2016 Morgado Cellars Pinot Noir Rita’s Crown Sta. Rita Hills

On a sunny weekend last October, we took a drive to Half Moon Bay for a beach picnic with some friends. With a cooler (let’s be honest, no one uses baskets anymore) full of charcuterie, cheese, three dozen oysters, and entirely too much wine, we set up camp, eager to get lost in the sound of the crashing waves. Finding a little-known Pinot Noir from one of the finest vineyards in Sta. Rita Hills was the last thing we expected that day… 

It was our friend Jay, a self proclaimed “Pinot Noir nut” who introduced us to Morgado Cellars’ 94-point Rita’s Crown Pinot Noir. After opening a rare grower Champagne, a shockingly vibrant Albariño, and some downright delicious Cru Beaujolais, we did a double take when we heard Jay say, “Ok let’s get to the good stuff now.” Then we remembered who we were talking to. Jay pulled the 2016 Rita’s Crown Pinot Noir from the cooler with a smile on his face. “I’m friends with the winemaker,” he told us, “she learned working at Bevan Cellars, now her wines are just as good!” 

Jay wasn’t kidding. The 2016 Morgado Cellars matched Bevan’s $80 2016 Rita’s Crown offering and outpointed Chateau Boswell’s $125 bottle. The main difference is today’s exclusive 28% discount. $60 at the winery. $43 per bottle and down to $37 on cases, there’s no better deal on premium Pinot Noir. 

The 2016 Rita’s Crown is deep and dark, almost Cabernet-like in style, masterfully crafted, and brimming with charisma. Jeb Dunnuck called it “a rock star Pinot Noir,” and a “smoky, rich, powerful wine,” while Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate hailed a “gorgeous perfume of chocolate-covered cherries, black raspberries and redcurrants with hints of violets and rose hip tea.” 

It was grown on Rita’s Crown Vineyard, one of the highest-elevation and most revered sites in the Pinot Noir hotbed that is Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County. Here, fog from the nearby Pacific rolls in to cool the grapes, while maritime winds keep them dry. Mineral-rich diatomaceous soils are deposited on a dramatic south-facing slope, providing excellent drainage and yielding tiny but extraordinarily concentrated berries. 

As Morgado winemaker Kimberly Hatcher later told us, “The extreme conditions of wind and lack of rain along with the moon dust soil keeps the yield so low, but the trade off is amazing complexity and flair.” In short, Pinot Noir absolutely thrives here, which is why the likes of Bevan, Chateau Boswell, WALT, Byron, and Morgado have all chosen this site for vineyard-designate wines. 

When we returned home from our trip to Half Moon Bay, Jay put us in touch with Kimberly. We weren’t surprised to hear that there was very little of the 2016 Rita’s Crown to go around. Only 150 cases were made. As we learned, in addition to being a top-scoring winemaker, Kimberly also works full-time as a firefighter with the San Francisco Fire Department. Suffice it to say, she has no time for sales calls and lining up distribution. She’s more than content to let us do that, and we’re happy to oblige.

In fact, Kimberly all but ensured that our allocation will fly off the shelves, offering us an exclusive discount on this stunning wine. 

Today, everyone wins. 

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 15.10%
• Enjoy right away
• Now – 2028
• % Pinot Noir
• Serving temperature – 58°
• Cork