Beverage of the Week (BOW)
Exprimere Mia Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2022
Product Story
This is our second vintage of Exprimere Pinot Noirs. Like last year, the two Pinot Noirs are created as siblings exploring the nature and nurture question. The fruit is sourced from the same vineyard, the Peake Ranch, in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County — a proven Pinot Noir zone. The difference lies solely in the winemaking choices. Mia, featured here, is treated very gently, being fermented at a cool temperature, cap pushed down softly, and rested in neutral barrels sur lie. Its sibling, Persey, is treated in a bit of a rough-and-tumble manner being fermented hot and punched down more frequently. The barrels are rolled out into the sun to heat up and then regularly stirred. The wines are made by James MacPhail, an award-winning winemaker familiar to every BevX reader via Tongue Dancer Wines. We liked Mia a lot last year but this year’s Mia is more complex and supple — delicious.
Brand Story
Exprimere is an emerging winery in the Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County. To say it’s a “micro-winery” may be exaggerating its size. Just shy of 200 cases were made for their inaugural commercial release in early 2023. The second vintage their “twin” Pinots was released in the summer of 2024 and it shows an upward trajectory. The project is the creation of John Dimos, a molecular biologist who has previously worked on life-saving therapeutics. After years in the lab, John transitioned to an entrepreneurial role, supporting startups in biotech, medicine, healthcare, and agriculture. Needless to say he got the wine bug and went on to earn a Certificate in Winemaking from UC Davis. John is new to winemaking but he wisely built an all-pro team including veteran viticulturist Michael Anderson and famed winemaker James MacPhail (Tongue Dancer Wines). Exprimere will eventually add other varietals to their offerings while continuing the concept of creating two wines from the same vineyard source with differing winemaking techniques.
Tasting Note
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of red cherry and boysenberry with supporting notes of strawberry, slate, and five spice. The palate echoes the nose delivering a red fruit-driven core with flavors of red plum, pomegranate, oak, and baking spices. The finish is long and lingering with ripe tannins. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture.
How to Serve
We love the easy charm of this wine and it needs nothing but a glass. As a food pairing you can't beat prime rib or pan-seared duck breast.
Price: $ 96
BevX Review: http://bevx.com/wine-detail/?id=4426
