For decades in California, pinot noir frustrated even the best winemakers. In recent years, though, California has begun to figure out the grape. Today, there are numerous appellations along a 500-mile stretch from Mendocino to Santa Barbara sourcing fine Pinot Noir wine.
And winemakers are focused more on making food-friendly wines more reflective of their origins. Consequently, the main buzzword for many producers is “minimal intervention”. In the vineyard, this generally meanschoosing the best sites usually characterized by proximity to the Pacific Ocean (or other water body) and the associated fog and cool breezes leading to long growing seasons enabling optimal ripeness, naturallyfresh acidity, and elegant wines. Wineries also increasingly are using only sustainably or organically farmed grapes.
In the cellar, this means, to varying degrees,fermentation with native yeast, few if any additions to adjust the juice, less new oak for fermentation and aging, and overall gentler handling.The best reveal pure (mostly red berry) fruit with integrated forest, earth and brown spices delivered with a silky texture.
The wines below (traveling from north to south) are the best I tasted in recent months. The real standouts were the wines from Chappellet, Inman and Goldeneye. Within each category, the wines are listed in order of preference but all are recommended.
Remote, rugged and sparsely populated, the Anderson Valley of Mendocino County is an unexpected source of fine Pinot Noir. The wines typically are concentrated, with noticeable tannin structure but deftly balance power and elegance. These consistently good wineries have delivered again.
- 2016 Goldeneye: Ten Degrees ($125) big, ripe, assertive, balanced; Confluence Vineyard ($86) oaky, earthy; The Narrows Vineyard ($86) juicy, full, tight; Anderson Valley ($58) (dark, lush, spicy; Gowan Creek Vineyard ($86) large, structured; Split Rail Vineyard ($86) juicy, full
- 2017 K-J Grand Reserve ($30) dark fruit, savory spice, lavish texture, a fine value
- 2017 Siduri “Edmeades” ($50) deep, silky and spicy and 2017 Anderson Valley ($40) deep and juicy
- 2017 FEL($38) opulent fruit, structured
The Russian River Valley in Sonoma County arguably is one of the top sources of Pinot Noir in the world. With the climate cooled by morning fog funneled through the valley from the Pacific Coast, the wines from this region are marked by fullness, complexity and balance.
- 2017 Chappellet Grower Collection: “Bateman” ($60) lively, concentrated, silky; “Dutton Ranch” ($45) fresh, savory
- 2016 Inman Family: Olivet Grange Estate Vineyard ($73) bright red fruit, savory, earthy; Pratt Vine Hill ($68) bright red fruit, spicy, fresh
- 2016 Rodney Strong ($25) pure, fresh, earthy, savory
- 2016 MacRostie Thale’s Vineyard ($56) lively, earthy
- 2016 J Vineyards ($40) deep, dark, seamless
Sonoma Coast, with its rolling hills and proximity to cooling Pacific Ocean breezes, is the new frontier for pinot noir. Similar to the Russian Valley, it is heavily influenced by fog, rain and wind from the ocean.
- 2016 Inman Sexton Road Ranch ($68) dark, concentrated, and structured.
- 2015 Sosie Spring Hill Vineyard ($43) intense, spicy, velvety
- 2017 Migration ($42) deep, broad
Straddling the southern end of Sonoma and Napa counties, Carneros has transformed from sheep and dairy ranches to prime vineyard land over the last fifty years. Cooled by fog and winds from the bordering San Pablo Bay, the resulting wines typically display admirable delicacy, balance and freshness. The one wine in my tasting, the 2017 Frank Family ($38), is lively and richly textured.
Monterey County, certain microclimates enjoy a balance between the cool Monterey Bay and the warm the Salinas Valley. Here, I include just two. The south facing slopes of the Santa Lucia Highlands inland from Carmel personify Monterey’s interplay between cool ocean breezes and inland heat. And the two wines below exemplify the deep berry fruit and enticing floral character that have rocketed this region to acclaim in the last few decades.The Arroyo Seco region to the south of the Santa Lucia Highlands also has emerged as a good source and is well represented here.
- 2016 J. Lohr “Highlands Bench” Santa Lucia Highlands ($35) juicy, firm, savory,
- 2017 McIntyre Santa Lucia Highlands ($38) intense, complex, deep, rich, silky
- 2016 J. Lohr “Fog’s Reach” Arroyo Seco ($35) fairly full, fresh texture, chewy
Finally, a few miles farther south in Santa Barbara County (an hour and a half north of Los Angeles) sports two regions that rival Sonoma as California’s best source of Pinot Noir – Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley. The Santa Rita Hills, a sub-appellation within the Santa Ynez Valley, is distinctive as it runs in a west-to-east direction that efficiently funnels those cooling fog and winds from the Pacific Ocean. The 2016 Sea Smoke “Southing” ($60) is juicy, rich, and full, with lingering flavors.
NOTE: The Featured Image is courtesy Sonoma County Winegrowers Association.