Professor Bainbridge...on law, politics, religion, culture & food

Hitching Post Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County 2000

The Hitching Post is a steakhouse in Buellton, CA, that runs a winery on the side. Or, maybe it's the other way around. Either way, they do a great job. HP is a pinor noir specialist, with a number of istinct bottlings. This is the basic wine -- a county level AVA label (Santa Barbara county). One notch up is the Santa Maria Valley AVA level, and above that are several single-vineyard lots. Personally, I don't find that much difference between the various labels. HP rarely knocks me off my feet, the way truly great pinot noir can. But they make fairly priced, highly reliable, early drinking, eminently quaffable wines. (The good wife is not a pinot noir fan; a small flaw in an otherwise estimable person, which has the upside of leaving more for your reporter.) The 2000 started out pretty tannic for HP pinot, but is softening up nicely. I think it will hold until around 2006 or so. Good medium-light cherry color. (Kind of like cherry cola, but without the bubbles.) Strong nose of cola, game, earth, and dark cherries. Smooth on the palate, but still showing some tannins. A slightly syrah-like note of raw beef. Grape stems steeped in tea. Good grip on a medium-length finish. Grade: B