Longoria Wines: New Releases from Santa Barbara
Winemaker Rick Longoria produces small quantities of hand-crafted wines in the Santa Barbara County AVA. His wines are sourced from both estate and neighboring vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills and adjoining areas. Rick crafts several single vineyard Pinot Noirs as well as Syrah, Chardonnay and Spanish varietal wines. Total annual production is less than 4000 cases. His new releases are perhaps among the finest of wines from Longoria Wines that we have tasted in recent years.
Rick is one of the pioneers of the Santa Barbara wine region, having established his own wine label back in 1982. Before then he worked with California winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff at Buena Vista Winery. Rick was also the first winemaker to establish operations in the "Lompoc Wine Ghetto," an industrial complex where many local producers have established tasting rooms for their wines. In 1998 he planted Pinot Noir vines at his first vineyard Fe Ciega, which is now the source of one of his most outstanding wines.
Longoria wines are generally earthy in character and require decanting for maximum drinking pleasure. Some of the wines, especially those from the Fe Ciega and Bien Nacido vineyards, would also benefit from several years of cellaring.
Longoria Wines www.longoriawine.com 805-688-0305
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