Antonio Galloni’s Vinous is one of the most renowned wine publications and is known for their in depth coverage of the world’s favorite wine regions. Josh Raynolds covers the Santa Lucia Highlands for the publication and has a decades long history working in wine around the world as well as with wine legend Steve Tanzer with the International Wine Cellar before it merged with Vinous.
Josh Raynolds & Bill Brosseau (left to right)
Josh Raynolds sat down with our Director of Winemaking, Bill Brosseau last November and tasted through primarily our 2019 Santa Lucia Highlands wines. Raynolds reviewed the wines from the 2019 vintage favorably saying “This is a year where the wines are marked by strong flavor intensity, but with no excess weight. Finely etched, precise fruit is a hallmark, while the wines should age gracefully on their balance and well-integrated tannins. The 2019s can be drunk young or cellared; either way, they are going to deliver a lot of pleasure throughout their lives.” Of wines tasted, we are proud to say our wines were at the top of the pack from a highly competitive region.
Of Testarossa wines Raynolds said “Bill Brosseau, a Chalone native, has been making the wines for Diana and Rob Jensen’s Los Gatos-based Testarossa Winery since 2000. Brosseau works with an astounding array of vineyards in California, from the North Coast down to Santa Barbara County. But, for obvious reasons, the wines from Santa Lucia Highlands are a specialty. These 2019s are a particularly strong set of wines, even compared to the outstanding work that Brosseau has been doing over the years. These are definitely not shy wines, with new oak use hovering in the 50% range (for most of them) and as high as two-thirds. They also, uniformly, show impressive fruit intensity, making that new oak component less obvious, especially if readers are patient enough to give them some bottle age.”
Reserve
95 points
2019 Niclaire Pinot Noir
California AVA
“Deep, glistening red. Expressive, mineral-accented cherry, raspberry, vanilla and baking spice qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Silky, sweet and energetic on the palate, offering spice-laced cherry-cola, Chambord and floral pastille flavors and a suave floral nuance. In a powerful yet elegant style, showing impressive energy and smooth, rounded tannins on the strikingly long, floral and spice-driven finish. 81% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Diana’s Chardonnay
California AVA
“Green-hued gold. An expansive, complex bouquet evokes spice and mineral-accented citrus and pit fruits, pungent flowers, vanilla and saffron. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering intense nectarine, lemon curd, pineapple and honey flavors and hints of buttered toast and fennel. Finishes impressively long and gently chewy, leaving juicy tropical and citrus fruit notes behind. 61% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Single Vineyard Wines
95 points
2019 Garys’ Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“A highly seductive bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, incense, oak spices, potpourri and botanical herbs. Stains the palate with finely detailed Chambord, boysenberry, cherry-cola, lavender, vanilla and spicecake flavors that smoothly blend power and elegance. the floral and spice notes repeat strongly on an extremely long, finely etched finish that’s framed by polished, even tannins.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
95 points
2019 Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Rita Hills AVA
“Dark, shimmering red. Spice and mineral-accented raspberry and kirsch scents show superb definition, picking up floral and vanilla nuances with air. In a juicy, energetic style, showing fine clarity and cut to its sweet red fruit, floral pastille, mocha and exotic spice flavors. The spice and floral notes repeat on a strikingly long, vibrant finish that’s given shape by discreet, even tannins.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
95 points
2019 Sierra Mar Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Bright ruby-red. Spice-tinged raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of cola, incense, vanilla and smoky minerals. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering intense red berry preserve, kirsch and spicecake flavors and hints of rose and mocha that build with air. Concentrated but also nervy and precise in style, delivering superb finishing thrust, polished tannins and impressive red fruit-driven persistence. 65% new French Oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Rosella’s Vineyard Chardonnay
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Limpid gold. Mineral-accented nectarine, orange, pear and white flowers on the assertively perfumed nose. Silky, tightly focused and dry in the mouth, offering vibrant orchard and pit fruit flavors that are complemented by suggestions of fennel, sweet butter and candied lemon zest. Shows excellent depth as well as vivacity. Finishes minerally, smoky and impressively long, with lingering citrus fruit and floral notes. 29% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Chardonnay
Santa Rita Hills AVA
“Light yellow-gold. An expansive bouquet evokes fresh honeydew melon, nectarine and Meyer lemon, along with suggestions of vanilla, smoky oak and ginger. Deftly blends power and vivacity, offering palate-staining pit and citrus fruit flavors that are complemented by suggestions of buttered toast, fennel and honeysuckle. Shows fine detail and spicy cut on the persistent finish, which strongly echoes the vanilla and floral notes. 46% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Cortada Alta Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Vivid red. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes an array of fresh, spice-accented red and blue fruit and floral qualities, along with suggestions of vanilla, cola and woodsmoke. Sappy, alluring sweet and finely etched on the palate, offering intense raspberry, kirsch, candied rose and exotic spice flavors that deftly combine depth and vivacity. The floral and spice notes recur on a strikingly long, seamless finish that’s framed by smooth, polished tannins. 73% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Glistening ruby-red. Incisive, intensely perfumed Chambord, blood orange, boysenberry, exotic spice and cola scents show superb clarity and mineral lift. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering sweet red and blue fruit preserve, spicecake and candied lavender flavors that deftly blend power and delicacy. Closes extremely long and silky, with reverberating spice and floral notes and polished tannins adding subtle grip. 54% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Limpid ruby. Pungent, spice-accented red/dark berries, cola, licorice, mocha and baking spices on the highly fragrant nose. Offers appealingly sweet black raspberry, cherry preserve and five-spice powder flavors that smoothly blend depth and energy. Closes very long, smooth and gently smoky, with slowly building tannins and a zesty mineral finish. 57% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
94 points
2019 Soberanes Vineyard Pinot Noir
Santa Lucia Highlands AVA
“Shimmering ruby-red. Highly perfumed scents of fresh red and dark berries, allspice, vanilla and potpourri, along with a smoky mineral flourish that builds with aeration. Silky, expansive raspberry, cherry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors show impressive depth as well as energy, and betray no rough edges. Finishes juicy, appealingly sweet and impressively long, with lingering red fruit and floral notes and smooth, harmonious tannins. 53% new French oak.” Josh Raynolds, Vinous
