Guest blogger Glenn Sudnick is the wine consultant at our Jupiter store.

A large, warm “Welcome to Laetitia Vineyard” sign greeted me and my ABC Fine Wine & Spirits colleagues to Laetitia Vineyard, located in Arroyo Grande, California. Upon arriving, Amy Zurgas, Kathleen Robinson, Ken Amendola and I were escorted into the wine tasting room and celebrated our arrival by toasting with Laetitia’s wonderful Brut Rosé sparkling, which highlights their passion for the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes; soft floral aromas and hints of ripe red berries are prominent features of this elegant wine.

Jackie Ross, Sales & Marketing Coordinator, introduced us to Carmen Hickey, the mother of Eric Hickey, who is the president and head wine maker at Laetitia Vineyards. Carmen played host to our group, introducing us to people around the vineyard, arranging our barbecue dinner, directing hors d’oeuvres—she was essentially the mother of the vineyard. She gave us our first introduction to the property and to Eric Hickey.

Laetitia Vineyard is a fascinating vineyard with Pinot Noir grape vines that seem to be endless, and Eric Hickey carries a sense of confidence that make you feel the grapes are in great hands. But the one who is the true steward of the vineyard is Lino Bozzano, Vice President of Vineyard Operations.
After being with Laetitia since 2004, his knowledge of the 620 acres of vines is remarkable, including Chardonnay, Syrah, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris. Lino and Eric work closely with each other to grow quality grapes for their wines.

My biggest pleasure was to taste the Pinot Noir grape during the harvest. What I found is that the grapes tasted differently in different places of the vineyard. This is due to many factors, namely the mineral content in the soil. One of the greatest surprises was that when you have quality grapes, the process from grape to wine doesn’t detract from the taste of the grape; it has
the same profile in the wine. Some of the grapes I tasted were designated for our very own Laetitia Harvest Moon Ranch Pinot Noir Reserve!

This Pinot Noir wine goes to the “head of the class” with the noticeably rich dark fruit, complexity and spice. Silky tannin and a smooth texture combine with ripe raspberry. There is an abundance of jam on the
mid-palate. 

I have never before been treated with such grace and hospitality. I hope you will have the pleasure of drinking any wine from this extraordinary vineyard.