2014 Dragonette Cellars Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir 750 ml

Mailing List and Us: 2014 Dragonette Cellars Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir

When John and Steve Dragonette and Brandon Sparks-Gillis set out to start a wine label, they didn’t have a boatload of cash. What they had in abundance, however, was a passion they cultivated working at a top LA wine shop, and they parlayed that into one of Santa Barbara’s most praised brands. Most of the annual production of Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir goes to a crowded mailing list and the lucky few who show up at the winery. The rest ends up at carefully targeted restaurants and retail shops, mostly in the Golden State.

If the limited distribution helps Dragonette fly under the radar of some, that number does not include Antonio Galloni, founder of Vinous. Galloni called Dragonette “one of the most fascinating wineries on the Central Coast. The best wines are truly world class, and I don’t use those words lightly.” Count The Wine Advocate among their fans, too: Robert Parker’s publication has singled out Dragonette for producing “beautiful, distinctive, and incredibly high-quality wines across the board,” “some of the most impressive wines I was able to taste from Santa Barbara County.”

In 2014, Dragonette produced only 260 cases of Pinot Noir sourced from the Duvarita Vineyard just west of the Sta. Rita Hills, which the Williams family farms biodynamically. Their contract is per-acre, which incentivizes maximum fruit quality rather than maximum yields. Even in the bountiful 2014 growing season, Dragonette’s Duvarita yield was only 2.25 tons of pristine fruit per acre — less than a third of what some neighbors take from their vineyard sources.

Duvarita is one of the Central Coast’s closest vineyards to the Pacific Ocean. The vines bask in coastal fog and cleansing Pacific winds, which exert a moderating influence. In dry and sunny vintages like 2014, this is crucial, as those cooling forces control ripeness and bestow the sacred quality that all Pinot Noir producers pursue — vibrant acidity and power without weight.

The 2014 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Duvarita Vineyard is bright ruby to the core. High-pitched Rainier cherry, strawberry, and ripe raspberry burst from the glass, with nutmeg, clove, thyme, and hints of pine. Medium-bodied and velvety-smooth, with excellent fruit concentration, supple tannins, and crisp acidity that leads to a long finish. Drinking perfectly now, this wine will cellar for 5-10 years.

If you have the chance, by all means you should take the trip down to Los Olivos to explore the wine scene you got a glimpse of in “Sideways.” While you’re at Dragonette’s cute little tasting room, make sure to sign up for the mailing list so you can get a crack at this 2014 Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir. Or hit the “Buy” button and let Dragonette come to you. $54 per bottle with shipping included on 4.