Zotovich 115 Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2028
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted duck, creamy mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the prestigious Zotovich Vineyard in the cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills AVA, this single-clone bottling showcases the distinct personality of Dijon Clone 115. The vineyard is celebrated for its extremely sandy, nutrient-poor soils and its direct exposure to the chilly maritime winds and fog sweeping in from the Pacific Ocean. This dramatic terroir forces the vines to struggle, resulting in tiny, concentrated berries with thick skins. Dominion Tantara utilizes traditional, Burgundian-style winemaking techniques, including gentle open-top fermentation and aging in French oak barrels, to preserve the clone's hallmark aromatic complexity. The result is a Pinot Noir of exceptional purity, marrying bright red fruit notes with deep earthy undertones and a vibrant, mineral-driven acidity that is highly characteristic of the appellation's unique marine influence.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1997 by Virginia natives Bill Cates and Jeff Fink, Dominion Tantara (originally founded as Tantara Winery) was born from a mutual passion for cool-climate Burgundian varieties. Operating out of the historic Rancho Tepusquet within Santa Maria Valley's celebrated Bien Nacido Vineyard, the winery sources fruit from elite Central Coast terroirs, including Dierberg, Talley Rincon, Zotovich, and old-vine blocks of Bien Nacido. Benefiting from east-west transverse maritime corridors that funnel morning fog and cool Pacific winds across benchland sandy-loam soils, the estate emphasizes long hang-times with natural acidity preservation. Viticultural practices focus on sustainable management with meticulous canopy care. Cellar vinification embraces low-intervention Burgundian traditions: selective whole-cluster fermentations, native yeasts, and aging in fine-grained French oak barriques. Benchmark bottlings include single-vineyard expressions such as Bien Nacido Vineyard O Block Chardonnay, Zotovich Vineyard Chardonnay, and Dierberg Vineyard Pinot Noir, prized for their tension, crystalline minerality, and savory aromatic depth.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir
🍷 ABV
13.5-14.5%