Belle Glos Balade Pinot Noir Sta Rita Hills 2021

The Belle Glos wines, an ode to Joseph Wagner’s grandmother, Lorna Belle Glos – a larger-than-life personality, showcase the bigger, bolder style of Pinot Noir. Like today’s selection from Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara, they come from California’s top Pinot wine-growing regions, often along the coastline.

Up until now, we’ve got to work with all three of the single-vineyard Pinot Noirs in the Belle Glos portfolio, the Dairyman Vineyard, Las Alturas Vineyard and the Clark and Telephone. But today, for a few special folks, we’ve unlocked the bonus 4th Belle Glos wine – the Balade (Wanderer) which allows the Wagners to quite literally, wander, and find the best spots in Sta. Rita Hills to make their cuvee. With their relationships and reputations, this is a winning formula to say the least.

The Balade is usually a restaurant-only selection making it the hardest one of the bunch to get your hands on. It’s a big, concentrated effort with a lovely mix of black cherry, blueberries, raspberries and baking spice. It’s ripe and full-bodied on the mouthfeel with wild berries, sage and a hint of minerality. The best part is the bones on this– great balance and structure and a seamless blend, that showcases the best of some of Santa Barbara big ticket vineyards.