Two Single-Vineyard Pinot Noirs from Fiddlehead Cellars

As if you didn't know, pinot noir is my favorite red grape.

Fiddlehead Cellars means winemaker Kathy Joseph, and her name conjures notions of thoughtful, meticulous treatment in the vineyard and the winery. A pinot noir specialist and a pioneer in the Sta. Rita Hills, Joseph also makes the best gruner veltliner wines in California. Joseph founded Fiddlehead Cellars in 1995, but she didn't get her own vineyard until 1996, when she acquired the land and planted Fiddlestix Vineyard in what would become the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, status officially granted in 2001. Sta. Rita Hills lies within the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA in Santa Barbara County. The hills in Sta. Rita run east-west, allowing sea-breezes and morning fog to penetrate the valleys. The combination of the coolness and the rocky terrain makes the area supremely appropriate for growing pinot noir grapes. Though Joseph sold Fiddlestix in 2021, the wines are still coming to market. She did not sell the brand, so Fiddlehead Cellars wines will continue to be produced, with her as winemaker.