95pts Jeb Dunnuck

As with all the Pinot Noirs from this talented winemaker, the 2023 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills was not destemmed and was aged all in 100% neutral oak barrels. Medium ruby-hued, darker berries and redcurrants intermixed with rose, damp forest floor, and subtle spicy, meaty nuances all emerge from the glass. It's remarkably pure and medium-bodied, with a pure, seamless, layered mouthfeel and ultra-fine tannins. This is classic Greg Brewer brilliance with Pinot Noir.

95pts James Suckling

The presence of approximately 90% stems is clear on the nose and palate, the resulting grip making for an impressively structured appellation cuvee. Yet the fruit is juicy with cherries, cherry pits, tealike tannins and aromatic woodsy spices with rose hips and juniper, all singing through the midpalate and finish.

93pts Vinous

The 2023 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills) is open-knit, fleshy and approachable. Vibrant acids and tingly floral notes lift a wine of purity, regional identity and palpable energy. This really captures the essence of the Sta. Rita Hills. Salted cranberry, crushed rocks, rosewater and orange peel meld together in utter harmony. You'd be hard pressed to find a more terroir-driven entry-level Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara.

92pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

As with the Chardonnay iteration, the 2023 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills encapsulates the region, house and vintage with admirable precision and crystal clarity. Red-fruited, herbal and crushed stone aromas introduce a lifted yet saturated palate, concluding with a similarly vibrant and pleasantly savory finish that lingers with marine nuances.

91pts Wine Spectator

A savory-edged version, with bitter cherry and raspberry coulis notes at the core and a flash of bracing oyster shell minerality through the finish. Drink now through 2028. 8,475 cases made.

Winemaker's Notes

The 2023 Brewer-Clifton Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir shows aromas of pomegranate, white tea, and raspberry. Flavors of dried fig, white truffle, and ripe cherry. On the palate, savory with notes of rooibos tea.

Only neutral barrels are employed. We strive for whole cluster fermentation. We farm with a focus of ripening the stems alongside the fruit, allowing the cluster to be in harmony. Working with the stems allows for wines that are structured, earthy and balanced with our beautiful Sta. Rita Hills fruit.

About the Area

One of the coolest climates on the west coast, Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County enjoys the longest growing season, making this a paradise for pinot noir and chardonnay. The quality of the vineyards and grapes grown here is rivaled only by the absolute beauty of the region itself. The unique transverse valleys funnel maritime influences through a small appellation filled with with variations in soil, aspect and micro-climates to produce sites of character and distinction. We are incredibly fortunate to work and farm in this exceptional winegrowing region, unlike any other in the world.

Winery Notes

Brewer-Clifton believes the geographic, geologic and climatic uniqueness of the Sta. Rita Hills appellation provides an ideal place to grow chardonnay and pinot noir grapes of intensity, complexity and specificity. This is why Founder and Winemaker Greg Brewer, Wine Enthusiast’s 2020 Winemaker of the Year, has dedicated his life to this region. Within this appellation, each vineyard carries its own imprint. The Brewer-Clifton mission and passion is to present wines that convey the characteristics inherent to each of these sites, with uncompromising quality.

Brewer–Clifton has the utmost respect for nature. They believe when working with a product of nature, it is necessary to maintain an awareness of the elements and phenomena sometimes beyond their understanding and control. As such, any intervention in the natural evolution of the product must be carried out with the utmost attentiveness and care.