Trail Marker Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mtns 2021

I suppose it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. Drew certainly got to cut his teeth with the best: Copain, DuMol, Kosta Browna all before becoming winemaker for Tuck Beckstoffer Wines.

But it was really his new bride Emily who convinced him to take the plunge with her into making their own wines. After all, they had no kids, no mortgage; now was the time for the big risk.

The house style is very much in line with my own palate, pure unadulterated fruit set against a perfectly balanced acid backbone. This is not only a gorgeous wine, it’s also at a criminally low price given the quantity and if the past is any indication of the future, these will be traded by collectors over the coming decade.

Galloni’s 93 point review is dead on: “The 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Cruz Mts. is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of the house style. Bright, lifted and wonderfully transparent, the 2021 is all class. Sweet spice and citrus accents complement a core of bright red-toned fruit. Whole cluster accents add layers of nuance. This is such a gorgeous Pinot.”