The aroma is red cherries and red plums, with a hint of spice and toasty notes. In the mouth, you can feel smooth, silky tannins, a soft, mellow mouthfeel, and a subtle earthy nuance. The grapes used for this wine were grown in a vineyard in the Arroyo Seco operation in Monterey County. The soil is gravelly and sedimentary, lying beneath the Santa Lucia Mountains. The cool winds from Monterey Bay slow the ripening process, creating lively flavors. The rocky soil allows for good drainage, giving the grapes a concentrated flavor and a well-balanced ripeness and acidity. The winery was founded in the 1970s by German-Swiss immigrants Nicky and Gaby Hahn. Initially, they planted Cabernet and started winemaking, but in the 1980s, they replanted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which thrive in cooler environments, due to the influence of the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean and the deep, cold waters of Monterey Bay. In 1988, Nicky, convinced of the potential of this region, began working to have Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) recognized as an AVA, and it was finally recognized in 1995. Today, Santa Lucia Highlands is widely known as a renowned wine-producing region, especially for Pinot Noir. Today, the Hahn family owns six vineyards in Monterey County, four vineyards (260 hectares) in SLH, and two vineyards (184 hectares) in the Arroyo Seco AVA to the south, totaling 444 hectares of vineyards. Of this, 140ha is planted with Pinot Noir, accounting for 12% of SLH's entire Pinot Noir vineyards, making it the winery with the largest share. It also has the largest variety of clones in the region, currently cultivating 21 different Pinot Noirs. The combination of diverse soils, climates, amount of sunlight due to the slope direction, and clones allows for the creation of excellent Pinot Noir that cannot be imitated anywhere else, and the Pinot Noir expresses the individuality of the terroir of each of its own vineyards. In this region, the growing season is about 25 days longer than other grape-growing regions in California, and as a result, the grapes have a rich flavor, depth, structure, etc., producing a wonderful wine with a sense of concentration.