Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2022

With a nose dominated by ripe wild strawberries and tobacco spice, this wine is layered with soft aromas of tea leaf, cardamon and fine cured meats. A complexed yet mouthwatering wine.

Excellent with beef, duck, pasta in tomato sauce, pork and cheese.

Best served at 15 – 18°C.

Jim Milone, the winemaker has long-established roots in the North Coast region. A fourth-generation winegrower, his great grandfather established their first family winery in Hopland before Prohibition. Jim’s formal education included Santa Rosa Junior College and Humboldt State University, as well as winemaking courses through the University of California at Davis, however his real education began at a very young age learning the craft from winemakers who shared with him hard-won knowledge gained through decades of experience in the vineyards.

“The best part of experience and learning is being able to help someone by sharing what I have learned over the years”, says Jim.

Created in 2009, Matthew Fritz is a joint venture between Matt Bonanno of BonAnno Vintners and Fritz Stuhlmuller. Their approach was simple: combine their collective experience in winemaking, contacts with grape growers and wineries in the North Coast and produce wines of incredible value since they both felt that California wines were becoming ever dearer.

The Matthew Fritz wines are produced out of Healdsburg in Sonoma in 300 hectares of vineyard, with most of the grapes coming from Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Their goal is to produce wines that are authentic, clean and true to the varietal, which will not break the bank.

Red | Still | 75cl | 14.5% ABV | Contains sulphites

Cellaring: Drinking well now.

Vinification: Renowned winemaker, Jim Milone, crafts, blends and bottles Matthew Fritz in Healdsburg in Sonoma. Aged for 10 months in French oak before bottling, provides firm tannins and gives the wine undeniable backbone.