14 Jan Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Ex Post Facto 2024 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills

When it comes to weeknight dinners at home, I often reach for Pinot Noir. It is one of the most reliable food-pairing grapes – versatile, expressive, and rarely overpowering. The challenge, of course, is finding a bottle that delivers both quality and value. Ex Post Facto 2024 Pinot Noir checks both boxes. It is the kind of wine that makes a simple meal feel thoughtful, and one that proves you don’t need a special occasion to open something truly enjoyable. That is exactly why the Ex Post Facto 2024 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

About Ex Post Facto

Ex Post Facto is a project from winemaker Greg Brewer, best known for his work with Brewer-Clifton. Ex post facto is a legal term referring to something judged after the fact and in reference to this wine, signals Brewer’s intention to step outside expectations and explore a different stylistic lane.

With Ex Post Facto, Brewer set out to express Sta. Rita Hills in a more streamlined, accessible way, focusing on purity, energy, and immediacy rather than structure or cellar-driven influence. The 2024 Pinot Noir represents that vision clearly:  transparent winemaking, minimal embellishment, and a strong sense of place without excess weight.

The 2024 Ex Post Facto Pinot Noir is made from 100% Pinot Noir, fully destemmed and fermented in stainless steel, followed by a brief élevage of three months in completely neutral barrels. The goal is not to shape the wine with oak, but to let the fruit and acidity lead.

Tasting Notes

The result is a Pinot Noir that is vibrant and fresh, showcasing Sta. Rita Hills fruit in a lighter-bodied yet flavor-driven style. In the glass, the wine shows a bright ruby hue with purple reflections and a slightly translucent edge. On the nose, the wine opens with dark cherry, blackberry, pomegranate, and rose petals, followed by lifted red fruit notes and subtle herbal accents. On the palate, the wine is supple and seamless. Juicy fruit leads, balanced by refreshing acidity and soft tannins. The finish is clean and lightly savory.

Food Pairing

This is a Pinot Noir made for the dinner table. Its fresh acidity and balanced tannins make it an easy match for roast chicken, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, or a simple pasta with herbs and olive oil. I enjoyed the wine with roasted chicken, broccoli, and a baked potato. The wine helped elevate my rather average plate.

Where To Purchase

If you are looking for a dependable, thoughtfully made Pinot Noir that overdelivers for a midweek bottle, at $30, this one is hard to beat. To find this wine, head to bygregbrewer.com and order online or find a store nearby that carries it.

Meet The Winemaker

Meet Greg Brewer and get to know him in 30 questions on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.