APPELLATIONS
The primary focus of Ken Brown wines is Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills appellation in western Santa Barbara County. A Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir from the acclaimed Bien Nacido Vineyard is also produced. Limited quantities of Syrah and Chardonnay are made, sourcing vineyards in Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley.
Santa Rita Hills Recognized as an official AVA in 2001, the tiny Santa Rita Hills appellation is located in western Santa Ynez Valley where cool temperatures and marine fog make it ideal for premium Pinot Noir. The soils are low-fertility, well-drained sandy loam rich in calcareous matter, which promotes firm structure and pure fruit expression in the grapes. The wines are concentrated with a dark berry/cherry character, their rich tannins suggesting an air of nobility and a sense of purpose.
Santa Maria Valley Situated in a valley flanked by east-west mountain ranges, Santa Maria Valley also benefits from cool temperatures and coastal fog from the nearby Pacific Ocean. Soils, however, differ greatly from those in the Santa Rita Hills. With a higher sand content, Santa Maria Valley’s soils promote lush, opulent wines, fusing complex cherry and spice characteristics.
SELECT VINEYARDS
One of the most fascinating qualities of Pinot Noir is its dynamic character and how genuinely reflective it is of a specific site. While the wines of Santa Rita Hills all share a common theme, each vineyard has a unique, further refined expression. Based on my experiences, I have selected a handful of vineyards to source for Ken Brown Wines and work very closely with vineyard owners and managers. Three gems of the Santa Rita Hills region—Clos Pepe, Cargasacchi and Sanford and Benedict—produce outstanding Pinot Noir and figure prominently in my Pinot Noir program.
Clos Pepe Vineyard This family-run estate of only 28 acres is farmed with meticulous attention to detail that has propelled the vineyard to the forefront of the Santa Rita Hills appellation. The soils are low-nutrient sandy loam rich with calcium and calcareous shale, which helps to naturally restrict yields to an exceptionally low 1.0 ton per acre. The resulting wines are intensely flavored with a pure core of blueberry and blackberry fruit expresssions.
Cargasacchi Vineyard This 16-acre property is located at the extreme west end of the Santa Rita Hills appellation where its proximity to the Pacific Ocean makes it one of California's coolest vineyards. Planted in 1998, the vineyard is already producing Pinot Noirs of profound quality. The soils consist of ancient sea floor sediments made up primarily of calcareous shale. The low-nutrient environment combined with ideal clonal selections result in low-vigor vines, which produce small clusters, tiny berries and rich, elegant wines.
Sanford and Benedict Vineyard This vineyard is the birthplace of the Santa Rita Hills appellation and helped bring to light the great potential of the region. The original vines of the Mt. Eden clone of Pinot Noir planted in 1971 are still producing small quantities of outstanding fruit. Newer Pinot Noir plantings of top quality rootstocks and clones have been added in recent years to fully explore the range of Pinot Noir quality and ensure Sanford and Benedict’s place as one of Santa Rita Hills premier vineyards.
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY
Considered by many to be a winemaker’s most challenging grape, Pinot Noir is a delicate, thin-skinned varietal that demands gentle handling to yield the extraordinary flavors and texture sought in great Pinot Noir. Gentle processing, gravity-flow movement and minimal pumping and filtration are part of a minimalist approach to making Pinot Noir that helps preserve and honor the wine’s distinct vineyard expression.
By contrast, the goal in working with the thick-skinned Syrah grape is to maximize extraction by the use of pre-fermentation cold soaks, pump-overs and ‘rack and returns.’ I have found that this fusion of French and Australian winemaking techniques brings out the best concentration and expression of the Syrah grape.
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