Ocean-Inspired Vines: 2013 Deep Sea Wines Pinot Noir (Santa Barbara, Ca)

We live a bit more than 1,000 miles from the nearest ocean making it nice to think of salty sea water, white-capped waves, and warm breezes whenever we can.

When uncorking the 2013 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir by Deep Sea Wines, the aquatic label teased of a transformation from our arid world to a seaside tasting. Not to mention, the art geeks inside of us simply love the minimalist, old-school style of the diver helmet depicted on the bottle.

Prior to tasting we spoke with winery co-owner Gillian Conway. Turns out Deep Sea is one of two labels they produce (the other being the family’s namesake brand, Conway Family Wines). As avid lovers of sailing, diving, and all things ocean, the Conways dedicated this brand to their waterfront, Santa Barbara lifestyle.

• Picking by Label: We pick a wine bottle based on its label — then decide if it tastes like it looks.

She explains that Deep Sea is all about coastal vineyards and easy drinking wines. The Conway brand goes inland with structure and age ability. We love when winemakers split brand based on the styles of wines they want to make.

We also love the label design, which is the point of this entire web series! Turns out Gillian’s brother (co-owner John) does all the design work. Kudos to a family that can create art on and in the bottle.

Did it live up to expectations?

Santa Barbara is one of those magical places to visit, and this wine’s label and story set us up for a wine as sophisticated and easy going as the seaside community itself. With smooth and silky tannins, this Pinot balanced the nuances of colder climate wines with the added warmth of a raspberry fruit kick. We were transformed to the over-the-ocean Deep Sea tasting room — or at least a patio overlooking Denver. So yes.

Aging Potential:

There’s enough structure in the bottle to maintain the flavors for a few years, but we loved drinking this today. So display this beauty in your Vino Pins Designer Kit display until some good friends come over with a killer cheese plate. $36

Why did you pick this wine?

“Our graphic designer thinks this is the coolest bottle. And the ocean. Wish we could visit it more often.” — Jacob Harkins, marketing director