2020 XANDER SOREN Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict

The Sanford and Benedict vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA in Santa Barbara is one of the great Pinot vineyards in California. Planted in 1971, the vineyard is blessed with a cool climate and well-drained soils of gravelly loam mixed with clay and fragmented chert. Because the vineyard now has a 50-year history of producing top-notch wines, its awesome fruit is coveted by such top Pinot producers as Au Bon Climat, Sanford Winery, Fess Parker, and Gary Farrell. Xander Soren’s lovely Pinot offers wild strawberries and red berries with nuances of fresh blackcurrant and plum. On the palate, hints of licorice, mint, and dill add depth to the flavors. Crisp acidity, and dense and delicate tannins provide structure and a subtle umami note leads to the finish.

Winery

Winery Description

Xander Soren is the mind behind a radical wine venture that’s been years in the making: developing a high-end Pinot Noir designed specifically to pair with Japanese cuisine. After a career in Silicon Valley that included over 20 years with Apple, where he worked on such iconic products as the iPod, Garageband, and iPhone ringtones, he turned his attention to a more genteel set of passions: wine, Japanese culture and Japanese cuisine. Yet his vision and business model are a far cry not only from fast-paced Silicon Valley but from what’s typical in California wine as well. For in addition to honing his brand to appeal to Japanese connoisseurs, he’s decided to limit his production to around 600 cases per vintage - a boutique wine business for sure!

For Xander’s style of Pinot Noir, he is focusing on cooler appellations, especially the Santa Rita Hills, which, because of its unique terroir, can produce wines that rival those of Burgundy.　Xander sources fruit from historic vineyards such as La Encantada, Sanford & Benedict, Sierra Mar, and Olivet Lane. He is also honored to use grapes from Yuki Vineyard, owned by Japanese producer Akiko Freeman on the Sonoma Coast.

Xander’s winemaker is Shalini Sekhar, a rising star (2015 Winemaker of the Year at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the San Francisco Chronicle’s 2019 Winemaker to Watch) who has made wine at Williams Selyem, Stag’s Leap, and her own label called Ottavino. She also produces wine - especially Pinot Noir — for a number of small boutique labels through her custom crush operation. Winemaking at Xander Soren is non-intrusive and labor-intensive, which necessarily results in limited production. Not only vineyard blocks but clones are elevated and aged separately in carefully-selected French oak barrels and blended before bottling to ensure excellent balance. Refreshing acidity, bright flavors balanced by darker notes and character, and, above all, lower levels of alcohol are necessary to pair with sukiyaki, wagyu, tempura, and, perhaps, even sushi. Many of the wines are produced in amounts of less than 100 cases.

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