Pinot Noir Radian, 2018. Dragonette

Radian is one of the most dramatic, remote and extreme sites in Santa Barbara County. Located at the far western edge of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, high atop the sparse, chaparral and poison oak studded Santa Rosa Hills, it literally wraps itself around crevasses and steep cliffs. The top blocks provide a direct sightline to mighty Pacific Ocean, whose influence completely dominates the site, from the cold, powerful winds, to the salty air and the presence of diatomaceous earth (ancient fossilized algae) in the soils. We identified this site at its inception and chose a (semi-vertical) patchwork quilt of blocks, each of which yields a tiny crop of small clusters. The resulting wines are deep and intense, with a fascinating mineral streak and a remarkable depth of flavor even at lower alcohol levels. We have received several outstanding reviews on these wines.

The 2018 Radian is deep and complex as usual, with concentrated red fruits, exquisite minerals, and a good solid backbone of herb-edged tannins; however, in 2018 it is so far showing a particularly fresh acidity which seems to lift the fruit up and let it slowly descend upon the palate, seemingly like a billowy parachute. Extremely Limited. Only 450 cases produced.

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