The Wine: Eternal Return Place Pinot Noir 2021
Stagiaire Wine Eternal Return Place Pinot Noir in the words of the winemaker: "Pinot from my Summit Santa Cruz vineyard. Planted by Gerhard in 1999/2000 on a sandstone and shale knoll at 1700-1800ft over the Monterey Bay. I farmed these vines from 2020-2022 and only really just began to understand the rhythms of the seasons on this site. Very organic, no tractors, no tilling. Just many passes of human hands. It’s red wine. It’s Pinot. It tastes pretty good. This site and a lot of the higher elevation coastal Santa Cruz Pinots remind me a lot of some of my favorite Alsace Pinots. I’m not super educated on soils there but I think there is a bit of sandstone in some vineyards that the producers we love work with. There is a dark brooding streak underneath the red fruit. Maybe a touch of iodine. And lifted aromatics. Fuck. I hate that I’m turning into a person that likes Pinot Noir."
The Producer: Stagiaire Wine
Stagiaire Wine is a project led by soft-spoken talented winemaker Brent Mayeaux. Brent is part of a scene of young winemakers who are changing the face of the Santa Cruz Mountains wine region. Brent's dedication and talent are reflected in his wines, very precise, and characterized by a perfectly balanced acidity that brings them to life. A must-try natural wine producer for all those who are willing to explore California's every-complex natural wine landscape.
The Region: Santa Cruz Mountains