2024 Liquid Farm - Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills Radian Vineyard (750ml)

2024 Liquid Farm Pinot Noir — Radian Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills

The 2024 Liquid Farm Pinot Noir from Radian Vineyard represents a quintessential Sta. Rita Hills single‑vineyard expression, forged in the cool, coastal winds that carve depth and nerve into Santa Barbara County’s premier Pinot Noir. Liquid Farm, founded in 2009 by Nikki and Jeff Nelson, champions old‑world–inspired, terroir‑driven winemaking with minimal intervention, letting the vineyard’s character guide the wine. Winemaker James Sparks continues a philosophy of restraint, allowing precise vineyard work to define the style.

Terroir and vinification

• Radian Vineyard sits at the southwest tip of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, where cold nights and steady marine influence heighten acidity and complexity.
• The soils are notably rich in diatomaceous earth (pure silica), contributing piercing acidity and pronounced mineral character to the wine.
• Yields are exceptionally low, yielding a concentrated, nervy Pinot Noir with remarkable intensity.
• The wine spends 15 months aging in French oak, including 15% new barrels and 15% whole‑cluster inclusion, adding spice, structure, and textural depth.

Aromas, palate, and structure

On the nose, the wine delivers dark berry aromas with hints of scorched earth and graphite, signaling its mineral backbone. The palate unfolds with concentration and layering, showing vivid minerality and a finish that carries genuine length and tension—a testament to the site’s cooler climate and diatomaceous soils.

Food pairings and serving context

Best enjoyed now through 2036, this Pinot Noir shines alongside robust, savory dishes. Pair it with roasted lamb, duck breast with cherry reduction, or earthy mushroom preparations to match its mineral spine, bright acidity, and nuanced spice notes.