JOEL GOTT Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2022

91 points – Tasting Panel. 

A  bright wine with aromas of black plums, cherries, and red currants on the nose. On the palate, the wine is juicy and well-balanced with notes of mocha, earth, and sandalwood. Velvety tannins extend through a long, bright finish.

Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged in 33% new French oak for eight months.

Field Recordings is winemaker Andrew Jones’ personal catalog of the people and places he values most

Andrew went to college at Cal Poly after receiving a football scholarship. He majored in agricultural business with a minor in viticulture. Jones, who was completely captivated by grape cultivation, initially worked as an intern at Gallo on the Sonoma Coast. During school, he worked part-time at a grapevine nursery and after graduating from college he continued to work there.

By Andrew’s account, he has stood in nearly every vineyard on the Central Coast. Traveling throughout California to work with growers helped him developed a keen eye to determine the quality of the fields and vines. Once in a while he would come across wonderful vines, like diamonds in the rough, that he felt though they are not famous, the vines had the potential to produce high-quality wines. He feels that every field and every wine has its own story.

Field Recordings was born when he got his hands on a lot of Chenin Blanc grapes from an old Firestone vineyard called Jurassic Park in 2007. From there, his lineup has continued to expand. The Wonderwall series was added to focus on Edna Valley where Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown in extreme, coastal locations.  As friendships are made and opportunities are embraced, Andrew produces small quantities of soulful wine from these unusual, quiet vineyards.