2017 Racines Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir (Previously $60)
SKU #1479361
92 points
Decanter
The 2017 Racines Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir was aged in 20% new French oak for 18 months, and around a third whole cluster fermentation was used. The savoury nose shows notes of candlewax, bubblegum and dried flowers. The palate is bright and clean, and finishes on a floral note with flavours of cherry blossoms and wet rose petals. A solid introduction to this collaborative label from Justin Willett and Etienne de Montille. Drinking Window 2019 - 2029 (ML)
(7/2019)
92 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Pale to medium ruby, the 2017 Pinot Noir has lovely aromas of orange peel, cranberry, rhubarb and mixed berry preserves with dust, sagebrush, tobacco, tea leaf and floral notes. It has a light to medium weight with intense spiced berry flavors, dusty tannins and juicy freshness, finishing long and spicy. This was bottled a week before I tasted it but is showing well. Racines is a brand-new project from Justin Willett, co-founder of Lieu Dit, with Étienne de Montille of Domaine de Montille in Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters in Champagne. (EB)
(9/2019)
91 points
Vinous
The 2017 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is bold, punchy and super-expressive, with lovely aromatic nuance to play off the dark cherry and plum fruit. Classy and layered, the appellation Pinot is a wine of real character and breeding. Then again, that is not surprising given that vineyard sites are La Encantada, Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada and Bentrock. The 2017 is a gorgeous wine from Etienne De Montille and Justin Willett. (AG)
(9/2019)
K&L Notes
Winery notes: "Racines is a collaboration between four great voices of wine. Justin Willett of Lieu Dit and Tyler has been joined in his home appellation, the Sta. Rita Hills, by Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Domaine de Montille and Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters. Together, they are marrying the time-honored techniques of Burgundy and Champagne with the pioneering energy of California - and, in the process, they are rediscovering the nuances of the appellation’s most iconic vineyards. New cooperage and custom vats, tailored to Étienne’s technique, have been imported. The Pinots are composed using further stem inclusion, more extraction, and longer vatting."