Lumen wines. You may not have heard of this little wine label that could come from Santa Barbara County, but chances are, you’ll want to, especially after you taste this earthy fruit bomb that is the 2021 Mad King Pinot Noir.
Seriously… this wine has a crazy history of wild vines, untamed tresses, and survival skills that beat any contestant on Naked & Afraid. It comes from an abandoned vineyard in the heart of Santa Maria Valley that Lumen owner Will Henry stumbled across by chance. What’s so wild and crazy about this vineyard? Let me tell you…
When Henry found it, it hadn’t seen water (other than what little California weather provides), added nutrients, pruning, or spraying of any kind for over a year. It was simply a meandering plot of vines that did what it wanted, when it wanted (it’s giving serious Leo vibes).
Henry took it over and pulled the tiny berries off the vines during the 2021 harvest. The tiny berries were a gift. Given the skin-to-juice ratio, they harnessed incredible terroir-driven attributes, producing a surprisingly robust bottle of pinot. Winemaker Lane Tanner knew the tannin levels would be high with such small berries, so she chose to destem the fruit before fermentation. Still, if you’ve ever chewed on grape stems (sorry, is this not something everyone has done…?), you’ll get a hint of that underipe but potent green magic. Not so much that you feel your mouth is drying and your teeth are coated, but enough to present a more rugged and round style of Pinot Noir.
Despite the unusual tannic nature of this wine, it also has those perfect pinot fruit influences of strawberry, cranberry, and sour cherry that Burgundian-Pinot lovers will dig. And the floral aromas that hit the nose are… ugh, you want to swim in the glass. It is well-rounded, it is easy drinking, and it is UN. FOR. GETTABLE.
This brand-new wine hasn’t quite hit the market outside the tasting room yet, but when it does, it’s well worth the bottle price.
