Bright and fresh on the palate, red berries, and earthy background. Drink now through 2030+.
Metrick is the CA project of former sherry bottler Alex Russan. Metrick wines are elegant, and fresh, and seeking to craft wines that represent their origins. The wines are natural or low intervention. Rancho la Viña may be Santa Barbara County’s most beautiful vineyard, and one with rare characteristics, leading to unique, earthy wines.
Soils/Climate
Clay and sandy loam soils with good, shaley diatomaceous earth content. The climate is cool, rarely getting much above 90F. Winds constantly blow in from the nearby Pacific. The vineyard is in the southeast corner of the Sta Rita Hills.
Viticulture
No exterior leaves were pulled to minimize direct sunlight on the grapes (to encourage acid retention and earthier aromatics). No pesticides were used in Metrick rows during growing season.
Winemaking
Spontaneous fermentations, destemmed/whole berry, in open top fermenters, 1-2 pump-overs per day, aged in neutral oak, bottled unfined and unfiltered.
There are two goals with Metrick. First, to make fresh and elegant wines that represent their vineyard origins. Second, to test techniques and theories on how to best craft wines so that they most accurately represent their vineyards. It’s a very personal exploration for me. In addition to winemaking, I write for various wine publications about wine science and the nature of terroir. Previously I owned Alexander Jules, a Spanish wine import company focused on rare grapes and selected sherries. Being interested in rare grapes, I crossbreed new varieties, though they’re still a few years away from their first fruit.
Vineyards are selected with the hope they will lead to the type of wine I want to make: high-toned, “mineral” whites and earthier, herbal reds; both with good acid. The vineyards usually have marked coastal influence. Cellar practices aim to encourage the grapes to best express their terroir, and to encourage stability and longevity. Specific approaches to this always change, and there is no formula. First and foremost this means crafting clean wines, free of defects which could otherwise eclipse vineyard and grape character. As of 2019 the only additive used is (a low dose of) SO2. Acid is only added on the rare occasion that a wine’s acidity is too low to be microbially stable. Starting in 2019 all fermentations are spontaneous (prior to that I was in shared facilities, and felt it safest to inoculate with neutral cultured yeasts to avoid problems). The wines are aged either in neutral oak, concrete or stainless.
I hope you enjoy the wines as much as I enjoyed making them, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Found this article and video about another producer using this same vineyard. Mentions “6 rows of clone 114” so apparently there are different clones here used by others.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2019 Metrick Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir - $60 = 23.07%
We received this Pinot on Friday and let it sit for a couple days to rest from its travels. Upon pop and pour, cherries, rhubarb, and light alcohol. Very restrained in general. Light in color and very muted upon first sip. As my wife noted, “it is green and needs some decanting time”. First impressions were of a very drinkable Pinot that may go down way to easy.
We decanted for an hour and a half and made a second attempt. The wine has opened a little, not as much as I would have expected. Still very reserved and not as fruit forward as I had expected. The light alcohol is gone. The decanting did open it up some, with continued flavors of cherries, rhubarb, pomegranate, and adding in some orange in the back end. The nose has not really developed, however this is a VERY drinkable Pinot. Would recommend. In for a case.
I had the 2018 back in November. Keep in mind, I decant most reds for 4-6 hours or longer, aside from the rat bottles since folks like to know about pnp. From what I remember, this was a lovely wine. Not jammy, red fruit, earthy, flavors developed and had a depth. Very nice. Held up nicely on day 2
@chefjess Do you do that with older wines as well? And how do you know a wine will improve over that frame in a decanter? I find many wines shut down after some air and I never know if they’re going to open up later.
@klezman
I do tend to decant most reds, and the younger ones typically I like longer decanting times. There are exceptions. I also take an initial taste or two, and taste periodically, but in general, more times than not, I tend to find immediately opened bottles disjointed and unenjoyable and that 4-6 hour seems to be sweet spot. That’s just me. We all have different palates. The time varies. The varietal varies. The age varies. No hard and fast rule. If the wine develops to my liking over x time, I will pour back into the bottle and wait eagerly until it’s time to dive in. I’ve had some shut down 3-5 years after bottling, but very few that have shut down within the first ~8 hours with too much air. Lucky, I guess.
@tercerowines Per my conversation with my mother yesterday:
I am intrigued too. This winemaker sounds like a Clark Smith type guy, geeky and innovative. Klezman said he really enjoyed his bottles. I really wish wineries (SIC – correct me if I am wrong) that are debuting offered mix cases. Anyway, we are flush with wine, we will see…
Since then, crickets. Oh well. This seemed like it could have been a 80+ comment thread with winery participation. For example, is all the fruit from the vineyard you specified in writeup, but absent from any bottle shots? (Most vinters like to point out if it is from a single vineyard)
Someone else noted there are other clones grown, what makes yours different, on the site. So many geeky questions wasted with only 10 hours left.
This (and two others in the past month) would’ve been auto-buys for me, but 1, I’m full up (though I reorganized tonight and my sweetie commented on how much space there was), and 2, I forget to check every sale (because 1), and then come here and see that the thing that just finished was something I wanted, but the current thing is not my taste.
Hmm, just popped the first Metrick PN. A bit harsh for a PN with some zingy acidity. This is after an hour of ‘airin out’. Anyone still want 6? Tampa Fl here. Very like a Nacha PN 2015 from another clearing house that used to make great sauces with.
I wonder if anyone reads these notes after the buy?
2019 Metrick Pinot Noir, Rancho la Viña Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills
Tasting Notes
Soils/Climate
Viticulture
Winemaking
Specs
What’s Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$624.00/Case for 12x 2019 Metrick Pinot Noir, Rancho la Viña Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills at Metrick Wines
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Feb 6 - Tuesday, Feb 7
2019 Metrick Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir
3 bottles for $64.99 $21.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Had a three pack of Metrick from a Berserker Day auction - I enjoyed all three bottles!
@klezman Thanks…looks like he’s been at the last 3 BD…some chatter here
@klezman Was the 3 pack all Pinot or a mix? I was looking at them for the upcoming BD and see they do a Mencia which looks intriguing!
@ctmariner It was actually an auction. A Chard, Albarino, and Mourvedre.
Found this article and video about another producer using this same vineyard. Mentions “6 rows of clone 114” so apparently there are different clones here used by others.
https://www.samsarawine.com/rancho-la-vina-vineyard-sta-rita-hills/
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2019 Metrick Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir - $60 = 23.07%
We received this Pinot on Friday and let it sit for a couple days to rest from its travels. Upon pop and pour, cherries, rhubarb, and light alcohol. Very restrained in general. Light in color and very muted upon first sip. As my wife noted, “it is green and needs some decanting time”. First impressions were of a very drinkable Pinot that may go down way to easy.
We decanted for an hour and a half and made a second attempt. The wine has opened a little, not as much as I would have expected. Still very reserved and not as fruit forward as I had expected. The light alcohol is gone. The decanting did open it up some, with continued flavors of cherries, rhubarb, pomegranate, and adding in some orange in the back end. The nose has not really developed, however this is a VERY drinkable Pinot. Would recommend. In for a case.
I had the 2018 back in November. Keep in mind, I decant most reds for 4-6 hours or longer, aside from the rat bottles since folks like to know about pnp. From what I remember, this was a lovely wine. Not jammy, red fruit, earthy, flavors developed and had a depth. Very nice. Held up nicely on day 2
@chefjess Do you do that with older wines as well? And how do you know a wine will improve over that frame in a decanter? I find many wines shut down after some air and I never know if they’re going to open up later.
@klezman
I do tend to decant most reds, and the younger ones typically I like longer decanting times. There are exceptions. I also take an initial taste or two, and taste periodically, but in general, more times than not, I tend to find immediately opened bottles disjointed and unenjoyable and that 4-6 hour seems to be sweet spot. That’s just me. We all have different palates. The time varies. The varietal varies. The age varies. No hard and fast rule. If the wine develops to my liking over x time, I will pour back into the bottle and wait eagerly until it’s time to dive in. I’ve had some shut down 3-5 years after bottling, but very few that have shut down within the first ~8 hours with too much air. Lucky, I guess.
If anyone in the RI-MA-CT area would like to split a case, feel free to DM me!
So quiet out there - why oh why?
And where is Alex?
@tercerowines Per my conversation with my mother yesterday:
Since then, crickets. Oh well. This seemed like it could have been a 80+ comment thread with winery participation. For example, is all the fruit from the vineyard you specified in writeup, but absent from any bottle shots? (Most vinters like to point out if it is from a single vineyard)
Someone else noted there are other clones grown, what makes yours different, on the site. So many geeky questions wasted with only 10 hours left.
@tercerowines agreed it’s a huge missed opportunity
Finally caved for a 3 pack (ahead of BD)
/giphy blushing-labored-platypus
This (and two others in the past month) would’ve been auto-buys for me, but 1, I’m full up (though I reorganized tonight and my sweetie commented on how much space there was), and 2, I forget to check every sale (because 1), and then come here and see that the thing that just finished was something I wanted, but the current thing is not my taste.
Oh well.
Hmm, just popped the first Metrick PN. A bit harsh for a PN with some zingy acidity. This is after an hour of ‘airin out’. Anyone still want 6? Tampa Fl here. Very like a Nacha PN 2015 from another clearing house that used to make great sauces with.
I wonder if anyone reads these notes after the buy?
@brucenie I check the notes, but I’m on the other side of the country. Looks like you are going with a soft sell approach.
@davirom Ah
, a nice surprise.
After giving a second Metrick a chance I have come to the realization that it’s not very good.
@brucenie
For a benchmark, are there other PNs you particularly like or dislike?