A relatively high-toned, floral Pinot, the 2010 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills is laced with sweet red berries, flowers and spices. This attractive entry-level Pinot stands out for its fine overall balance and sense of harmony. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016.
Dragonette is one of the most fascinating wineries in the Central Coast. The best wines are truly world class, and I don’t use those words lightly. At the same time, Dragonette suffers from the syndrome of trying to do an awful lot – maybe too much. At last count, Dragonette makes six Syrahs, eight Pinot Noirs, three Sauvignon Blancs, two Grenaches, a Mourvedre and a few other niche bottlings, all from vineyards in Santa Barbara County, the Santa Rita Hills and Paso Robles. That is a huge number of different wines from equally diverse appellations for what is essentially a small operation. It seems obvious, at least to me, that the overall level of quality and consistency would be much higher if Dragonette focused on their strengths.