2006 Byron, Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley.
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This wine is a deep garnet color with a magenta rim and excellent clarity. To the nose if offers light intensity beet root, cola and cherry aromas with a hint of vanilla. In the mouth, medium intensity cherry is backed by lighter cola and pepper. Medium bodied, this Pinot has a plush and lightly dusty texture with a soft mouthfeel and a bit of heat. The cherry-cola medley continues for a medium length finish which ends with a little heat. |
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14.1% Alcohol $14.00 - 25.00 Retail Typically, about 8,500 cases are produced annually. |
This is a very earthy but yet closed Pinot noir with a good measure of fruit. There is a fresh borsch quality that intrigues here. Along with the 2005 vintage, this seems to indicate a trend in this entry tier wine towards a somewhat more Burgundian style. Hold this bottling about a year and enjoy over the next four years or so with roast chicken or duck, Mediterranean dishes and low-heat curries. BOTTOM LINE: Good, with appealing characteristics. Recommended. |
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More Byron reviews More about the Santa Maria Valley AVA |
Production | Grapes | Producer | Vineyard | Vintage
Production Detail:
This Santa Maria Valley bottling is composed of about 90% Nielson Vineyard fruit and about 10%d Bien Nacido Vineyard fruit. The must undergoes a combination of punch-downs and pump-overs for maximum extraction and aged 10 months in 100% French Oak (roughly 25% new) in the climate-controlled Byron winery.
Varieties:
Pinot Noir, the noble Burgundian grape, is often described as "difficult" to grow but the wine is beautiful and complex when circumstances are favorable. It is one of the oldest grape varieties to be vinified. The tiny (~60 square miles) Côte d'Or in Burgundy, France has been the benchmark for Pinot Noir for centuries. Nonetheless, it is planted worldwide. It is often described as delicate and light bodied and having a soft texture. The aromas and flavors are the most distinct and identifiable and most complex of all varieties. Common fruit aromas are: cherry, raspberry, ripe tomato and strawberry. It can express floral notes or rose or violet. Spice is a big element of Pinot Noir: cardamom, caraway, cinnamon, cola, clove, nutmeg, pepper, rosemary and sassafras. Most California Pinot Noirs made today (with some exceptions) rarely have the make up to last past a decade but with age they can show tobacco and smoke characteristics. (read more)
Producer:
Founded in 1984 by Ken "Byron" Brown - one of the iconic figures in Santa Barbara County viniculture - with the intent of producing Burgundian-styled wines, Byron Winery, has come to be known as a consistent producer of reputable Pinot Noir and Chardonnay sourced from some of the most premier Pinot Noir vineyards in the area. The winery has changed ownership over the years but is currently part of the premiere line up of Kendall-Jackson wines. Barbara Banke and Jess Jackson (partner in Kendall-Jackson) also own Cambria Winery. Jonathan Nagy, Director of Winemaking, was trained by and took over the role of winemaker from Ken Brown in 2003 and has successfully maintained the momentum of quality in Byron Pinot Noirs. The transition was not abrupt and took two years as Jonathan advanced from assistant winemaker.
Vineyards:
The Nielson Vineyard is touted as the oldest commercial vineyard in the area. Planted in 1964, the vineyard’s sandy loam soils inhibit vine vigor, resulting in low yields of small berries and subsequent intensity of flavors in the fruit. Dijon clones planted in the vineyard were selected specifically for this site, ranked in the coolest category on the U.C. Davis scale. Growing seasons at this site are also among the longest in all of California. Benefiting form southern exposure, fruit from these vines is defined by firm structure, vivid color and concentration. The flavors are bold and complex with rich fruit and floral notes.
The Bien Nacido Vineyard is another of Santa Maria Valley’s older vineyard sites, tracing its origins back to 1837. It also bears one of the most formidable reputations. Fruit from this 800 + acre vineyard is sought out by many wine makers. Two of the wines reviewed this month are sourced entirely from this vineyard. On the grounds of the vineyard are two wine making facilities: one is shared by Qupe and Au Bon Climat and the other to Tantara Winery
Vintage:
The 2006 growing season was longer than 2005. The July heat wave came at the time of veraison for some regions but affected the crops differently depending on AVA (read the complete story). Monterey County started out cool and rainy which slowed bud break and growth. The heat spell was the second bump in the road. By harvest time, early ripening varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir came to the crush pads about two weeks early. The late ripening varieties like Cabernet and Merlot came in about two weeks earlier than usual. That put some wineries in a crunch with tanks not ready for the late-ripening varieties. What this means for wines depends on a winery's line up. If all their stock was in Pinot and Chardonnay, then they did not feel rushed and we may see some great wines. Those that did experience a bottleneck may have rushed the early-ripening varieties and vinified late ripening varieties at greater levels of maturity
Rating
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Color |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Nose |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Palate |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Finish |
3 points |
(5 points max) |
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Tannins |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Acidity |
5 points |
(5 points max) |
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Alcohol |
4 points |
(5 points max) |
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Aging potential |
2 points |
(5 points max) |
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Overall quality |
8 points |
(10 points max) |
100-Point Scale Score: 88 Points
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