2023 Groundwork Pinot Noir 'Kick On Ranch Vineyard'

100% Pinot Noir from the Kick On Ranch Vineyard in the Los Alamos Valley region of Santa Barbara County (see more below). Hand harvested at night into half ton bins. Cluster sorted and 80% destemmed. All bins were combined into a single fermentation vessel and allowed to ferment naturally with native yeasts and were given one pumpover a day until dry. After three weeks on the skins the tank was drained, dug out and pressed. All juice was then combined into a single tank and cold settled for twelve hours before being sent to old, seasoned French oak barriques for five months on aging. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal SO2 added on February 27th, 2024. 13.3% alcohol. Only 500 cases made. 

Light to medium bodied, with a aroma and flavor profile tending towards the darker side, with pure dark cherry fruit and very pretty floral overtones. Super smooth, with mellow tannins and fresh, balanced acidity and a lingering fruit/spice/herbal/floral finish.

Kick On Ranch is a few miles West of Los Alamos, getting close to the ocean and Vandenberg Air Force Base. It’s located in a narrow East-West corridor that funnels the Pacific Westerlies inland, so the wind is near constant and its chilly even in the summertime. The wind and fog challenge the vines, and the poor sandy soils temper vine vigor. The ranch was used once used only for cattle grazing before being planted to vines. This vineyard was planted in 1991 by Bob Stevens to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Some are on rootstock, some on their own roots. Steve Lyons bought the vineyard in 2007 and expanded the acreage by one third to 108 acres. Now it has Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir and a new planting of Gruner Veltliner. The soils here are marine-based, generally very sandy loams resting above deep beds of gravelly alluvial deposits. Along with the wine and fog, these poor soils stress the vines, resulting in grapes of greater flavor and concentration.

Curt Schalchlin is my favorite producer of “budget” California wines. Period. This guy has just cracked the code on making delicious wines at reasonable prices. And he’s an amazing, super-nice person- we’ve hosted him at tasting events both in Los Gatos and San Jose. Longtime customers of Ancora Vino and Enoteca La Storia will recognize his Sans Liege (great Rhône-inspired blends) and Richvale (fun, easy, natural orange/carbonic wines) labels, but Groundwork is my personal favorite project. Classic, single-varietal wines with impeccable fruit sourcing- often they’re sourced from really premium single vineyards, like this wine- and all $25 or under. The wines are all restrained in alcohol and made in a traditional, non-manipulated fashion in Paso Roble’s Tin City.. I really can’t understand how this guy’s wines aren’t more popular.   —Ryan Smith Certified Sommelier