2024 Samuel Louis Smith, Pinot Noir, Michaud Vineyard, Chalone AVA, Monterey County.
I really enjoyed this new release of Pinot from Sam Smith at his Samuel Louis Wines, coming off the Michaud Vineyard in the chalky soils of Chalone, it is a deep ruby hued effort with subtle perfume, mineral tones and a bright fresh purity of fruit, showing off black cherry, red currant and brambly raspberry on the silken medium bodied palate. The background here gives the classic chalky stony element you’d want from this historic region and there’s hints of rose petals, sage brush, tea spices, delicate wood notes and orange rind, all making for a poised and elegant Pinot Noir that has some whole cluster energy and low alcohol finesse. Samuel Louis Smith is a micro-négociant label, now based in the Santa Cruz Mountains, focused on some of the coolest sites of the Central Coast, most with Mountainous terroir and organic viticulture. As with this wine, Smith uses minimal intervention in the cellar, explaining these things are tenets of his brand. The collection includes Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, and cool-climate Syrah (mostly single varietal versions) sourced from Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Santa Cruz, with a set of small batch grower fizz, Champagne style sparkling wines as well, that I really must explore myself, but are very rare items. There’s a lot of youthful excitement in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with Madson, Ryan Alfaro at Farm Cottage and Sam Smith and Samuel Louis Smith wines being labels to watch. This Fall release, was just a 50 case, 2 barrel offering, that is going out to Smith’s mailing list soon.
Sam Smith, as he notes, is dedicated to sourcing fruit from the most distinctive, sustainably and organically farmed vineyards, highlighting the best of the Central Coast’s mostly cool climate mountainous sites. Smith, who produces about 1,000 cases annually, recently added this Michaud Chalone Pinot to his lineup, but is well known for his stylish Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gamay and Syrah wines, which are critically acclaimed small lot offerings. Over the last 10 years I’ve watched Smith and his wines closely, having tasted many of his early efforts, and I can say his successes are well earned and I particularly love his Spear Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay and his Syrah bottlings, which are definitely rival the best from California, so it was great to briefly catch up with him and finish off this bottle of Michaud Pinot! I also, can’t not mention his efforts at Morgan Winery, where he was head winemaker from 2017 to 2023, and especially his 2023s at Morgan, which were absolutely outstanding, as seen by my reviews here. Smith, who started in Santa Barbara, and did small shifts with some familiar names down there, came up to Monterey County and Santa Cruz in 2016 has build up good following and each vintage since has gotten better and better, with his own label stuff in 2023 and 2024 reaching elite levels of quality, these are wines to reach out and I highly recommend joining his mailing list. The Michaud Pinot, which saw partial whole cluster, 50%, and saw mainly neutral French oak, but 33% new, adding some opulence, is a solid expression of Chalone and will definitely appeal to the enthusiasts and do not miss Smith’s Chardonnays, trust me, they are incredibly exciting wines!
($55 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive