This wine is very highly Recommended.

Our annual Wine Intrigue Awards period may be over, and so begins the next round of incredible wines that we sleuth out for you each and every day. Our labor of love is your reward, Operative, and today we reward you with one of the finest Santa Lucia Pinots to come across our spy desks in a very long time…

We’ve been big fans of Meadowcroft since we first featured their wines back in 2013. We fell in love with their style back then, and every wine we’ve tasted since has just gotten better and better.

As for the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, well, all good Wine Spies Operatives know just how crazy we are about Pinot Noir that hails from that magical spot.

Combine the winemaking of Meadowcroft with one of our very favorite spots on this planet for Pinot and, well, magic happens. Today’s Meadowcroft Wines 2016 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir really is one of the best we’ve had from this winery and from the very special Santa Lucia Highlands region.

Enjoy!

About the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA:

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA (American Viticultural Area) is located in Monterey County, California. It is part of the broader Monterey AVA which is one of California’s finest. This important sub-AVA is located in the Santa Lucia Mountains above the Salinas Valley, which is one of California’s premier agricultural areas.

Over 2,300 acres (931 ha) of vineyards are planted in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, with vineyards that rest at elevations as high as 1,200 feet above sea level. About half of the grapes planted here are Pinot Noir. The region enjoys cool morning fog and breezes from Monterey Bay followed by warm afternoons, thanks to direct southern exposures to the sun.