2011 Sandhi Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Leaner, without much texture, the 2011 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict Vineyard (30-40% whole cluster) had me slightly scratching my head as I loved the aromatics, yet found the wine lacking on the palate. Nevertheless, it has thrilling aromas of juicy berries, crushed flower, rose garden and spice flowing to a light-bodied effort that carries juicy acidity and building richness. It will be interesting to see where this goes, but a smidge more texture and depth on the palate would go a long way here. Drink now-2018. These racy, energetic efforts are made by Sashi Moorman from their home base in Lompoc. Taking lightness to the extreme in some cases, these are nevertheless riveting wines. Tel. (805) 686-3086; www.sandhiwines.com
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2011 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict is the most open and radiant of the 2011 Sandhi Pinots, mostly because high amounts of shatter lowered yields dramatically. Floral and savory notes come to life as the wine sits in the glass, but overall this is a pretty intense Pinot within the context of the year. In this vintage, Parr and Moorman dropped the percentage of whole clusters as the already tiny yields meant there simply weren't enough grapes on the bunches to balance the stems.