Native9, Pinot Noir, Rancho Ontiveros Vineyards, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2012

About The Producer

“Native9 is the fulfillment of my own American story two centuries in the making. Tracing my roots back to the first men and women who settled in the Santa Maria Valley, I worked for hourly wages along with my parents to buy a small plot of land our ancestors’ 8,900-acre Mexican land grant: a modest cattle ranch where I planted my 8-acre vineyard and a panoramic view of the land that had once been our own. Planted in 1997 by my own two hands with the help of friends and family while I attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Rancho Ontiveros Vineyard is now considered one of the finest sites for Pinot Noir in California. As a natural extension of my deeply personal vision for this vineyard, Native9 is made in small lots with a nod to both Old World sensibilities and New World stylistic freedom with the help of my longtime friend and vetted winemaker, Paul Wilkins.
Though I wasn’t born into the wine industry by traditional means, I have vine-growing and farming in my blood. The name Native 9 reflects my gratitude to the generations of California farmers and ranchers who came before me."

James Ontiveros, Viticulturalist & Owner, Native9

Grape / Blend
Pinot Noir

Origin
Santa Maria Valley, Central Coast, California,

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
This vintage was 100% whole cluster fermented with each clone separately aged for 21 months in 20% new French Oak. In its youth, the wine from this vintage appears to be highly aromatic and nuanced with added structure for long-term aging of 10years or more. The delicate, old world nature of Pinot Noir shines through with classic character as if it were a wine from the Southern AOCs of Burgundy.

“I dedicated the phenomenal 2012 vintage to my grandfather, Alex. Alex was a 7th
Generation Californian, but more importantly, he was a favorite personality of so many who knew him. He was a local historian, dancer, teller of tales, and a great provider of hospitality with a great laugh. He didn’t grow up a rancher, cowboy, or farmer like generations prior, but instead worked in roles that allowed his wit, candor, and ornery humor to come through. My love and appreciation for hospitality, served up in a welcoming and light-hearted way, are attributes I learned from him, and there is no one I miss more. His last word to me was ‘GRAPES.’” – James Rey Ontiveros (generation 9)

In its youth, the wine from this vintage appears to be highly aromatic and nuanced with added structure for long term aging of 10 years or more. The delicate, old world nature of Pinot Noir shines through with classic character as if it were a wine from the Southern AOC's of Burgundy.

Product size: 750ml