2023 Chamisal San Luis Obispo Pinot Noir, Central Coast California

A fusion of flavors emerges from this 2023 Pinot Noir, with bright red cherries, raspberries, and hibiscus blend seamlessly. Juiciness is the heart of this wine, complemented by a framework of vibrant acidity and soft tannins, contributing to its graceful structure. A genuine representation of coastal Pinot Noir, it showcases purity and refinement, making it an ideal summer sipper when served with a slight chill.

Why we love this wine and brand - besides the price!:

Chamisal Vineyards pioneered fine winemaking on California's Central Coast as the very first commercial vineyard planted in what would later become the Edna Valley AVA in 1973, taking a risky gamble by planting vines just five miles from the Pacific Ocean. Today, this historic 82-acre estate spans three distinct soil types - Chamise Shaly Loam, Tierra Sandy Loam, and Salinas Clay Loam - which impart a signature complexity to their fruit. Coinciding with its 50th anniversary, Chamisal entered a historic new era by appointing Brianne Engles as its first-ever female head winemaker, shattering a long-standing glass ceiling. Engles guides the 2023 vintage with a minimal-intervention, experimental philosophy designed to reflect an unmanipulated sense of place and time, balancing her hands-off cellar approach with progressive, regenerative land practices like biodynamic farming and the implementation of a native Miyawaki forest. Ultimately, Engles' breakthrough appointment anchors a pioneering, all-female leadership trio of industry veterans who now spearhead operations from winemaking to hospitality, ushering the legendary estate into a modern, all-women-led trio chapter of industry veterans.

Long overdue in an often overlooked region!