Deovlet Pinot Blanc

Deovlet Pinot Blanc is a 100% Pinot Blanc from Santa Rita Hills, California, bottled at 13.2% ABV in a standard 750ml format. Sourced from the La Encantada Vineyard — originally planted by Sanford in 2000 — and partially aged in sandstone clay amphora, this bottling has earned a 92-point rating on Wine-Searcher, reflecting its standing as a serious, site-driven California white.

Quick Facts: ABV: 13.2%  |  Origin: Santa Rita Hills AVA, Santa Barbara County, California  |  100% Pinot Blanc  |  Winemaker: Ryan Deovlet

Production & Heritage

Ryan Deovlet produces this wine under his eponymous Deovlet Wines label, focusing on cool-climate expressions from Santa Barbara County's most respected vineyards. Beginning with the 2018 vintage, a portion of the Pinot Blanc is aged in 500-liter sandstone clay jars (amphora) alongside stainless steel barrels and one-year-old oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation is blocked to preserve acidity, and after eight months of aging, the wine is racked into steel assemblage tanks for an additional two months before bottling — a regimen that favors texture while retaining the grape's natural brightness and minerality.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with freshly baked bread and white peach, then layers in tarragon, lemongrass, and honeysuckle. A flinty, mineral edge threads through the aromatics, giving the wine a focused, almost saline quality.

Taste: The entry is bright and steely, with green apple and pear skin leading into a mid-palate rich with white peach, herbal perfume, and delicate white florals. Lime, pomelo pith, and dried orange peel add citrus complexity, while the amphora influence contributes a subtle textural weight that keeps the wine from feeling lean.

Finish: Medium-length and zesty, finishing with saline minerality, a trace of jasmine, and lingering citrus pith. The acidity remains taut through the close, pulling the fruit and floral notes into a clean, precise conclusion.

How to Drink Deovlet Pinot Blanc

Serve chilled to around 48–52°F to let the aromatics open gradually; a slight warm-up in the glass reveals the bread-dough and herbal layers. This wine works beautifully in the following cocktails and wine-based drinks: a White Wine Spritz, where the steely acidity and floral notes hold up against sparkling water and a citrus twist; a Hugo Spritz, since the wine's natural elderflower-adjacent florals complement the cocktail's classic profile; and a classic Kir, where the wine's minerality and acidity provide structure beneath a float of crème de cassis.

Best For

• Gifting a wine enthusiast who already owns every Chardonnay
• Summer seafood dinners where crisp, mineral-driven whites shine
• Expanding a cellar with under-the-radar California terroir wines
• Pairing exercises comparing Old World and New World Pinot Blanc styles

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Deovlet Pinot Blanc taste like? Deovlet Pinot Blanc is a steely, medium-bodied white dominated by white peach, green apple, and lime, woven together with herbal notes of tarragon and lemongrass and a prominent saline minerality. The blocked malolactic fermentation keeps the acidity sharp and the profile bright.

How does Deovlet Pinot Blanc compare to Alsatian Pinot Blanc? Alsatian Pinot Blanc tends toward rounder, softer expressions with more pronounced orchard fruit and less overt acidity, while Deovlet's version from the cool Santa Rita Hills AVA leans into racy, laser-focused acidity with flinty mineral character. The partial amphora aging also adds a textural dimension uncommon in most traditional Alsatian bottlings.

Is Deovlet Pinot Blanc good for sipping neat? Absolutely — this is a contemplative, food-friendly wine that rewards close attention when served on its own, especially as the glass warms slightly and reveals secondary bread-dough and herbal aromatics.

Where is Deovlet Pinot Blanc made? Deovlet Pinot Blanc is produced by winemaker Ryan Deovlet in Santa Barbara County, California, from fruit grown at La Encantada Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills AVA, a cool-climate appellation known for its east-west oriented valleys and persistent marine influence.

What foods pair well with Deovlet Pinot Blanc? Briny oysters and raw shellfish highlight the wine's saline mineral streak. Grilled halibut with herbs mirrors the tarragon and lemongrass aromatics. Chèvre or aged Comté amplify the textural richness from amphora aging. Light Vietnamese or Thai dishes with lime, lemongrass, and fresh herbs echo the wine's citrus-herbal core. Roasted chicken with lemon and fennel bridges the gap between fruit and savory elements.

What sizes does Deovlet Pinot Blanc come in? Deovlet Pinot Blanc is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Deovlet Pinot Blanc worth the price? Deovlet Pinot Blanc positions as a small-production, premium California white, priced in line with other artisan single-vineyard bottlings from Santa Rita Hills. Its amphora aging, respected vineyard source, and 92-point Wine-Searcher rating place it firmly in the serious-value tier for collectors and enthusiasts seeking alternatives to mainstream varietals.

Why Deovlet Pinot Blanc?

Pinot Blanc occupies a tiny fraction of California's vineyard acreage, and Ryan Deovlet's version stands out by combining one of Santa Rita Hills' most esteemed vineyard sites with an unconventional aging protocol that includes sandstone clay amphora alongside steel and oak. The result is a wine that balances the laser-focused acidity of the appellation with a textural generosity rarely found in the variety. With malolactic fermentation blocked and the final blend assembled in steel, nothing obscures the site's limestone-influenced minerality. For anyone looking beyond Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for a California white with genuine complexity and a sense of place, this bottling makes a compelling case.