Roar Wines Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2024 Red Wine

Roar Wines Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2024 

750 ml

96 pts. Wine Enthusiast, Editors’ Choice:

"As occasionally occurs, especially in the younger lives of wines, this appellation blend rivals the higher priced single-vineyard expressions. Cohesively combined aromas of berry, cherry, rose and elderflower are elegantly arranged on the nose. The palate is smooth yet energetic, as the tannins firm into the finish to frame black cherry and lush spice flavors."

95 pts. Jeb Dunnuck:

"As with the appellation Chardonnay, the 2024 Pinot Noir is a barrel-selection of the vineyard designates, a 20-plus barrel blend, and the producer’s biggest production, flagship wine. Rich red berry and baking spice meet a less tightly structured, more giving, full-bodied expression of the overall place, with elements of forest and tea around well-integrated tannins and oak, less of it new. Drink now through 2030."

93 pts. James Suckling:

"Juicy, expressive aromas of red cherries, raspberries, dried flowers and spices with an herbal undertone. The midweight palate offers fine-grained tannins and bright acidity with a supple, easy-flowing finish. Drink or hold."

No one knows the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA better than Roar's founder Gary Franscioni. In 1996 he planted Rosella's Vineyard, named after his wife. The following year he and Gary Pisoni planted Garys' Vineyard. Both vineyards' Pinot Noir grapes are of the best quality and are highly sought-after by many wineries. Of course, since he owns the vineyards, he gets first choice of the grapes that he’ll use for his Pinots. The best grapes combined with a talented winemaker result in consistently delicious Roar Pinot Noirs! - Wine Factor

FROM THE WINERY

APPELLATION

The Santa Lucia Highlands AVA benefits from a rare combination of abundant sunshine and a powerful cooling influence from Monterey Bay’s deep submarine canyon. The daily afternoon winds, reaching up to 25 mph, slow down ripening, enhance phenolic development, and create wines with exceptional depth, balance, and aging potential. The long growing season, free from the threat of fall rains, allows winemakers to achieve optimal ripeness while preserving vibrant acidity.

WINEMAKER NOTES

This Santa Lucia Highlands blend captures the full breadth of the appellation, drawing from vineyards that stretch twelve miles from the cool north to the warmer south. Aromas of cherry, leather, and sagebrush set the tone. The medium-full palate layers red and black cherry with mushroom, pencil shavings, and a thread of dark cola. Bright acidity and citrus rind bring lift and contrast, balancing the wine’s juicy core and finishing with the feeling of hiking through the Highlands.

VINTAGE SUMMARY

The 2024 vintage opened with a return to normal winter rainfall at approximately 13 inches. While our region remains inherently cool, the summer brought a run of 85+ degree days compared to especially cool recent vintages like 2023 and 2025. A brief burst of heat around Labor Day initiated harvest in our earlier-ripening blocks, and was followed by a cool, steady Fall that extended hangtime and allowed flavors to deepen. These conditions produced a harvest that unfolded in two distinct phases: early lots offered vibrant, juicy fruit with bright natural acidity, while later lots had developed concentrated flavors and richer textures. Together, these contrasting components created exceptional blending opportunities in the cellar.

Winemaker: Scott Shapley

Appellation: Santa Lucia Highlands

Farming: Sustainable (SIP Certified)

Harvest: August 31 - October 2, 2024

Clones: 667, Pisoni Clone, Calera, 23, Swan, 943, Pommard

Oak: 100% French oak, 48% new

Aging: 10 months in barrel

Acid: 3.67 pH

Alcohol: 14.8%