By Rick Riozza
Hopefully you loyal readers with wine-soaked memories can remember last week’s coverage of the GSM wines from California’s Central Coast. Should you need a little coaxing check out: https://coachellavalleyweekly.com/rockin-rhone-rangers.
Well—literarily (not literally) and figuratively, we haven’t moved on—the Central Coast this time of year is gorgeous, so we’ve looked around for some other interesting wines that come from this region for coverage here; and, voila! Charming sparklers from the Central Coast.
Of course sparkling wine is produced all over our state but most folks around quaff our stuff from the northern Chandons, Mumms & Schrambergs wine country around the Napa/Somoma/Mendocino region, but looks what’s in store for further south!
At first thought, perhaps we have no thoughts on Central Coast bubbly—but look who’s been bringing on the buzz lately:
Sea Smoke Cellars is a Californian winery in Santa Barbara County that focuses on premium Pinot Noir and some choice Chardonnay. Now that comes to one’s wine mind: Sea Smoke was one of those rare wineries that achieved greatness very early on. Founded in 1999 by Bob Davids, in the Sta. Rita Hills appellation, the 2001 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir, its debut vintage, quickly became a darling of the critics, with the Wine Spectator naming it one of the top 100 wines of the world. The next three consecutive vintages would repeat that distinction, with magazine covers and countless accolades to follow.
Indeed, this valley’s wine enthusiasts, back in the day, were some of the major buyers of the Sea Smoke portfolio—because they could! They retired here in the desert and they could afford all the high-end wine they wished. Every wine collector in town had to have some Sea Smoke wine in their cellars; and, every other fancy restaurant around had to include a fair amount of Sea Smoke on their wine lists.
I even remember some of the trending “underground” dining venues often used ‘Sea Smoke” as the password to get into their mercurial establishments. We all had fun—what the heck!
Even to this day Sea Smokes still evokes that feel-good Santa Barbara wine country sensibility. However, production is relatively small and mostly distributed through its mailing list. The name of the winery was inspired by the cooling marine fog that is carried into the vineyards along the Santa Ynez River off the Pacific Ocean.
All the grapes used in Sea Smoke wines come from the estate vineyard. The property has 98 acres of vines planted with 10 different Pinot Noir clones as well as 10 acres of Chardonnay. The vines are in transitional soils, with elevations between 300-700 feet above sea level, which makes for varied growing conditions. Sea Smoke has used biodynamic farming practices since the 2013 vintage.
For only the past five years or so, Sea Smoke has been producing the ‘Sea Spray” sparklers for the few masses. We’re not sure is there is still a “cult” of ‘Sea Smokers’ or what, but there is some exclusivity going on that adds to the fun mystique and/or the PR surrounding the wine.
2019 Sea Smoke Sea Spray Blanc de Noirs Sta. Rita Hills ($90 to $120) “General reviews of this sparkler state: “Sea Spray Blanc de Noirs are generally well-regarded for their quality and complexity, often earning high ratings from critics. The wine is praised for its elegant, refined profile, with some vintages noted for being dry, crisp, and suitable for pairing with seafood or as an aperitif.”
And genally speaking, “Sea Spray carries aromas of strawberry, brioche, sea salt, iron, red berries, and a hint of citrus; the flavors include strawberry, raspberry, almond, lemon curd, and a crisp, mineral-driven sea salt finish; and texture of fine bubbles, with a refined, complex, and a well-balanced mouthfeel.”
“The Blanc de Noirs is made 100% from Pinot Noir and is produced using the “méthode champenoise” (classic method). It undergoes a long aging process, including barrel aging on lees and a significant amount of time in the bottle before being released. Food pairings include: Salmon or sea bass, seafood, sushi and other light seafood dishes—it’s an elegant aperitif.”
The winemaker’s notes also add a little sales pitch: “Our 2019 Sea Spray perfectly encapsulates the grace and freshness of the vintage with notes of blueberries and rose petal on the nose and lithe minerality on the palate. The 2019 vintage was widely considered to be one of the best in recent history in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA with a long, cool growing season. Don’t miss your opportunity to share a toast of our 2019 Sea Spray with friends and family this holiday season.”
And for a simple teaser, Decanter magazine gave the 2018 Sea Spray vintage 96 points! Commenting: “Irrepressibly fruity yet piercing and racy too, the 100% Pinot Noir highlights tropical notes of pineapple and melon alongside pert red cherry and strawberry. Ruffled with streaks of biscuit and brioche, it’s opulent and rich yet boasts a pinpoint precision and delicate, racing perlage.”
“The finish is long and sonorous, lingering on hints of crushed berries and edges of salt and chalk. The nuanced nose expresses aromas of lilies, fresh pastry and green fig. The wine enters the palate with energetic freshness and finishes with delightful length.”
So what’s not to love here! Cheers!
