Sea Stack Tri County Pinot Noir

Pairs with: Roasted duck breast with a plum reduction, cedar-plank grilled salmon, a classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the fixings, or an earthy wild mushroom flatbread with goat cheese.

Good for: Introducing fans of smooth, fruit-forward California reds to something with a bit more structural depth, keeping your crowd-pleasing dinner party options open, or sipping lazily on the patio as the sun goes down.

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir.

I am from: Tri-County (A coastal blend of 56% Monterey, 33% Sonoma, and 11% Santa Barbara counties), California, USA.

The Story: Crafted under the watchful eye of acclaimed winemaker Alison Crowe for Plata Wine Partners, Sea Stack is a liquid tribute to the rugged, breathtaking beauty of the Pacific coastline. The wine draws its name from the majestic, ancient rock formations carved over eons by relentless wind and waves, standing like stone sentinels where the ocean crashes into California's cliffs. To create a wine that reflects the wild, marine-influenced energy of these coastal terrains, the winemaking team strategically pulls fruit from three of the state’s most prestigious Pinot Noir strongholds: Monterey provides vibrant, crisp acidity; Sonoma infuses deep, plush fruit and color; and Santa Barbara crowns the blend with an elegant, savory spice. The grapes are harvested under the cool cover of night, given a brief cold soak to gently extract aromatic complexity, and aged for 14 to 16 months in a meticulous selection of light and medium-plus toasted oak barrels.

Why You'll Love Me: It is a rich, velvety, and exceptionally smooth coastal classic that perfectly captures the generous, sun-kissed personality of California Pinot Noir while maintaining a sophisticated structural spine. It pours a brilliant, translucent ruby color in the glass. The nose is highly expressive and instantly inviting, bursting with a lush bouquet of ripe Bing cherries, wild blackberries, and red plums, seamlessly interwoven with elegant nuances of warm vanilla bean, sweet tobacco, and a faint whisper of salty ocean breeze. On the palate, it delivers a generous, medium-bodied mouthfeel that coats the tongue in flavors of fresh strawberries and dark raspberries. Backed by ultra-fine, well-melted tannins and a refreshing undercurrent of cool-climate acidity, it avoids any heavy-handed jamminess, gliding into a long, complex, and gently toasty finish laced with a kiss of baking spice and charred oak.