“From a rugged, windblown hilltop on the western rim appellation in the now fabled Santa Ynez Valley, Forbidden Fruit Orchards is Sandra Newman’s stunning 100-acre farm. In 2007 she planted 5 acres of Pinot Noir and 1 acre of Chardonnay. A scant 12 miles from the icy Pacific, her Cebada Vineyard enjoys cool nights and luxuriates in warm days; a perfect mesoclimate for the artisanal Burgundian-style wines she vinifies. Sandra, who carries a Bachelor and MSc in Plant Science, is a meticulous viticulturalist, and firmly believes in the winemaker’s adage that what happens in the vineyard is 90% of what ends up in the bottle. Her Pinot Noir and Chardonnay showcases a wine of tremendous finesse, with silky notes from the sandy loam soil, hints of sea air, and intense fruit complexity. These are small batch wines crafted with care and passion for my favorite grape variety in all the world: Pinot Noir.” -Rex Pickett, Author of Sideways and Vertical
Estate Chardonnay
Our Estate Chardonnay is grown on a southern slope just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean and enjoys the cool, coastal weather which preserves the natural acids in the wine without accumulating high sugar contents. We harvest three different Chardonnay clones, 17 (came from the Robert Young Vineyard in Alexander Valley. Its original source vines have often been referred to as “the Robert Young clone”, which was planted with budwood brought from the Wente vineyard in Livermore in the 1960’s), 37 (from Champagne Perrier-Jouet, France) and clone 72, Wente (Wente Vineyards’ Monterey County). We also harvest the chardonnay early with low pH and sugar content. Our Chardonnay is aged in some new and neutral oak barrels and then blended together before bottling.
Estate Pinot Noir
Our Estate Pinot Noir fruit is also grown on a southern slope just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The cool, coastal weather allows the fruit to slowly ripen, preserving the natural acids in the wine without accumulating high sugars. We grow four different clones of Pinot Noir. These clones are 02A (from Wädenswil, Switzerland), 115 (French clone from Champagne Perrier-Jouet, France,), Calera (Calera vineyard sourced by Josh Jensen from Aubert de Villaine at Domaine Romani Conti) and Pommard 4 (from Pommard, France, which is a wine region in the Côte de Beaune, subregion of Burgundy). They were selected for their unique flavor profiles and each year, the amount of fruit we harvest from these clones changes. We harvest our pinot when the pH and sugars are low so we don’t have to manipulate the wines. Our Pinot Noir gets aged in about one third new oak and two thirds neutral oak barrels. Then we blend all of our clones together to add complexity to the wines.
Estate Forbidden Fruit Libation
This unusal wine begins in midsummer when we handpick our organic bush ripened “Jewels”. Jewels are very thin skinned, and one of the juiciest varieties of southern highbush blueberries. This variety fruits late in the season and can be purchased fresh from March through July. Our wine is produced from sweet and plump berries that have hung on the bush for up to 4 weeks. This versatile fruit makes a crisp, intense blueberry wine that can be drank anytime with cheese and fruit or dessert. We were awarded the Silver Medal for this at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.
Estate Sparkling Wine
Our Brut Nature sparkling program started in 2014. We blend mostly Pinot Noir with a small amount of Chardonnay to make these wines. These sparkling Blanc et Noir (white & black) has lively bubbles that shimmer with a flinty, floral nose, hints of citrus & tropical fruit, brioche and toasted hazelnuts. Vibrant acidity that is persistent and focused. Our Brut Nature Sparkling Rosé is 100% Pinot Noir. All of our sparkling wines have no sugar added in the dosage.
As you enjoy this wine, give it time to open up to fully appreciate the flavors. Optional serving temperature is between 45-48 degrees, but as it warms up, the flavors explode in your mouth.”
Estate Rose of Pinot Noir
Every year we make between 50-100 cases of our Rosé of Pinot Noir. 100% Pinot Noir grapes produce this low alcohol, bright acidic wine. We pick the Pinot Noir grapes around 19 to 20 brix after the flavors have developed. The grapes go directly into our press and do not sit on the skins. The wine is then put in neutral oak barrels until bottling. Our Rosés have beautiful noses with hints of cherry and/or strawberry and very dry tasting.
