Duke of Bourbon - Rare Wines - Fine Spirits - Personalized Service - David, Judy and Ron Breitstein - 20908 Roscoe Blvd - Canoga Park CA 91304 - Phone: 818/341-1234 or 800/4-FINE-WINE - Fax: 818/341-9232
20908 Roscoe Blvd • Canoga Park CA 91304
Hours: Mon - Sat • 9AM - 6PM		 Phone: (818) 341-1234 • Fax: (818) 341-9232
Outside California: (800) 4-FINE-WINE


Santa Rita Hills in the morning. Its easy to see why they called it Sea Smoke!

Cheers! from the Duke of Bourbon

Established in 2001, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is a unique, ultra-cool-climate growing area located in the westernmost section of the Santa Ynez Valley. Situated at the foot of Point Conception with the Purisima Mountains to the north and the Santa Rosa Mountains to the south, the mountains form a western-running corridor into the Pacific Ocean. The AVA benefits from brisk daily ocean breezes and early-forming, late-dissipating maritime fog which blankets the vineyards and makes the Santa Rita Hills one of the coolest growing regions in the world. Almost all rainfall in the area comes between the months of December and May. This allows the fruit extended "hang time" without the menace of fall rains. The extreme nature of the Santa Rita Hills, in particular the cold, windy climate, leads to the low yields that create Pinot Noirs of great density of color and overall intense flavor characteristics in the wines. The Duke is excited to bring you a six-pack selection of Sta. Rita Hills' finest. Check the list below to see what is included.

Sea Smoke 2004 Pinot Noir, Botella
Winemaker Kris Curran's efforts at Sea Smoke are nothing less than stunning. Only if you have arrived recently on this planet, would we have to tell you about the rave reviews from various wine writers. The 2004 Botella is dark ruby in color and has a bright, fruit-forward nose: cherries, cola, wild berries and exotic spices meld beautifully together. This wine is lively, yet sophisticated on the palate. A broad mouth is followed with rich, chewy tannins and a pleasingly long, crisp finish.

Gypsy Canyon 2004 Pinot Noir, Lot 2
Only tiny amounts of this sensational Pinot Noir were produced by owner/wine maker Deborah Hall. The picturesque Gypsy Canyon property has an exceptionally cool microclimate that allows the berries to ripen with stable sugar levels and develop complex full-bodied fruit character, producing a true Burgundian-style Pinot Noir. The winemaking is done by hand, in small lots with no filtration, allowing honest expression of the Sta. Rita Hills terroir. Just like the first lot, Lot 2 is soft and elegant with luscious fruit flavors and a long finish. The additional months aging in two-year oak has added complexity when compared to the initial release. Deborah describes the aromas as "fresh earth, violets and mocha." The richness so typical of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA is there on the palate and the finish is long and satisfying. Deborah has lovingly signed and numbered each and every one of the 756 bottles produced.

Au Bon Climat 2004 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
The Sta. Rita Hills AVA is 100 square miles of heaven for Pinot Noir. Jim Clendenen's effort is blended from Mt. Carmel Vineyard, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard and Le Bon Climat, owned by Jim, himself. This is a delicious Pinot Noir that is nothing short of heavenly. It is a medium-ruby color with a lovely nose of wood and fruit. The dark fruit continues on the palate with good acidity and a long, dry finish.

Longoria 2004 Pinot Noir, Fe Ciega Vineyard
Winemaker Rick Longoria has been making high-quality wines in the Santa Ynez area for over thirty years. This effort from Fe Ciega Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills is among his best. The wine has the vineyard's characteristic briary cedar and cherry aromas with a hint of sage in the background. Because of the structure and acidity of the wine, it will benefit from decanting or breathing time in the glass to fully allow the aromas to develop. On the palate, the wine is dense, with some of the flavors being overridden with some firm tannins. The oak is nicely integrated with the flavors of the wine. The wine at this early point of its development only hints at the depth of flavor and complexity that it will achieve with four to seven more years of bottle aging.

Carlson 2004 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
Chuck Carlson is better known as the winemaker at Curtis Winery and justifiably famous for his Rhône varietals. But not for long - his efforts with Pinot Noir, especially this one from Sta. Rita Hills, threaten to overshadow his previous successes. This is a big rich wine with an underlying spiciness on the palate. The ripe fruit is well-integrated with the oak and supple tannins - delicious by any standards.

Ken Brown 2004 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills
Winemaker Ken Brown crafted this wine in the gentlest manner possible in a gravity-flow environment. The result is a tempting wine with a silky mid-palate, firm tannins, a rich core of blackberry and plum flavors and a nicely integrated French oak component.

As you can see, the Duke has put together a Super Sta. Rita Hills Six-Pack, one of each of these terrific wines, for your consideration. The price is reasonable as well - $255.00 for all six!

Don't miss out!
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