The 2012 Pinot Noir Fe Ciega, which comes from the western, cooler part of the Sta. Rita Hills, is a drop-dead gorgeous effort that has both richness and tension. Showing classic forest floor, wild fennel, herbs and black raspberry and sweet cherry fruit, it hits the palate with medium-bodied weight, integrated acidity and a layered, elegant feel that’s hard to resist. This is very pretty, and it should shine for upward of a decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

This is relatively grapey on the nose and doesn’t have its usual depth and unique aromatic profile; this of course may develop with a few years in bottle because Fe Ciega is consistently one of the most distinctive wines made from the SRH AVA. There is a lovely mouth feel to the delicious, generous and relatively opulent flavors that deliver good if not special depth and length on the ever-so-slightly warm finale. The ’12 Fe Ciega is a bit of an enigma at present because the underlying material is clearly present but it would be fair to say that it’s not at its usual level, at least not yet. My score offers the benefit of the doubt based on its excellent track record. 2022+