Sante Arcangeli Pinot Noir Integrato Santa Cruz Mountains 2024

Sante Arcangeli Pinot Noir Integrato Santa Cruz Mountains 2024This small Santa Cruz producer never ceases to impress making beautifully fine, finessed, and complex Pinot Noir that drinks far and well beyond their price point. This powerful barrel selection 2024 Pinot Noir comes from five Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards and has 95 points and its incredibly under $30! John Benedetti grew up watching his father collect and stow away fine French and California wines in the cellar beneath their family store in the 70s.

One of the estate’s early releases

river rocks so synonymous with the Châteauneuf du Pape region

now leading the domaine

and an unforgettable

long-aged Nebbiolo methods with modern precision for an elegant and highly cellarable wine

That they also make killer wines – including this 94 POINT beauty of a Chianti Classico – seems like a bonus

The 2023 Clos du Cellier Aux Moines is their flagship Pinot Noir that emanates both elegance and balance

and was once a part of the historic Niebaum estate where Inglenook was founded

and dark plum over espresso

including several high-scoring Chardonnays

tingly clove

Founder and somm-turned-winemaker Scott Schultz has said his vision is to make pretty wines from ugly vines