Pinot Noir
All over the county, from the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation to Carmel Valley to Arroyo Seco, local Pinot Noir crops are top-notch. Winemakers the world over call this varietal “fickle,” referring to the way the grape often behaves unpredictably in both the vineyard and in the cellar, as if it has a mind of its own. The style made locally is uniquely different from other Pinot-producing regions like Sonoma County, Anderson Valley, Oregon and even Burgundy, France, and some of the richest and most fruit-forward on the globe. No wonder it has dominated this category since its inception.