A pair of Pinot Noirs from Roar winery puts the differences of location on display.

Gary Franscioni is guided by a general principle when making wine. “We don’t beat it up,” he explains. “We don’t mess with it.”

That rule allows the wine to express its Santa Lucia Highlands terroir, which one can sample by comparing a pair of Franscioni’s 2024 Roar Pinot Noirs. The first is from the Sierra Mar Vineyard, a relatively young plot planted in 2007, perched at 1,100 feet in elevation, where the grapes experience warmer days and cool nights. It shows soft fruit on the nose with only whispers of damp soil and minerality. A sip reveals more intense sensations of dark berries, with enough restraint to maintain the varietal’s vaunted poise. Within this are notions of cask vanilla and gentle minerality.

Rosella’s Vineyard not only is more established – planted in 1996 – it also sits at a lower elevation. The fog that rolls over the region means more time on the vine for grapes to mature, which produces an elegant wine. Aromas of raspberries on the bush and ripe cherries with a floral undertone invite you in. On the palate, this fruit profile proves to be rich and calm, resting over impressions of tropical flowers and the earthiness of mushrooms.

While the blend of Pinot clones are slightly different, winemaker Scott Shapley aged both in 100-percent French oak over 10 months. The 2024 from Sierra Mar is available now. Rosella’s will be released in September. But it’s hard to go wrong either way.

As Franscioni says, “We make wines we like to drink. Why wouldn’t you?”

ROAR, (800) 540-7627, roarwines.com