2021 Dragonette Cellars Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills 750 ml

Dragonette is quite possibly our favorite California Pinot Noir. It’s the one that we share with friends and family on special occasions, and we would put it up there with icons like Sea Smoke, Rhys, and RAEN, and Radio-Coteau.

We’re certainly not alone. Jeb Dunnuck has called Dragonette “world-class,” while Antonio Galloni of Vinous once dubbed them “one of the most fascinating wineries in the Central Coast.”

Dragonette’s 2021 Pinot Noir from the Radian Vineyard is another stunning bottling from one of their signature sites—a vineyard so magnificent that the owners of Screaming Eagle purchased it in 2014. Aromatic, lush, and luxurious, the wine boasts a 96-point score from James Suckling, and few doubt that equally impressive numbers will roll in from Dunnuck, Galloni, and others. Put simply, this is a wine of triple-digit-price quality.

Dragonette continues to work with six distinct vineyard blocks at the Radian Vineyard, which sits on the former Rancho Salsipuedes site (loosely translated to "get out while you can”). Radian is a challenging, cold, windy site, where vines dig into crushed white rocks—ancient diatomaceous soils that contain large chunks as light as feathers. 

The plants struggle in these conditions, producing tiny clusters of small berries that yield a concentrated but perfectly fresh wine with a racy brightness. Grown in the gorgeous 2021 vintage, this is take-your-breath-away Pinot Noir that belongs in the conversation with the best of California. 

When we started offering Dragonette, the winery was a well-kept secret. Demand goes up every year, and we’re always grateful to owners John and Steve Dragonette and Brandon Sparks-Gillis for every allocation we can share with you.