Tolosa Primera

Buy Tolosa Primera at Elite Wine Society

About Tolosa Primera:

Tolosa Primera is the winery’s flagship wine, a cellar selection of the best barrels of Pinot Noir from the Edna Ranch, and made in very limited quantities. This is a rare lot that, through terroir driven expression, reaches a level of quality rivaling the very best Pinot Noirs of the world. Enjoy it today, or lay it down for years in anticipation of an experience born from a year-round commitment in the vineyard.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Forward aromas of wild strawberry, dark cherry, and raspberry with a strong floral component and notes of cocoa, pancetta, and toast.

Palate: Medium-full body with rich, layered, concentrated flavors of strawberry, cherry, and plum with a long floral, earthy finish.

Barrel Selection:

Small portion fermented in new oak barrels. Eighty-seven percent of this wine was aged in 60-gallon French oak  (25% new), with the remainder aged in egg-shaped oak barrels.

Growing Notes:

2021 was a long, cool growing season. The combination of variable weather and strong winds in the spring slowed development and created differing yields in the vineyards. The characteristics of the season allowed us to make picks in late September and early October of grapes that display an incredible balance of ripeness, acid, and concentration.

Harvest Date:

Winemaking Notes:

In 2021, almost a third of the wine comes from lots fermented with dried stems after a three-day cold soak. Fermentation took place primarily in stainless steel tanks, with a small portion fermented in new oak barrels. Eighty-seven percent of this wine was aged in 60-gallon French oak  (25% new), with the remainder aged in egg-shaped oak barrels.

About The Vineyard:

However the grapes for this wine are entirely from Edna Ranch, located in the heart of the newly designated San Luis Obispo Coast AVA. Primera is a selection of the best barrels from a selection of Pinot Noir blocks planted to clones that showcase the diverse soils of Edna Ranch. Dijon Clone 828 took center stage in 2021, comprising almost two-thirds of the blend, accented by clones 667 and 115, and a touch of our HMR clone.

A true believer in terroir and the deepest evocation of place, together with his winemaking team, his mission is to discover the best pockets of soil, and through the art of uniting the right sites, clones, rootstocks and farming practices, create exemplary Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays that are the purest expressions of the place from whence they came.  Tolosa is the expression of his commitment to spare no effort to craft nuanced and balanced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay of distinctive character to rival any in the world.

Story Behind the Winery:

Nevertheless cowboy dreams of owning a cattle ranch brought Robin Baggett to Edna Valley on the San Luis Obispo Coast. The cold Pacific wind and soils from ancient seabed. To limestone made him realize he was on a frontier of a different sort. A microclimate ideal for ripening sensitive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.

Robin thereafter began planting his home ranch in 1988.  In Edna Valley, compared to the soil and the climate come together, the passions of vintner Robin Baggett have converged. The revelation of the valley as a remarkable place for Pinot Noir ignited his zeal to build complex, nuanced and balanced wines of distinction.  Over time, his quest has expanded to find other special pockets of terroir throughout California that offer an exceptional environment for these delicate grapes.

Tolosa, established in San Luis Obispo in 1998, is an artisanal producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Helmed by vintner Robin Baggett. Tolosa epitomizes the special terroir that is San Luis Obispo Coast. Nestled amongst the northwest to southeast running volcanic hills of San Luis Obispo County. The frontier balanced against complex cool-climate varietals in California. Its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays reflect the cold Pacific wind. Sweeping down the coast and funneling into the valley. Indeed the remarkable diversity of soil types. Ingredients of course nuanced and balanced the wines distinctive character. Tolosa combines traditional methods. Such as hand punch down and whole berry uncrushed fermentations. With state-of-the-art equipment in the cellar and cutting-edge technology in the vineyard. Handcrafting exceptional wines that are the purest expressions of the San Luis Obispo Coast.