2021 Big Basin "Ascona Vineyard" Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir

Clean and fresh aromas of raspberry and pomegranate are enhanced by creekbed and mossy earth touches on the nose of this bottling from a vineyard that's at 2,350 feet. The palate is firm in structure, with a limestone-like texture that frames punchy flavors of raspberry and rose. (MK)

This Pinot Noir comes from one of my personal favorite vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains: Ascona Vineyard. Perched right on Skyline Blvd high above Los Gatos, this vineyard sits at 2,500 feet elevation on ancient calcareous sandstone soils that were once part of the ocean floor. The vineyard is surrounded by Redwood trees and actually looks due west to Big Basin State Park and the Pacific Ocean beyond. For the past decade, the vineyard has been meticulously farmed by Ken Swegles, one of the most renowned grape growers in the region. The quality and purity of that fruit really shines through in the wine. Pristine berry fruits, alpine strawberry, dark raspberry, coastal redwood grove nuances, freshly turned soil, spiced citrus peel, and dried floral notes all emerge from the glass. This is a supremely elegant, yet sneakily structured wine. It is at once fine and detailed, but with a subtle mountain structure underneath. As with all the Big Basin Pinots, it’s quite Burgundian in nature, but also a distinctly Santa Cruz Mountains expression of place. Drink now with a nice 30-minute decant to allow the subtleties and nuances to emerge, or lay it down comfortably for another 5-8 years. Absolutely ridiculous at this price!