Cotiere Pinot Noir Santa Barbara Cuvee 2021

Around the time Kevin's amazing Cab Franc was featured in our wine club, Chef Steven at the Mustard Seed and I began tasting wine together. He was exploring Pinot Noir for the restaurant's new wine list, and we tasted a lot of Pinot from California. Side note: There are countless $75+ bottles of Pinot Noir out there that taste like raspberry pie, jello shots, or both. No thanks!!

Right in front of our noses, the Côtière Santa Barbara Cuveé Pinot Noir stood out as an absolute gem. It's been on the Mustard Seed wine list since last Summer, a favorite pairing with their amazing duck breast, sweet potoates, and huckleberry sauce, and we are proud to feature it at Wines in Tandem.

The SB Cuvee is notable for its high percentage of Santa Maria fruit, which offers more dark cherry fruit and black pepper spice, and a relatively low (by CA standards) 14.1% alc. The sweet barrel tannins and hint of oak toast create the perfect match for any serious home cooked meal from the oven or grill, especially if you are into roasted poultry.