From the Santa Maria Valley, the 2008 Pinot Noir Solomon Hills is one of the most seductive wines in the entire lineup. It also has good availability. Twenty percent whole clusters were used, and the wine aged 15 months in 30% new French oak. Complex earth, plum, raspberry, and red currant notes jump from the glass of this dark garnet Pinot. Soft tannins, a silky, opulent, complex mouthfeel, and a fleshy finish make for one of the plushest wines in the Tantara Pinot Noir portfolio.This is a dizzying array of wines, including four Chardonnays and eleven Pinot Noirs. Perhaps it is overkill, but the quality of the wines is very high, and Tantara remains one of the bright, shining spots for these varietals on the Central Coast. Among the four Chardonnays, two are from the Santa Maria Valley, the Dierberg and the Bien Nacido, the Talley-Rincon is from Edna Valley’s Arroyo Grande appellation, and the Brosseau from the limestone soils of Chalone. The Pinot Noirs essentially cover virtually every Central Coast appellation, from the Santa Lucia Highlands in the north to the Santa Maria Valley in the south.Tel. (805) 938-5051; Fax (805) 938-0036