Santa Barbara County

add to cart View The Vineyard Aging Recomendations

This is our first pinot noir from Kick On. It ripens after all our other pinot noirs because it is situated in the windy and foggy western end of Los Alamos Valley. The vines flower and set fruit and begin to turn color near harvest at about the same time as our other vineyards, but the fruit is slower to accumulate sugar at this site, so we let it hang on the vine a week or two longer. Despite the extra time on the vine, it didn’t develop more sugar, but from taking pH measurements and tasting the fruit we could tell it was ready to pick anyway. . The resulting wine is only 12.5% alcohol and has a texture far gentler than a wine of 14%, and that’s a not a bad thing for pinot noir. Everybody has a different idea of what the ideal wine is, and this surely won’t appeal to those who value sweet and thick pinot. But those looking for a more subtle and nuanced expression need look no further. This is a pinot that is light on its feet, but also spicy, fruit filled, and delicious.

Blend: 100% Pinot Noir | Alcohol: 12.5% | Vinification: 100% Neutral French Oak | Barrel Aging: 15 Months | Total Production: 46 cases

Press Reviews

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Vivid red. High-pitched aromas of raspberry, cherry and Asian spices, with a sexy floral quality and a rhubarb nuance. Fresh and incisive, offering tangy red fruit and floral flavors that gain richness with air. A bitter cherry note comes up on the tight, pure, very persistent finish.” – JR 92 Points

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The 2009 Pinot Noir Kick On Ranch bursts from the glass with sweet cherries, tobacco, anise and mint, all supported by racy, finessed tannins. All the elements are in the right place in this beautifully delineated, precise Pinot. Kick On Ranch is one of the cooler spots in Santa Barbara and is the last Pinot Ojai picks. The 2009 was aged in neutral oak. It is a delicate wine of extraordinary class.” – JD 94 Points