INSIDER'S PICK: 2022 THE PARING PINOT NOIR SANTA BARBARA COUNTY (Vinous 91points) $26.99

When most consumers hear that a wine is 'a second label' of another winery, they usually envision a much lesser wine and/or throwaway product nobody else wanted. That logic needs to be thrown away when you are working with great wineries with high standards. In cases like this, their second labels can exceed the best efforts of many other wineries. Jonata and The Hilt are partner wineries run by the same wine team in Santa Barbara; Jonata based in Ballard Canyon with a focus on primarily Bordeaux varietal red wine, and The Hilt in the Santa Rita Hills Valley which focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Both wineries produce iconic, signature wines that exemplify the distinctive characteristics of their microclimates. Neither label has an 'everyday' wine lineup, but both work with enough vineyards tin recent years to have a decent amount of juice from their younger vineyards or not making the final blends that don't quite reach those lofty standards. Instead of selling that juice off to someone else in bulk, they chose to keep it for themselves and start making their own second label. Though it says Santa Barbara on the label, the vast majority of the fruit comes from their cool coastal Santa Rita Hills Valley vineyards, which brings a racy character to all elements of the wine. Bright cherry and dried raspberry fruit to the nose with a touch tart cranberry, hinting at sweet fruit but countered with almost salty sea spray. The palate is deliciously energetic with a little darker fruit and fine dusty tannins to lend the berry tones some hints of pepperiness. This is a Pinot Noir with a 'signature' character from one of the cooler growing areas in California, and you don't have to pay up to enjoy it! ​

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