Cuvee Rita Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, creamy mushroom risotto, grilled salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Dominion Tantara's Cuvée Rita Pinot Noir is a beautiful homage to the cool-climate terroir of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara County. The name itself nods to this unique appellation, defined by its rare transverse mountain ranges that run east-to-west rather than north-to-south. This geological anomaly acts as a natural funnel, drawing chilly Pacific breezes and marine fog directly into the vineyards. This dramatic maritime influence slows the ripening process, allowing the Pinot Noir grapes to develop deep, complex flavors while retaining a vibrant, natural acidity. Crafted using traditional, low-intervention Burgundian techniques, the wine is typically aged in select French oak barrels to seamlessly integrate its bright red-fruit character with subtle notes of forest floor, spice, and elegant, fine-grained tannins.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1997 in California's cool-climate Santa Barbara County, Dominion Tantara is an artisan producer renowned for its site-specific Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sourcing fruit from celebrated Central Coast terroirs such as Bentrock, Dierberg, and La Encantada vineyards, the winery emphasizes low-intervention, Burgundian-inspired winemaking techniques that showcase the purity of each vintage. Its cellar regime prioritizes indigenous fermentations, gentle handling, and judicious use of French oak to produce focused, elegant wines of remarkable depth and ageability. In addition to its acclaimed single-vineyard and reserve Pinot Noirs, Dominion Tantara crafts refined, small-lot expressions of Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14.0-14.5%