2007 Ojai Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir

Ojai Vineyards was founded in 1983 in Ventura County, on California’s Central Coast. It was established and is still operated by Adam and Helen Tolmach. Adam Tolmach was also one of the founders of Au Bon Climat, another Central Coast winery, which he left to focus on Ojai Vineyards. The estate produces about 6,000 cases of wine a year. It makes 15 different wines, primarily Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Most are vineyard-designated wines made of grapes from long-term suppliers. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that “only a handful of wineries have matched (Adam Tolmach’s) brilliant performance record from vineyards spread out through Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Just about any Ojai wine is well worth checking out…”

Santa Rita Hills AVA in northern Santa Barbara County was granted appellation status in 2001. Located between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton, it has a total area of 30,720 acres with 2,700 vineyard acres. The area is considered a cool climate for vineyards, so vineyards are most often planted with the cool-weather grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The hills in the western part of this appellation are directly exposed to the Pacific Ocean, meaning that maritime winds and fog make the western edge of the Santa Rita Hills AVA particularly cool. The Sanford & Benedict Vineyard planted in 1971 was the first vineyard in the district and is still considered one of the best.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.