Whitcraft Pinot Noir St. Rita Hills 2023

Wine Type: Red
Vintage: 2023
Bottle Size: 750ml
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Appellation: Sta. Rita Hills AVA
Country: United States
Region: Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County
Producer: Whitcraft Winery
Winemaker: Drake Whitcraft
Vineyard: AVA blend sourced from top Sta. Rita Hills sites, including Pence, Donnachadh, Fiddlestix, Sanford & Benedict, La Rinconada, and Radian
Soil: Varied marine-influenced soils, including sandy loam, clay, shale, and limestone/diatomaceous earth influence
Farming: Sourced from carefully farmed vineyard sites; minimal-intervention cellar work
Alcohol: 13%
Fermentation: Native yeast fermentation; whole-cluster influence; gentle extraction
Aging: Neutral vessels to preserve purity, perfume, and site expression

Tasting Note:
Whitcraft’s 2023 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is a beautifully transparent snapshot of one of California’s great cool-climate Pinot Noir zones. This is not heavy, glossy, or overworked. It is all lift, perfume, red fruit, and coastal tension. The fruit comes from a range of top vineyards across the AVA, giving the wine both breadth and precision: red cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry, rose petal, orange peel, sage, tea leaf, and a subtle mineral edge. The palate is silky and energetic, with fine tannins, bright acidity, and that Whitcraft balance of delicacy and quiet intensity. It has enough structure for the table, but enough freshness to keep reaching for another glass. Think roast chicken, salmon, mushrooms, duck, grilled vegetables, or a slight chill and a very good snack spread.

About the Producer:
Whitcraft Winery is one of Santa Barbara’s quietly essential producers, founded in 1985 by Chris and Kathleen Whitcraft and now led by their son, Drake Whitcraft. The winery has long been tied to the soulful, old-school side of California Pinot Noir: small lots, native fermentations, whole-cluster influence, gentle extraction, and a commitment to wines that feel alive rather than manufactured. Drake works with a thoughtful network of growers across Santa Barbara County and keeps the cellar work intentionally hands-off, allowing vineyard, vintage, and variety to lead the way. His wines are known for perfume, energy, red-fruited clarity, and a kind of effortless honesty that makes them both serious and wildly drinkable.