World class Pinot Noir is consistently available these days from various regions in California and Oregon. Because it is especially transparent of the site in which it is grown, many wineries’ best, most distinctive wines are single vineyard or estate grown expressions from the coolest sites. I have organized my recommendations by appellation and listed the wines in order of my preference within each appellation.
Each wine reflects the grape’s signature characteristics of red berry fruit, though dark fruits peak in occasionally. Earthy, mushroom, herbal and even floral, mint or anise notes also appear. Creaminess and baking spices from oak add complexity.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley, whose Coast Range moderates the cooling Pacific Ocean and Cascade Mountains chill the desert heat of Eastern Oregon, has become Pinot Noir nirvana. Try the 2021 Archery Summit Dundee Hills ($65). Established in 1993 by the owners of Napa Valley’s Pine Ridge in one of Oregon’s most sought-after appellations, this shows lively red and black fruit accented with cocoa, minerally spice, and graceful tannins.
Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley, heavily influenced by the nearby Pacific Coast, fog-cooled hillside and mountain terrain yields wines of focus and nuance. Here are three fine examples of why this region should get more attention from consumers.
- 2019 Domaine Anderson Estate ($55) part of the Louis Roederer portfolio, blended from two certified organic vineyards; bright red fruit, enticing savory notes blended from two certified organic- vineyards.
- 2020 FEL “Savoy Vineyard” ($75) part of the Clif Lede portfolio, FEL’s home vineyard and flagship wine; notable for polished texture and silky tannins
- 2020 MacRostie “Day Ranch” ($58) vineyard on an alluvial terrace nestled against a mountainside at the coolest northern most edge of the Anderson Valley; aromatic, complex, dense, black and red fruits, new oak richness, luxurious cocoa, earth, solid backbone of acidity
The Sonoma Coast is too large and diverse an appellation – it spans the county from the wind-swept northern coast to the rolling hills of the southern dairy farms – to generalize attributes except to say most vineyards experience extremely cool Pacific winds and fog. And that many of California’s most celebrated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are sources from Sonoma Coast vineyards and its many sub-appellations. The Freestone AVA, a sheltered, pastoral valley, is the source for the 2021 Joseph Phelps “Freestone Vineyards” ($70). From two hillside estate vineyards, it is vibrant lively, with succulent red berries, savory spice, earth, bright acid structure.
Just to the south of Monterey, San Louis Obispo County is gaining more attention for its wine regions, including Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande and Edna Valley, which have emerged in the past two decades as world class viticultural areas. The 2020 Chamisal Estate Grown “Morrito” ($100) is from a special block of the estate hillside vineyard in the Edna Valley; it has floral aromatics, tart red fruits, and engaging mushroom accents.
The Sta. Rita Hills, in southern Santa Barbara County, is a small, transverse valley that funnels cool ocean breezes layers of marine fog over the vineyards, which are bounded by the Purisma Hills to the north and the Santa Rosa Hills to the south. It is widely considered to be the source of many of Santa Barbara’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Hilt Estate and Alma Rosa Winery provide fine evidence of this.
The 2021 The Hilt Estate ($50) is located in an oceanic, sun-drenched, windy corner of Sta. Rita Hills, encompassing abrupt hills, jagged peaks and fog-blanketed canyons. Sourced from estate vineyards, Radian and Bentrock, this wine reflects the various grape clones and soil types of the estate. It reveals fine red berry fruit, earth and spice tones, and powdery tannins.
Alma Rosa Winery is situated on the north-facing slopes of the Santa Rosa Hills. Founded in 2005 by Richard Sanford, the first to plant pinot noir in this area in 1971, the sustainably farmed property is now owned by Bob and Barb Zorich. Of course, they specialize in Pinot Noir but also Chardonnay and Rhone varieties. These single vineyard pinots benefit from judicious use of oak and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.
- 2021 El Jabali ($90) Alma Rosa’s certified orgnic estate vineyard, vibrant, silky
- 2021 Rancho La Viña ($82) located in the southwest corridor of the Sta. Rita Hills; rich dark fruits, racy acidity yet smooth texture
- 2021 La Encantada ($82) just seven miles from the ocean, organically farmed, delicate juicy fruit, bright acidity, chalky tannins, spicy finish
NOTE: Featured image courtesy of MacRostie Vineyards.