Santa Rita Hills California The Tasting Panel 97 Rating A darling of the critics, Sea Smoke remains one of the Central Coast's cult Pinot producers. Southing is sourced entirely from the Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills and sees 16 months in 28% new French oak barrels. After manual harvest, the grapes are entirely destemmed, encouraging a fruit forward delicateness. In recent years the winery has taken on a more Burgundian approach, minimizing extraction to allow the terroir to fully speak for itself.