Lucas & Lewellen Pinot Noir Goodchild High 9, Santa Maria AVA 2018
Overview
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This limited production Pinot Noir is aged sur lees in French oak barrels which brings forth the natural flavors of bright red fruit with smooth tannins and a lingering finish. |
Wine Facts
VITICULTURE: The Goodchild Vineyard is located on 67 acres in the Santa Maria Valley AVA, along the highly-acclaimed Foxen Wine Trail. These cool- climate vineyards have a complex soil profile made of clay and gravel river deposits to the hilltop sites, reminiscent of the great Burgundian vineyards. Louis Lucas selects choice lots from the highest nine-acre block of the Goodchild Vineyard, a prime location to grow the superior clone 667 Pinot Noir.“This is an outstanding Pinot, continuing the legacy of our High 9 vineyard in Santa Maria, made with a judicious blending of several different clones. What impresses me most about this vineyard is that the grapes and vines fully mature at the same time. This is a difference maker. There aren’t many vineyards in the world where this happens almost every year.” - Louis Lucas
FAMILY: Louis Lucas and Royce Lewellen were friends before they were ever business partners. One of their common interests was their love of Santa Barbara County. Louis had been a successful grape grower for many years, and had the reputation to match, while Royce was a judge and dreamer who imagined what Santa Barbara could be as a wine region. They banded together to create Lucas & Lewellen Wines. Today, Michael Lewellen, Royce’s son, is the managing partner, making Lucas & Lewellen a second-generation family-owned winery. The Lucas & Lewellen vineyards have become legendary for lovers of premium wines from Santa Barbara County since 1975.
Santa Barbara’s topography is unlike any other wine region. The east-west orientation of the mountain range forms a valley opening directly to the Pacific Ocean. That cool ocean breeze is a hallmark of the Santa Barbara climate, and one that Louis and Royce wanted to highlight in their wines. They acquired the three vineyards that have myriad microclimates, from cool Santa Maria Valley to moderate Los Alamos Valley, to warmer Santa Ynez Valley.
Producer: Lucas & Lewellen
Region: Santa Maria AVA, California
Country: United States
Wine Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 5.24 G/L
pH: 3.72
Region: Santa Maria AVA, California
Country: United States
Wine Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 5.24 G/L
pH: 3.72
Press Highlights
2019: 92 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Apr 20232018: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Aug./Sept. 2021 Double Issue
2017: 93 Pts ‘Best Buy, Top 50 US Pinot Noirs’ - Wine & Spirits, Spring Print Edition, Feb 2022
2017: 91 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2020
2016: 93 Pts - SOMM Journal
2016: 93 Pts ‘Gold Medal’ - San Francisco Chronicle wine Competition
2016: 91 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Jun 2019
2016: 90 Pts - Wine Spectator, Oct 2019
2015: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2016
2015: 92 Pts ‘Gold Medal’ - L.A. Int’l Wine Competition
2013: 93 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Aug 2015
2012: 90 Pts - Wine Enthusiast, Oct 2014
Downloads
2019 Fact Sheet PDF2018 Fact Sheet PDF
2017 Fact Sheet PDF
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Press Highlights
2019: 92Pts Wine Enthusiast Shelf Talker
2018 90Pts Wine Enthusiast Shelf Talker
2019: 92Pts Wine Enthusiast Sell Sheet
2018 90Pts Wine Enthusiast Sell Sheet
2017 Multi Point Sell Sheet
Lucas & Lewellen Estate Vineyards Presentation
Lucas & Lewellen Brand Overview Pages