January 16th – This varietal showcases delightful aromas of blossoms and fragrant tea to set the stage. On the palate, explosive notes of pomegranate and tart cherry gracefully lead to a captivating finale of dark currants and delightful hints of rosemary. The very fine chalky tannins add an elegant touch. The lingering finish unveils a harmonious blend of baking spices and earthy tobacco, generously accompanied by an alluring salinity. The Shining S, sits at an elevation of 1200 feet in the coastal hills west of Occidental. This property is exposed to the rugged nature of the West Sonoma Coast and is surrounded by native redwoods and oaks.
The Sloans have been in love with the Shining S property in the West Sonoma Coast since the mid-1990s. It was while Paul was working at Dutton Ranch and farming for them in this area. In 2014, they were thrilled to be hired to develop this majestic site in their unique Small Vines style of ultra high-density planting.
The Sloans waited 2 entire years for the roots to develop in this low-vigor site, and did not graft the vines until 2016. The roots develop slowly in this cool climate and delicate soils and have been in the ground for nine years now. They’re excited to give the Shining S brand a new life in a new location and bring it back to the family legacy – this time in regeneratively farmed wines.
The 2021 Shining S Vineyard West Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is available via allocation on Small Vines’ website.
About Small Vines
1600 Barlow Ln, Sebastopol, CA 95472
Inspired by a clear understanding of the quality of Burgundian-style winemaking, Paul and Kathryn Sloan, launched Small Vines in Sonoma County in 1998. The name reflects the simplicity of their underlying philosophy: smaller vines produce smaller and more intensely flavored grapes, and by extension, higher-quality wine. With a lifelong mission to produce “Grand-Cru” quality wines of authenticity, balance, and structure, Small Vines is 100% estate-grown and regeneratively produced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. From the beginning, Small Vines has worked in harmony with nature by farming organic, biodynamic wines, eliminating the use of chemicals, and using traditional methods of winemaking that are pure, transparent, and create naturally precise wines.
