2023 Union Sacré, Pinot Noir, Monterey County.
After just trying and reviewing their Carbonic Sangiovese, I am enjoying Union Sacré’s new and delightful Pinot Noir, which is in the same quaffable and juicy mode, with a heightened carbonic style, almost Beaujolais like personality in the glass and is really best served with a chill. This vivid ruby red Pinot Noir was exclusively whole berry fermented and raised in cement vat, which brings out extreme purity of form, but less austere than steel, allowing also for a more rounded creamy mouth feel in a lighter/brighter framed wine. This floral 2023 is showing off a Jolly Rancher candied cherry, crushed raspberry, strawberry and tangy cranberry fruit, along with hints of bubble gum, red apple skin, rosewater, garden herbs, vibrant orange, a bit of watermelon and delicate mineral accents. Union Sacré is noted for their focus on elegant, single vineyard, single Alsatian noble varietal wines, this include dry styled Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir. They also explore seriously other grapes from the Central Coast like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, plus some fun extras such as the mentioned Sangiovese, a couple of white Alsatian blends, a skin contact white, a Rosé and this unique version of Pinot Noir. The Monterey, breezy and marine influence long growing season adds dimension, with ripe fruit, but with a lively freshness that shines through here, especially in this exceptionally cool vintage that delivered elegance and electric vibrancy throughout a huge range of varietals.
Union Sacré, A tiny micro winery owned by Philip Muzzy and French winemaker Xavier Arnaudin, from the Rhône, who formed in 2014, calls Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties home, and again as mentioned they are known for their Alsace styled whites, which I first tried with their 2016 “Fraulein” Riven Rock Vineyard Riesling. The Union Sacré wines, which they say are made for the tables of friends, made by these two friends, from different continents, Xavier and Philip, who arrived at the Central Coast from opposite ends of the Earth, as they note, Xavier is a WSET certified, oenology degree holder from France, Philip is a self-taught designer from Michigan who kind of misses living in a van. Between the two of them, Xavier and Philip have 35+ years experience working in Central Coast wineries, and Xavier has made wine with some of the Central Coast’s most notable wineries, including Sans Liege, Arcadian and Herman Story, adding to the pedigree here at Union Sacré. This 2023 Monterey Pinot Noir has lots to admire in a non pretentious way, it is more fun and easy to love than most in this price range, even though it isn’t something you’d want to bury in the cellar, it is something, with low alcohol (13.1%) you’d want to enjoy with Summer picnics and Beach meals. I understand this wine was sourced from a single vineyard, Rancho Solo, at the foot of the Gabilan Mountains, where the grapes grow in an alluvial fan of decomposed limestone and granitic sand, which explains the expressive fruit and retained acidity here.
($26 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive