- 2014 Samsara Pinot Noir Rancho la Viña Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/2/2024)
Part of an evening of Samsara Pinot and Syrah, focused on the 2014 vintage with a couple of add-ons, this was the first of the 2014s to be poured, and alongside the 2021 Rancho la Vina it was an excellent way to track how the wines evolve. Bricking a little bit on the edge, I expected the wine to be more developed, but in general it still had very fresh red fruit, and retained some of that floral stem influence. The balance was excellent, and the flavors fanned out well on the finish. There really wasn't anything to quibble about, except maybe a dash of heat on the finish, but even that subsided after the wine was in my glass for a few extra minutes. If this is how the wines age then they have potential for excellent longevity. - 2021 Samsara Pinot Noir Rancho la Viña Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/2/2024)
Part of an evening of Samsara Pinot and Syrah, focused on the 2014 vintage with a couple of add-ons, this was actually the first wine poured, and stylistically was in the same vein as the other Pinot Noirs. Immediate hit of red fruit and floral on the nose. I looked at the host and asked if he knew if they used any whole cluster, and he said yes. No excess or green element from it, just an added level of aromatic complexity. Like all the Pinots, this was light on tannin, but had significant acid structure. Open and enjoyable, the translucent, pale red color didn't reflect the concentration of flavor which was significant, without any sense of being overdone or heavy. Excellent wine that has a long-term future. - 2014 Samsara Pinot Noir Las Hermanas - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/2/2024)
Part of an evening of Samsara Pinot and Syrah, focused on the 2014 vintage with a couple of add-ons, this bottle was just as good as the prior two, but had the unfortunate luck to be served alongside the 2014 Lotus which was amazing. From a development standpoint this was exactly in line with the 2014 Rancho la Vina. There was a bit of additional spice in this wine, which actually felt a touch out of place with the overall profile. Anyway, I would never turn down a glass of this, it just got its ass kicked by the Lotus. - 2014 Samsara Pinot Noir Lotus - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (5/2/2024)
Part of an evening of Samsara Pinot and Syrah, focused on the 2014 vintage with a couple of add-ons, this was the final Pinot poured, and it stood head and shoulders above the three really fine wines that preceded it. I kept some of this wine in an extra glass through the rest of the tasting, and kept going back to it, even while drinking the Syrah flight, and it stayed clear of the pack. Still only medium bodied, this had an extra level of depth - not richness, just depth. The fruit was stronger, the acid structure perfectly polished - the wine was put together like a race car. There was not a single thing out of place, and everyone at the table had this as their wine of the night. Amazing wine that has a long, long future ahead of it.
Syrah notes to follow