2020 Bien Nacido Estate, Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, California, USA
Critics reviews
The 2020 Pinot Noir Estate Bien Nacido Vineyard is a heady, exuberant wine that very much reflects the heat and drought of year. A burst of red cherry/plum fruit, hard candy, kirsch, rose petal, mint, lavender and sweet spice gives the 2020 is flashy personality. The 2020 is not exactly subtle, but it sure offers tons of immediacy and overall appeal.
Anthony Avila turned out a gorgeous set of wines at both Bien Nacido Estate and Solomon Hills Estate. Avila commented that yields were generous in 2020 because of good set. Skins were light though, so extractions took some time. The Chardonnays were mostly off before the worst of the heat, while spikes were harder on the later-ripening varieties. In this vintage, the Pinots were fully destemmed.
Drink 2022 - 2028
Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (August 2022)
The 2020 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from across the estate and was matured in about 45% new oak. Grapes were entirely destemmed this year. "I was really worried about smoke taint," winemaker Anthony Avila says. "It's said that you must discard all the green parts of the plant. It was the right choice, and I'd do it again." Instead of using whole clusters, "We kept our foot on the gas in terms of extraction," Avila explains. "We did more punch downs and longer pump overs."
Medium ruby in colour, the Bien Nacido Pinot Noir features intense aromas of cranberry sauce, blood orange, mushroom, tar and forest floor with accents of cinnamon and liquorice. The medium-bodied palate is super silky and loaded with sweet berry preserves. Its oak spices are well integrated, its acidity bright, and it finishes long and spicy.
Drink 2022 - 2027
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate (December 2022)
Rather bold and ripe on the nose. Dark and intense fruit, coffee bean, citrus and charred oak with warming oak flavours. Dense with an attractive, creamy texture and pleasant soft finish.
Drink 2023 - 2029
Anne Krebiehl MW, Justin Knock MW, Dirceu Vianna Junior MW, Decanter.com (September 2023)
I loved the nose on the 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, which offers a wild assortment of red and black berries, sappy herbs, flowers, iron, and exotic baking spices. These carry to a medium-bodied, concentrated, focused, age-worthy Pinot Noir with beautiful depth of fruit, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it only got better. It’s unquestionably a thrilling, brilliant wine. This was all destemmed and spent 16 months in 43% new French oak.
These are brilliant wines across the board from Bien Nacido’s Anthony Avila, who has been at the estate since 2013. The farming here is managed by Chris Hammell, and this all-star team is delivering the goods.
Drink 2023 - 2034
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (August 2022)
About this WINE
Bien Nacido Estate
Located in the Santa Maria Valley of California's Central Coast, Bien Nacido Estate has a rich history dating back to the early 1970s when it was founded by the Millers, a farming family. The name "Bien Nacido" translates to "well born" in Spanish, reflecting the region's fertile soil and favourable climate.
More specifically, the vineyard is situated in the northern part of Santa Barbara County, which benefits from the unique maritime influence, with cool breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean moderating temperatures and extending the growing season.
The terroir of Bien Nacido is characterised by its well-drained soils, predominantly made up of gravelly loam. Combined with the cool climate, this provides ideal conditions for growing premium wine grapes, particularly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, along with other varietals such as Syrah and Nebbiolo.
The vineyard management at Bien Nacido strongly emphasises sustainability and environmental stewardship. Practices such as organic farming, water conservation, and habitat preservation are prioritised to ensure the land's long-term health.
Santa Maria Valley
Located in Santa Barbara County, California, Santa Maria Valley is known for its unique climate, known as the Santa Maria Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area), which significantly influences the winemaking process and the resulting wines.
The climate is typically cool and moderate, strongly influenced by the nearby Pacific Ocean. The region experiences a combination of maritime and inland influences, with foggy mornings, mild days, and cool evenings. This unique climate helps to preserve the natural acidity and delicate flavours of the grapes, making it ideal for producing high-quality wines.
Several grape varieties thrive in the region, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay being the most prominent. Pinot Noir grapes benefit from the region’s cooler climate, producing wines with complexity, elegance, and bright red fruit flavours. Chardonnay grapes also flourish in the Valley’s climate, producing wines with crisp acidity and balanced flavours.
The Winemakers focus on minimal intervention and sustainable practices, allowing the unique characteristics of the grapes and terroir to shine through in the wines. Many wineries employ traditional winemaking methods, including hand-harvesting the grapes and using open-top fermentation vessels for red wines. Some producers also use oak ageing to add complexity and texture to their wines.
The Santa Maria Valley is home to several notable wineries and vineyards, each contributing to the region’s reputation for producing exceptional wines. One of the most renowned wineries in the area is Au Bon Climat.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
The 2020 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard comes from across the estate and was matured in about 45% new oak. Grapes were entirely destemmed this year. "I was really worried about smoke taint," winemaker Anthony Avila says. "It's said that you must discard all the green parts of the plant. It was the right choice, and I'd do it again." Instead of using whole clusters, "We kept our foot on the gas in terms of extraction," Avila explains. "We did more punch downs and longer pump overs."
Medium ruby in colour, the Bien Nacido Pinot Noir features intense aromas of cranberry sauce, blood orange, mushroom, tar and forest floor with accents of cinnamon and liquorice. The medium-bodied palate is super silky and loaded with sweet berry preserves. Its oak spices are well integrated, its acidity bright, and it finishes long and spicy.
Drink 2022 - 2027
Erin Brooks, Wine Advocate (December 2022)
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