Zotovich Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted duck, creamy mushroom risotto, seared salmon
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the extreme cool-climate Zotovich Vineyard in the northern corridor of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, this Pinot Noir is a masterclass in maritime-influenced viticulture. The vineyard is famous for its extremely pale, nutrient-poor sandy soils, which force the vines to dig deep and struggle, resulting in tiny, highly concentrated berries. Dominion Tantara utilizes traditional, minimalist winemaking techniques, including fermentation with native yeasts and aging in select French oak barrels, to preserve the pristine voice of this unique site. The resulting wine is celebrated for its striking tension, balancing bright red fruit notes of pomegranate and wild strawberry with a distinct, refreshing saline minerality and earthy undertones born from the Pacific fog that blankets the vines daily.
🍾 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