2018 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Clone 2A Pinot Noir

Sanford & Benedict Vineyard’s Testarossa first vintage from this outstanding vineyard was in 2004 when it was still under the guidance of famed Richard Sanford, pioneer of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation. In 2007 the Terlato family took ownership of the vineyard, making it one of several of their grape-growing properties. This beautiful vineyard sits at just about 400 feet in elevation with a northern exposure, just southeast of Lompoc. The soil consists of well-drained gravelly loam mixed with clay and fragmented chert. The area is situated near an unusual valley perpendicular to the coast that allows funneled winds between the mountains and the sea that is ideal for growing cool-climate varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

This rare bottling of the single 2A clone is part of our "Testarossa Works" program,  where small lots of experimental wines are made available to Testarossa club members and customers. We also produced limited runs of single clones 828 and 943 from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard.

The 2A Pinot Noir clone came to the US through Wädenswil, Switzerland. It offers red fruit profiles, has medium-sized berries, thick skins, and large seeds. The aromas offer freshness, while the texture is feisty and edgy with its tannin structure. This clone is very popular in our southern vineyard sources and performs well with lush and silky clones. 

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Production Data

Soil: Santa Lucia shaly clay loam and Botella clay loam with fragmented chert