Tasting Notes: 

The 2023 ‘Amy and Peter Made This’ is a Pinot Noir from a vineyard site in the western Sta. Rita Hills. Aged for 9 months in neutral French oak, this wine is refreshing cherry fruit-driven, spice-driven nose, ginger, and sage, with a balance of tannin and acidity.

Amy and Peter/ Holus Bolus / The Joy Fantastic: 

With a shared love for wine and the land that produces it, Peter Hunken & Amy Christine launched Holus Bolus in 2005, with a commitment to releasing small batches of refined, artisanal wines, made from Chardonnay, Roussanne, Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.

Pinot Noir: 

Pinot Noir is also a cool climate grape, which makes it unlike any of the other classic red varieties. And it is able to ripen relatively quickly in cooler climes because of its thin skins. It is those thin skins that lead to lighter wines with minimal pigmentation and lighter tannins. While tannins normally provide the structure for most red wines, Pinot Noir acid serves this purpose instead.

The best Pinot Noirs showcase flavors of warm cherries, damp earth, mushrooms, chocolate, leather, and dried leaves. And among all that, they are driven by a central core of acidity, which is one of the reasons they are some of the most flexible wines for food. One of the best ways I have heard Pinot described is as a white wine in red clothing. It is essentially the best of both worlds, the clean, bright acidity of a white wine mixed with the complexity of fruit and earth of a red.

Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara:

Sta. Rita Hills is a sub-region of the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA, located between the towns of Lompoc and Buellton with the Purisima Hills to the north and the Santa Rosa Hills to the south. Sta. Rita Hills is one of the smallest AVAs in California.

Sta. Rita Hills is closer to the equator than any European wine-growing region and by all logic should be far too hot to grow cool-climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Sta. Rita Hills is bordered by an East-West mountain range and that mountain range is what’s key. It’s one of only 3 like it in the world. The mountains that border the Sta. Rita Hills pull the fog from the Pacific Ocean on the eastern edge of the AVA’s border straight into the valley. This fog and ocean breeze help moderate the summer heat, lengthening the growing season and allowing the grapes to ripen slowly without developing mold. This combination of elements creates an ideal cool-climate region for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Wines from here are known for big red fruit, spice, and a nice balance of tannins. There is a saying among the locals “tastes like Sta. Rita Hills.” it is that distinction that has grown the area's fame over the past 20-plus years. 

Food & Wine Pairing: 

Pinot Noir goes well with so many things, from a cheese plate to a piece of grilled meat, from chicken to fish. They are especially lovely with mushrooms, other vegetables and anything else with a little earthy note. But the beauty of Pinot is that there are so many different styles and they are endlessly adaptable.