despite my rather extensive experience in this narrow band of the wine world, this wine surprised me — which is what keeps us wine geeks engaged in general. Because each winery who buys grapes from a vineyard typically has a lease for a particular block within that vineyard, each wine produced can taste quite different. The blocks contributing to Barden were spicier and featured earthier flavors like mushroom and dried herbs than I’ve tried, where red fruit was prominent. Additionally, each winemaker has his or her own style, and Doug Margerum tends to like to use more oak than other examples of these vineyards that I’ve tried.
All the differences aside, some things were overwhelmingly clear — this is a beautifully made Pinot Noir from some of the best grapes available in Sta. Rita Hills.
Last updated: March 18, 2023
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