Birichino Saint Georges Pinot Noir Central Coast 2024
From the winery:
The template for Saint Georges has not deviated significantly over the past several years. The Besson Family’s decades-old plantings of very small berried pinot noir on decomposed granite and clay at their two ranches off the inland slope of the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains contribute the majority of the volume here as usual. Though not particularly altitudinous, these sites contribute an undeniable cool, alpine quality to Pinot Noir here, an effect augmented by the cool temperatures and slow, prolonged ripening arc of 2024. One might suspect a band of itinerant botanicals foragers camped for the night at the cellar, leaving behind a trail of vaporous tinctures in their wake. One would never mistake the western edge of Gilroy for Valle d’Aosta, but …
To the register of expansive red floral notes from Besson, we add approximately 20% of more muscular, brooding, deeply-flavored old selections of pinot from two vineyards planted 1600' and 1800’ up in the Chalone AVA, and at 1000' up just over the Gabilan Mountains in the remote Lime Kiln Valley. These sites, all on a rare combination of limestone, dolomite and granite, together bring exceptionally textured depth and lifted aromatics to this dynamic Central Coast bottling.
Fermentation averaged about 35% whole cluster, with a higher proportion of the Chalone and Lime Kiln Valley lots left whole, and after several days in stainless and bins, native fermentation got going, and we put a preliminary blend down to neutral barrel in October. We racked just once when final barrel selections were made, prior to bottling unfiltered in May of 2025.
The New York Times, 20 Wines for the Thanksgiving Table, Eric Asimov, November 2025
"Alex Krause and John Locke of Birichino have been making terrific wines from the Central Coast for almost 20 years. The Saint Georges Pinot Noir is an excellent value. Its darker fruit is an elegant contrast to the brighter Kelley Fox pinot noir from Oregon. It speaks of California, yet the wine is focused, fresh, and complex."
91 Pts, Wine Advocate, Aug 2025
"Once again, the 2024 Pinot Noir Saint Georges presents one of the best Pinot Noir value propositions in the Central Coast. A poised and pretty nose of red and black fruits with woody, balsamic accents is followed by an elegantly lush palate, concluding with a fresh, balanced finish."- Matthew Luczy
91 Points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2026 "This is a somewhat wild wine, capturing the spirit of its namesake and the rugged nature of the landscape where its grown. A bit cloudy in the glass, the wine starts with aromas of raspberry compote, rose petal and lavender on the tart nose. The palate picks up cranberry, sour cherry and sumac flavors as hints of pine needle and tarragon add depth." — Matt Kettmann
Original: $26.99
-70%$26.99
$8.10
Description
From the winery:
The template for Saint Georges has not deviated significantly over the past several years. The Besson Family’s decades-old plantings of very small berried pinot noir on decomposed granite and clay at their two ranches off the inland slope of the southern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains contribute the majority of the volume here as usual. Though not particularly altitudinous, these sites contribute an undeniable cool, alpine quality to Pinot Noir here, an effect augmented by the cool temperatures and slow, prolonged ripening arc of 2024. One might suspect a band of itinerant botanicals foragers camped for the night at the cellar, leaving behind a trail of vaporous tinctures in their wake. One would never mistake the western edge of Gilroy for Valle d’Aosta, but …
To the register of expansive red floral notes from Besson, we add approximately 20% of more muscular, brooding, deeply-flavored old selections of pinot from two vineyards planted 1600' and 1800’ up in the Chalone AVA, and at 1000' up just over the Gabilan Mountains in the remote Lime Kiln Valley. These sites, all on a rare combination of limestone, dolomite and granite, together bring exceptionally textured depth and lifted aromatics to this dynamic Central Coast bottling.
Fermentation averaged about 35% whole cluster, with a higher proportion of the Chalone and Lime Kiln Valley lots left whole, and after several days in stainless and bins, native fermentation got going, and we put a preliminary blend down to neutral barrel in October. We racked just once when final barrel selections were made, prior to bottling unfiltered in May of 2025.
The New York Times, 20 Wines for the Thanksgiving Table, Eric Asimov, November 2025
"Alex Krause and John Locke of Birichino have been making terrific wines from the Central Coast for almost 20 years. The Saint Georges Pinot Noir is an excellent value. Its darker fruit is an elegant contrast to the brighter Kelley Fox pinot noir from Oregon. It speaks of California, yet the wine is focused, fresh, and complex."
91 Pts, Wine Advocate, Aug 2025
"Once again, the 2024 Pinot Noir Saint Georges presents one of the best Pinot Noir value propositions in the Central Coast. A poised and pretty nose of red and black fruits with woody, balsamic accents is followed by an elegantly lush palate, concluding with a fresh, balanced finish."- Matthew Luczy
91 Points, Editor's Choice, Wine Enthusiast, Feb 2026 "This is a somewhat wild wine, capturing the spirit of its namesake and the rugged nature of the landscape where its grown. A bit cloudy in the glass, the wine starts with aromas of raspberry compote, rose petal and lavender on the tart nose. The palate picks up cranberry, sour cherry and sumac flavors as hints of pine needle and tarragon add depth." — Matt Kettmann
