| Producer | Native 9 |
| Country | United States |
| Region | Central Coast |
| Subregion | Santa Maria Valley |
| Varietal | Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2015 |
| Sku | 14864 |
| Size | 750ml |
In celebration of this evening's Central Coast History Lesson with Wes Hagen and the wines of the Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard, we're offering the entire Meritage community a lights out deal on a prized Pinot from tonight's tasting. The Native 9 Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard Pinot scores 90+ points vintage after vintage, and the 2015 is a showstopper with a 95pt score and can be yours for 45% off the winery's retail price at just $35bt!
Native 9 is a reference to James Ontiveros, owner and 9th-generation manager of his family's vineyard. Precisely, that means that the vineyard has been in the same family's hands since 1781, before California was a part of the United States, and just as the United States was being formed! Ontiveros enlisted winemaker Paul Wilkins, who cut his teeth at Santa Barbara County's Alban Vineyards, to add his deft touch with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The 95pt score speaks volumes, and we agree with the assessment! The wine is full of woodsy spice notes of clove and nutmeg, rose water, fresh strawberry, black cherry, and a touch of mustard seed. Ripe but light on its feet, this wine has a refinement of a little time in bottle, but we tasted the Native 9 Pinots a few years older than this, so we know this wine has a long future ahead of it.
Light and fresh on the nose, this bottling only shows hints of age despite its aged status. Aromas of muddled strawberry and sharp peppercorn lead into a savory palate of cracked pepper, blistered tomato and cranberry, with a zesty acidity pumping into a complex finish.
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