Loner A Bicyclette Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills 2017

Loner is the newest brainchild of Matthias Pippig, a German-born, Central Coast-based winemaker extraordinaire. He’s erected a hip winery in a converted warehouse in Santa Barbara’s industrial zone (yes, they have one) a few blocks from the beach. He makes fresh, delicious, and highly regarded wines with fruit from cool-climate vineyards in the nearby Sta. Rita Hills. A bit of a mad scientist, he and his wife Jamie have been tinkering with different blends and varieties since 2004. We first fell in love with a red blend he made under their Sanguis label and placed it in our Kahuna Club a few years back. Music is a big part of Matthias’ life, and jazz and hip-hop record albums line the walls of his winery. So, a musical analogy is perfect for the Loner project because as the name implies, some varietals are better as a solo act than part of a band. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are two of these. Both are so adept at expressing a sense of place that it would be a shame to blend them: these varieties do not like to play second fiddle!  Since we’ve been getting into vinyl ourselves lately here at ACME, we’ve included a few tracks that Matthias recommends jamming out to while enjoying these fantastic wines, along with the tasting notes below.

A gorgeous Pinot Noir crafted with fruit sourced from the John Sebastiano vineyard. After fermentation, this wine spent three years in neutral 500-liter barrels to keep the bright red fruit at the forefront. A lovely ruby-violet in color, notes of cherry preserve, black tea leaves, and dried flowers are supported by a core of expressive black and red fruits. The finish is long and earthy with velvety tannins and a seamless freshness. Pairs well with “A Bicyclette” by Yves Montand, “Via Con Me” by Paolo Conte, and “Stolen Moments” by Oliver Nelson.