SCOTT FAMILY ESTATE | Arroyo Seco | Monterey | Pinot Noir | 2021
pinot noir

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Scott Family Estate is deeply rooted in California’s Monterey County, with a history spanning over five decades in grape cultivation. Founded in 2008, the winery pays a heartfelt tribute to the family’s maternal grandfather, embodying a legacy of dedication to the land and winemaking traditions. Their vision centers on crafting wines that harmonize cool-climate varietals with the pristine terroir of Arroyo Seco sub-region, achieved through a precise blend of rootstock, clonal selection (specifically Dijon clones for their Pinot Noir), elevated vineyard sites, and the gentle caress of the microclimate.
Today, on August 18th, on the International Pinot Noir Day, we are going to review a quite special, single-varietal pinot noir wine from California‘s lesser known, Monterey AVA – Arroyo Seco Monterey Pinot Noir 2021 by Scott Family Estate. Pinot Noir is considered the world’s most noble red grape variety and has reached a legendary status mainly due to its ability to produce wines of unparalleled elegance. The grape itself is very difficult to cultivate – it has thin skins, as a result it is prone to rot and various vineyard disease, and is genetically unstable, meaning that it mutates easily (many of Burgundy’s other grapes, such as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, originated from these mutations). But when handled with great care, Pinot Noir is capable to deliver the very best expressions of terrior like no other grape variety, making it the ultimate storyteller of a place. Burgundy remains the spiritual home of Pinot Noir, where some of the most expensive and sought-after wines in the world are produced. Outside of France, Pinot Noir has adapted well in cooler climates such as Oregon’s Willamette Valley, New Zealand’s Central Otago, and some parts of California, like Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Monterey’s Arroyo Seco.

Today’s wine is crafted from 100% Pinot Noir grapes that were sourced from the cool, Arroyo Seco sub-region of Monterey AVA – all of them various Dijon Clones. The 2021 vintage in Monterey County was marked by extended cool conditions and a lack of extreme summer heat, which created a prolonged growing season that allowed the grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness and develop enhanced aromatic complexity, thus producing wines of remarkable depth and density. After fermentation (that included some whole clusters), the wine was aged for 10 months in french and american oak barriques (2nd and 3rd fill), with additional bottle aging to ensure optimal readiness for release.

California is responsible for nearly 90% of U.S. wine production and home to some of the world’s most diverse and celebrated vineyards. Its vast size and geographical diversity mean that nearly every grape variety can find an ideal home here. The region’s mediterranean climate, moderated by the Pacific Ocean, provides warm, dry summers and mild winters, with local influences such as fog, elevation, and coastal breezes creating very distinct microclimates across the region.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Pinot Noir dominate the landscape, but the sheer range of terroirs – from the cool Sonoma Coast to the sun-drenched Central Valley – encourages winemakers to experiment with lesser-known varieties. California wines are famous for their intensity, aromatic richness, and complexity, blending tradition winemaking with cutting-edge technology.

Stretching along California’s rugged central coast, the Monterey AVA is strongly defined by the cold marine influence of Monterey Bay, where fog and ocean breezes sweep inland along Salinas River, creating one of the coolest grape-growing regions in California. This cooling effect creates a long growing season that allows grapes to ripen slowly, preserving acidity and developing complex flavors.

The soils here vary from gravelly loam and sandy alluvium, to shale and clay, offering excellent drainage and heat retention, along with low fertility, thus ensuring vine struggle and as a result fruit concentration. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir feel like home here, producing wines with vibrant acidity, zesty freshness, and delicate minerality, similar to those from Chablis and Bourgogne.Within Monterey AVA, the Arroyo Seco sub-region is particularly prized for its alluvial soils with large river cobblestones, which store heat during the day and release it at night, helping grapes ripen evenly. Despite its inland location, the area still benefits from Monterey’s cool coastal winds carried across the Salinas River, creating a rare balance of ripeness and freshness in the grapes. This small region is famous for structured Chardonnay and elegant Pinot Noir, but it also produces expressive and rustic Syrah wines.

color: pale garnet color
clarity: hazy copper shades

In the glass, this wine displays a pale garnet color with hazy copper shades at the rim – a genuine and characteristic hue for a textbook Pinot Noir wine.

intensity: pronounced & savory-herbal
fruit character: ripe & underripe

The aromatic profile delivers a pronounced savory-herbal accent, revealing an underripe fruit character that adds intrigue. In the foreground, a complex interplay of savory notes emerges, featuring Kalamata brown olive, iron, old leather, and a whisper of iodine. These are beautifully intertwined with bright red fruit notes of cranberry, redcurrant, and wild bitter cherry – all underscored by a very subtle spicy accent. As the wine breathes, the background unveils elegant herbal notes of fresh tomato leaf, sage, and basil, alongside refined earthy notes of clay, loam, and marl. Hints of fresh oak and sun-dried oakwood further complement the aromatic depth, with an elegant touch of forest floor.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: medium | balance: fine
finish: lasting | aftertaste: crisp & heady

On the palate unfolds with a pronounced herbal accent and a pleasantly-seedy mouthfeel that truly speaks to its varietal typicity. The wine feels savory-rustic, complex, and remarkably well-structured, with elegant touches of leather, iodine, and forest floor echoing from the nose. It feels dry, sustained by exuberant acidity that provides a refreshing lift and vitality. A quite nuanced touch of alcoholic warmth is harmoniously integrated without overpowering the wine’s delicate character. The tannins are ripe and pleasantly-seedy, providing a medium grip on the palate, leading to a crisp and slightly-heady aftertaste.

maturity: developing | drink now or in the next 2 to 3 years
verdict: great | a benchmark wine | a wine that has all the traits to become legendary

Overall, this is a textbook Pinot Noir wine, vinified in a genuine burgundian style – a wine that achieves an amazing balance between all its elements, showcasing incredible harmony between vibrant fruit, savory undertones, and subtle earthy notes. This is a round, delicate, and savory-expressive wine, with a multi-layered and complex aromatic profile. It truly embodies the epitome of a modern Pinot Noir – brilliantly combining the delicate elegance often found in old world wines, with the vibrant richness of the new world Pinot Noir. The restraint use of oak is evident, allowing the pure expression of the terroir and varietal to shine through, with the oak influence being almost untraceable and playing the role of a second fiddle, thus complementing the wine’s aromatic plane and not dominating it. this is a blueprint of a Pinot Noir wine that managed to showcase the distinctive terroir-driven footprint of the Arroyo Seco microregion – a wine that is still developing, ready to be enjoyed today, or within the next 2 to 3 years.

Given the wine’s pronounced, savory-herbal accent, along with its vibrant acidity and elegant earthy undertones, we believe it will create a harmonious congruent pairing with a herb-crusted roasted duck breast, where the richness of the duck and the aromatic herbs would beautifully complement the wine’s savory and herbal undertones. For a complementary pairing, consider a wild mushroom and truffle risotto, allowing the earthy flavors of the mushrooms and truffle to elevate the wine’s forest floor and savory notes. Alternatively, a pan-seared salmon with a cherry-reduction sauce would also be a fantastic match, as the wine’s red fruit and vibrant acidity would cut through the richness of the fish, this creating a truly enjoyable dining experience. Enjoy!
SCOTT FAMILY ESTATE | Arroyo Seco | Monterey | Pinot Noir | 2021
variety: pinot noir
country: USA
region: California | Monterey | Arroyo Seco
rating: 95.5

The Scott Family Estate derive its name from a deeply personal connection, honoring the maternal grandfather of the family. The Arroyo Seco AVA, where the estate has its vineyards, holds the distinction of being considered the coolest sub-region in California, boasting an extended growing season that can last 2 to 4 weeks longer than the in the Napa Valley, allowing for complex flavor development in its grapes.

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