External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2022
2021
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 41 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by LesPaul on 4/6/2024: I'm generally a big fan of the Sandler Pinots, and I recall enjoying a bottle of this 2016 Bien Nacido just a month or two ago much more than this one. Here the smell is wonderful, lots of nothing but fruity Pinot, a little bit of spice. But that hint of sharpness comes out in the texture, which is more edgy and less integrated than I would like, with a hint of alcohol burn on the finish. Still an excellent wine, a steal at the prices then on offer, but not quite as wonderful as I remember. (495 views) | | | Tasted by RDHudak on 12/25/2022 & rated 91 points: As before. These wines are so good and seem to hold up way past their "drink by" date. (739 views) | | | Tasted by RDHudak on 5/27/2022 & rated 91 points: Always a great wine. As before with little change. (843 views) | | | Tasted by maxmanx on 10/6/2021: Nice on PnP. Good value at $25. (1154 views) | | | Tasted by mikered on 9/1/2021 & rated 86 points: Straightforward cherry cough drop and cranberry fruit with cold diner coffee and green herbs. Mid weight, OK acid and very soft tannin.
Good if not very complex wine that is ready to drink. (968 views) | | | Tasted by RDHudak on 7/21/2021 & rated 92 points: This is as before. Very juicy and delicious. (1056 views) | | | Tasted by The Wine Write on 5/21/2021: So nice. Strawberry, cranberry, sour cherry fruit flavor, bright acid frame. (839 views) | | | Tasted by jreis on 4/1/2021: Another great bottle from Sandler. Popped and poured at cellar temp. Beautiful translucent deep red. Tons of sandalwood, sour cherry, cranberry and white pepper on the nose. Lively, tangy palate with crunchy red fruit and abundant balanced acidity. I think this can age for quite a while longer, but I never can keep my hands off Ed’s wines long enough to to find out! (964 views) | | | Tasted by Maphill01 on 11/10/2020: PNP. Needed 30 min to blow off some funk, then blossomed into a nice bouquet of cherry, raspberry and strawberry. Same on the palate, ripe red fruit, along with some earthy notes and baking spices and a slightly tart finish. Young, but well balanced and approachable. Good value. (1123 views) | | | Tasted by RDHudak on 9/28/2020 & rated 92 points: Are you kidding? What a beautiful bottle of wine! Roses, cranberry,sour red cherry and ever so slight fresh and dried herb. Medium bodied with medium acidity and tannin. The balance on this is wonderful. This continues to evolve and blossom with decant. This very underpriced and I'm thrilled to have four more. So delicious! (1213 views) | | | Tasted by fingers on 8/4/2020 flawed bottle: Just ever so slightly, a whiff of TCA at the pop. Still pretty good on the palate with nice bing cherries, cola, and light oak. A fully sound bottle should be a joy to drink.
Update after 2 hours... now the taint is dominating the bouquet. No doubt about it (1459 views) | | | Tasted by BURGHen Boy on 7/4/2020 & rated 93 points: Ripe and delicious. Plum, blueberry, hint of spice. Terrific balance and energy. Everything comes together for a long smooth lingering finish. (1299 views) | | | Tasted by mikered on 11/15/2019 & rated 85 points: Much more put together then it was 19 mouths ago. Straightforward cherry cough drop and cranberry fruit with cold diner coffee, green herbs and a little hot at the end.
Good if ordinary wine that is ready to drink and forget. (1800 views) | | | Tasted by TRENZ on 10/6/2019 & rated 92 points: Pop and pour. Lovely deep red color. Enjoyed the spectrum of brown spice flavors of cinnamon and clove. Smooth and enjoyable. (1810 views) | | | Tasted by fred o. on 8/29/2019: Pale translucent ruby color. Nose earthy, some herbs, cool wet rocks. Palate hints of blackberries, fleshy fruit with a nicely deep midpalate, herbal and some bright red cherry kirsch flavor towards the finish. Nicely made and good stuffing for the future, but no harm in opening one now for pleasure. Great QPR. 91 pts (1337 views) | | | Tasted by PSUSteve on 7/17/2019 & rated 89 points: PnP. This has smooth red fruit and a ton of acidity - maybe too much. (1857 views) | | | Tasted by t_moderne on 7/13/2019 & rated 92 points: Pop and pour. Tasted over the course of three days, with the bottle re-corked and in the refrigerator during the intervals.
Deep ruby color; slightly cloudy.
Wonderful nose of cherries and brown spice, with an earthy side.
Delicious, round, red and dark fruits, with that cinnamon/clove/nutmeg spice component. There is a hint of sage as well.
No sign of oxidation when checking in over the following days. Still ripe and round fruits balanced by good acidity that keeps hings lively. (1933 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 5/10/2019 & rated 91 points: This is a great bottle. Bright, vibrant red fruits, with notes of cranberry, cherry and baking spice. Really well balanced with a medium-long finish. (1735 views) | | | Tasted by BigTex22 on 12/7/2018 & rated 91 points: Really nice, well balanced, good red fruit. One of the best QPRs in my humble opinion. (2166 views) | | | Tasted by bound4er on 11/25/2018 & rated 90 points: Still young but drinking nicely with plenty of upside. Lots of cherry, some barrel infuences, classic Pinot cola, smooth tannins and a nice kiss of backend acidity. Revisit a year from now. (1853 views) | | | Tasted by cpsmith33 on 8/31/2018 & rated 89 points: Good QPR. Better on Day 1. (2217 views) | | | Tasted by dhammer53 on 8/18/2018: My first disappointing Sandler wine that I purchased on Berserkerday. A nice clear pinot color. A little sweetness. Lots of tang/acid that lasted multiple hours. I wasn't happy. (1987 views) | | | Tasted by Rich S on 8/10/2018 & rated 90 points: Popped and poured. Pale ruby color, very light. Slight hint of reduction on the nose at first but after 30 minutes it opened up to reveal red cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, slight hint of smokiness and spice. Mostly red fruit driven on the palate with medium acid and tannin and body. Restrained and well made pinot and a great QPR. (2041 views) | | | Tasted by t_moderne on 7/3/2018 & rated 90 points: Pop and pour and served slightly chilled with food (salmon with teriyaki glaze, steamed broccoli and Jasmine rice, in case you were wondering).
Ruby red color.
Nice nose of brown spice and red berries.
Lively and inviting, with good acidity. Lightness of weight but with depth of flavor. Acidity that gives the wine lift but does not detract from the red berry fruit profile. Finishes with some brown spices.
Good paring with the salmon, fwiw. (2015 views) | | | Tasted by jmull on 5/18/2018 & rated 90 points: Bright with a citrus edge. Delicious now and would definitely benefit with another year or two in bottle. GREAT value here. (1997 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Sandler Wine Company Producer website
Welcome to the Sandler Wine Company, the personal label of consulting winemaker, Ed Kurtzman. For Sandler, Ed draws on his relationships with top growers to produce small lots of vineyard designate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache from the Central Coast’s and Sonoma's most acclaimed sites.
Please go to the Wines page to learn more about our current offerings, or click here to join our mailing list for announcements about Sandler Wine Co.'s twice yearly (fall/spring) releases.
Cheers… and thanks for your interest in Sandler Wines.2016 Sandler Wine Company Pinot Noir Bien Nacido VineyardFrom release:
2015 Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir
Harvest date: 9-2-15
Fermentation: 100% destemmed
Aging: 11 months in 100% used French oak Bottling date: 8-15-17
Alcohol: 13.8%
Chris Hammell has been the vineyard manager at Bien Nacido since the early 2000s, and he does an incredible job, year in and year out. 2015 was a tough year for all Pinot growers, but Chris and his gang delivered Sandler's most bountiful crop at 2.5 tons per acre. The fruit is surprisingly still cool climate Santa Maria Valley in a year that was anything but cool. It's almost as if these 43 year old vines were telling Mother Nature she could choose the early harvest date, but she wasn't going to affect the flavor of the fruit.
The 2015 Sandler Bien Nacido Pinot has a weight similar to the large-framed 2010, but with the elegance and smokiness of the 2012. It should drink well from late 2017 through 2026.Pinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Bien Nacido Vineyard Producer website
Bien Nacido Vineyard (wikipedia)
From Testarossa Winerey - Club Testarossa May 2013 notes:
Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley
Testarossa has a long relationship with Santa Barbara County's famed Bien Nacido Vineyard. Rob and Diana have been purchasing Chardonnay from Bien Nacido since 1995. Bien Nacido is located in the cool climate Santa Maria Valley appellation, about an hour north of Santa Barbara.
Here, the close proximity to the Pacific Ocean creates a true region I climate - very cool, gentle conditions throughout the crucial summer and fall ripening seasons. An ideal situation for top-flight Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The vineyard traces its roots back to the year 1837 when a Spanish land grant of some two square leagues was made to Tomas Olivera by the then Governor of Alta California. In 1969, the Millers, a fifth generation California farming family, purchased the property. They also purchased an adjacent parcel which had been part of the original 1837 Spanish land grant and reunited the two as Rancho Tepusquet, now comprising over two thousand acres. The original adobe remains as one of the few privately maintained adobes in California. In the early 1970's, it became clear to the Millers that the soils and climate were ideal for growing grapes, and they moved quickly to realize the winegrowing potential of the estate. Today, Bien Nacido is one of Calilfornia's most recognized vineyard names. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.California2021 vintage: "Unlike almost all other areas of the state, the Russian River Valley had higher than normal crops in 2021, which has made for a wine of greater generosity and fruit forwardness than some of its stablemates." - Morgan Twain-Peterson Central Coasthttp://www.ccwinegrowers.org/links.html
http://www.discovercaliforniawines.com/regional-wine-organizations/
http://beveragetradenetwork.com/en/btn-academy/list-of-winegrowers-association-in-central-coast-california-274.htm
Central Coast AVA WikipediaSanta Maria Valley Santa Maria Valley Wine Country Association | Santa Maria Valley Wine Trail |
|
