Sante Arcangeli Pinot Noir Integrato Santa Cruz Mountains 2024

This small Santa Cruz producer never ceases to impress – making beautifully fine, finessed, and complex Pinot Noir that drinks far and well beyond their price point. This powerful barrel selection 2024 Pinot Noir comes from five Santa Cruz Mountain vineyards and has 95 points – and it’s incredibly under $30! 

John Benedetti grew up watching his father collect and stow away fine French and California wines in the cellar beneath their family store in the ‘70s. His interest was piqued, and he went on to learn how to brew beer in his teens and 20s before segueing to wine in his 30s. It was then that he decided to make the jump into starting his own winery, named after his great-grandfather as a way of honoring all those in his family who created a pathway for him to pursue his passion for exceptional wines.

“Benedetti is a strong, consistent advocate for the common goal of elevating the overall quality of winemaking in the region, and it shows in the bottle. A thoughtful, careful winemaker, his Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are pure and honest. Benedetti is flexible and adaptive in his practices in the winery, making what he calls ‘game-day decisions.’ He adjusts harvest times, punch-down routines, élevage and whole cluster inclusion on a site-by-site, vintage-by-vintage basis.” – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

This 2024 Integrato (“integrated”) takes fruit from five vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains – Saveria, Sunny Knoll, Lester, Split Rail, and Coast Grade – blending a mix of clones Martini, Mt. Eden, Pommard, and several different Dijon clones. John tasted and selected the best juice from each vineyard to pull into this cuvee and make this barrel selection wine, which, after 10 months, ages another 8 months on the lees.

The final wine is powerful and fruit-forward, with aromas of roasted strawberries, cherry jam, and sandalwood prancing from the glass. The palate brings with it juicy notes of black cherry and blood orange with savory undertones of za’atar, mossy earth, lemon zest, and peppercorn, adding a properly pleasant kick to balance the bold fruit. It’s well-structured and captivatingly generous, with a lovely, long, and silky-fresh finish – and easily passes for a bottle at least double the price. For lovers of bolder, layered Pinots, this is an easy one to bring home, and lots of it!

PAIRING IDEAS: These smoky chipotle chicken enchiladas offer a flavorful, peppery complement to this rich Pinot Noir, gorgeously pulling out both the fruit and earthy elements.