2021 Alta Maria Vineyards Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 750 ml

We don’t relish the idea of eating dinner at the office.

But at least when we have to pull a late night, we never lack for bottles to pair with takeout. And on very rare occasions, dipping into a case of samples yields a monumental discovery like the Alta Maria Pinot, a Santa Maria Valley find that offers gobs of character and flavor for a flat-out stunning value.

We can’t remember too much about the mushroom pizza we ordered in that night, but we can vividly recall every exquisite aromatic detail of the sensational 2021 Alta Maria Pinot Noir. From a new producer for Wine Access that came recommended by a friend, this wine conjures the essence of Santa Maria Valley in all its smoky, vibrant, mineral-driven beauty. It’s a sleeper hit from the phenomenal 2021 vintage.

This is a wine steeped in Santa Barbara pedigree, produced by a ninth-generation farmer who previously worked at world-renowned Bien Nacido Vineyard. It’s drawn off three classic Santa Maria Valley vineyards, including Rancho Ontiveros—which sources fruit to The Ojai Vineyard’s Adam Tolmach and Presqu’ile Wines—and Nielson Vineyard, a cool-climate, benchland site first planted in 1964.

There’s a reason Santa Maria Valley Pinots like this one are so highly treasured. The east-west mountain ranges sluice cold winds off the Pacific, fostering a subtropical climate for vineyards. Grapes achieve physiological maturity before sugars fully accumulate, allowing winemakers to pick at the height of vibrancy.

The Alta Maria winemaking team accentuates the wine’s inherent spicy, savory character with whole-cluster fermentation and aging in French oak. Sleek and sophisticated with a touch of old California wildness, it’s a wine that can elevate any meal.