American Pinot Noirs
We have thousands of wines. Although we carry many national brands, that is not our focus. The following are well made and generally more interesting wines that we are proud to recommend.
Russian River Vineyards Pinot Noir, Central Coast, 2021 ($19.99) - The partner of the Chardonnay under the same name, this very attractive Pinot is the less expensive of the two Pinots we carry under the RRV label. It’s a touch lighter in color and style than our Cloisonné Pinot. That’s not a bad thing; in fact, one could argue that it is closer to its Burgundy roots, and it makes this a perfect red wine pairing for seafood and chicken.
Cloisonné Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, 2021 ($20.99) - The new vintage of our best-selling Pinot Noir! David Rossi is a small producer, so we often run out of his wines before the next vintage is released. He has a way with Pinot Noirs, from his entry-level Cloisonné to his mid-tier On Point label to his single vineyard wines under the Fulcrum label. And Kudos to David for keeping his prices very reasonable at a time of widespread price increases due to weather-induced (fire and smoke) grape shortages in California, and pandemic-related (glass, corks, labels, shipping) cost increases.
Montinore Red Cap Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley-Oregon, 2021 ($20.99) - Montinore is a brand used by Ackley Brands, which owns and farms over 200 acres in Oregon and Italy. The 2021 vintage was one of extremes in Oregon with a cool rainy period during flowering (producing fewer bunches per vine) and two days of record-breaking heat during the summer (producing smaller bunches, potentially delayed ripening). The grapes (Pommard, Wädenswil, and Dijon clones) were undamaged, ending up with a small harvest of excellent quality and good concentration. The wine came in at 13% alcohol and was aged for 10 months in a combination of French and Hungarian oak, 20% new. Wine Spectator: 90 $24 “Fresh and zesty, with good energy, this red offers bright cherry and cranberry flavors accented by orange peel and spice hints before finishing on a snappy note. Now - 2031.”
King Estate Inscription Pinot Noir, Willamette-Oregon, 2021 ($24.99) - The King Estate was founded in 1991 by Ed King, Jr. and his wife, Carolyn. They purchased a 600-acre cattle ranch near Lorane, OR, and began planting 16.5 acres of vines. With additional land purchases and plantings over the years, King estate is now one of the largest holdings in Oregon with 1,033 acres of vines. The 2021 vintage in Oregon was excellent with Pinots that are perfumed, fresh, and vibrant. Inscription is their entry-level Pinot and includes some purchased grapes. Each lot is fermented in small batches in stainless steel with up to 20% whole clusters and daily punch downs and pump overs. Seven percent of the juice is bled off (Saignée) to concentrate the color and flavor. After malo, the wine is aged in French oak for 8 months. The wine is zesty and user-friendly, with snappy black cherry, plum, pomegranate, and spicy herb flavors
The Paring Pinot Noir, California, 2022 ($26.59) - Matt also makes this delicious Pinot from Santa Barbara grapes. It aged in 35% new French oak 11 months and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. It’s smooth and deeply fruited in a bold style that still maintains nuance and refinement. Wine Advocate (Matthew Luczy): 90 “Nearly impossible to beat in its price range, an incredible value and a tremendous success in this vintage. Dark-fruited and polished on the nose, the palate is impressively silky and precise with a pleasantly floral, subtly drying finish.”
JK Carriere Pinot Noir Provocateur, Willamette, NV ($26.99) - After a wild and exotic youth, Jim Prosser settled down to some serious winemaking. He purchases grapes from three dry-farmed vineyards. The best known is Temperance Hill with 41-year-old vines. Because the 2020 yield was so tiny, Jim blended in some leftover 2018 and 2019 as well as a small amount of 2021. He still came up with less than half his normal production. Few quality table wines are non-vintage, not because their quality is any less, but because their image is less. Yet Champagne producers do this regularly, typically blending three or more vintages to obtain consistency year after year. This wine was aged for over 17 months in 14% new French oak. Give it some air. You will be impressed.
Benton Lane Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley-Oregon, 2022 ($31.99) - The postage stamp label! Family-owned Benton Lane, in the southern Willamette Valley, is a biodiverse, 317-acre estate with 140 acres of mostly Pinot Noir and some Chardonnay, much of it planted in 1991. Rolling down over a 500-foot elevation drop, the terrain is a mix of sedimentary and volcanic soils that greatly influence the flavors and texture of the wines. Accomplished winemaker Steve Girard left Napa in 1988, driven by a desire to craft cool-climate Pinot Noir in the then-uncharted Oregon’s Willamette Valley. He found a historic sheep ranch on a sweeping ridge extending from the coastal mountain range, just off the Oregon Trail on Territorial Highway. Decanter Magazine: 93 “Captures the freshness of the Willamette Valley and its bright red berry aromatics that combine with savory herbal notes of mint and pennyroyal. The palate offers red-fruited complexity. Ripe wild strawberries and cranberries rise up from elements of earth and forest floor for an impressive wine, capturing the fresh, lively character of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
Anthill Farms North Coast Pinot Noir, NV ($32.99) - Good news, bad news: The good news it that the latest iteration of this favorite has just been released (we ran out of the previous release last month). The bad news is that they took a fairly substantial price hike. So what else is new?
Anthill Farms focuses on Pinot Noir from a range of North Coast vineyards. The name refers to the trio of winemakers who scramble around like a bunch of ants. Webster Marquez, Anthony Filiberti, and David Low met while working at Sonoma’s Williams Selyem. Says Marquez, “We realized that we have the same approach: using the most ‘transparent’ grape in the world to communicate the way vineyards from cooler areas create distinctive wines.” The partners themselves farm many of the small plots for their grapes, and the results are seductive wines that combine concentration and finesse. The company has grown from 200 cases in 2004 to 1,800 this year. Their goal is to make wines that express the growing site and the characteristics of the vintage as well as to make wines that, simply put, taste good. These goals require gentle handling, judicious use of oak, and most importantly, leaving the wine alone as much as possible. They farm organically but are not certified. This entry-level wine is a blend of vintages: 45% 2019, 25% 2020, and 30% 2021 from 4 Sonoma Coast and 3 Mendocino vineyards. Technicals: 30% whole cluster, native yeast, aging in 25% new French oak, 18 ppm SO2 at bottling, 13.4% ABV, 1200 cases produced (1800 for the entire operation).
Trisaetum Pinot Noir Coast Range Estate, Yamhill-Willamette-OR, 2017 ($34.99) - We tasted this wine previously and really liked it but thought it was a bit expensive. The distributor just closed it out to make room for the next vintage. Win! Win!! It’s fairly common and generally untrue to call an Oregon Pinot “Burgundian,” but in this case, it’s pretty close to reality. With lighter color, less overt fruit, and more acidity than most American Pinots, it has a very pretty Pinot Noir character and will continue to evolve. Wine Spectator: 90 $49 “Offers precision and structure, featuring medium-weight cherry and blueberry flavors steeped with orange peel and savory bramble notes. Finishes with fine-grained tannins. Best 2021 thru 2025. 580 cases made. Wine Advocate (Erin Brooks): 91 “Medium ruby-purple color and classic aromas of wood-smoke, pipe tobacco, cola, red currant, cranberries, dusty earth, and peppercorn. Medium-bodied, fresh, and grainy, it has great fruit concentration and a long finish. Drink 2020-24”
Sojourn Cellers Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, 2019 ($39.99) - Sojourn is a first-class boutique winery begun by tennis buddies Craig Haserot and Erich Bradley in 2001. Eric had been the Assistant Winemaker at Arrowood Winery. They purchase grapes from highly regarded vineyards in Sonoma and Napa and make small lots of very special wines, including some highly acclaimed single vineyard wines that are substantially more expensive. This Pinot Noir has a lovely balance and flavor profile. The grapes come primarily from the Walala and Gap’s Crown vineyards (as do two of our wonderful but more expensive Fulcrum Pinots. Wine Spectator: 93 $45 “Juicy and engaging, with heavy mulled raspberry and blood orange flavors coursing through, carried by a bright mineral edge and a flurry of red tea and savory notes. The long, lingering finish has nice latent tension. Drink now through 2030.”
Hibou Pinot Noir “Riddle Vineyard,” Russian River Valley, 2016 ($49.99) - Jason and Hilary Driscoll purchase grapes from two blocks of Jim Riddle’s vineyard. One is planted to the 115 clone on a super-steep eastern-facing hillside. It’s picked earlier and the grapes are destemmed. The other block is planted to the Pommard clone on a flatter, more southwest-facing slope. It ripens two weeks later, and its grapes are whole-cluster fermented. The combination is special with strawberry as well as dark fruit character. After four years in the bottle, this has developed into a very classy wine.
Wentworth Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley-Mendocino, 2021 ($52.99) - New Jersey natives Mark and Katie Wentworth have 25 acres under vine and plan to expand. This quite complex Pinot Noir comes from six different clones grown ORGANICALLY in two of their Anderson Valley vineyards. After 80% destemming, each lot was fermented in open-top fermenters using native yeast and a mix of punch-down and pumpover. Malo and aging (about 10 months) took place in 15% new French oak barrels, the rest second-fill and neutral. The wine was racked twice, then bottled unfined and unfiltered. This beauty still shows some acidic nervousness that should resolve with a few more months of aging. 225 cases made. Wine Spectator: 91 “Packs lovely cherry and Damson plum notes that are racy and pure with sleek sanguine and potpourri accents underscoring the focused finish. Pretty, with subtle persistence. Drink now thru 2027.”
Bethel Heights Pinot Noir “Aeolian,” Eola-Amity Hills, 2021 ($59.99) - Founded in 1977 by a group of academics (the Casteel, Dudley, and Webb families), Bethel Heights was a pioneering winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. This is gentle and refined. Wine Spectator: 94 “A handsome red, polished and refined in structure, offering a fresh burst of raspberry, fresh violet, and cinnamon spice flavors that build richness toward supple tannins. Now-2032. 594 cases made.”
Fulcrum Wines
David Rossi is a Pinot Noir specialist. We've been carrying his wonderful wines for over 10 years. He bottles great value wines under the Cloisonné label. His best wines are under the Fulcrum label. They come from specific vineyards in Sonoma, Anderson Valley, and Chalone where he has long-term contracts for the fruit from specific rows. He also dictates how he wants those rows to be farmed. We currently have the following Pinots:
Conzelman, 2019, Anderson Valley-Mendocino ($59.99) - Planted in 2001 and owned by Moira Conzelman, this property shows what Anderson Valley can do with Pinot Noir when expertly farmed. Conzelman is sustainably farmed by renowned grower Paul Ardzrooni. Fulcrum’s blocks are planted to the 667 and Pommard clones. With its effusive dark cherry notes, balanced acid, and brooding layers of moist earth, this is Anderson Valley at its best and most compelling.
Wildcat Mountain, Carneros, 2021 ($59.99) - The term "mountain" does not seem to go with the Carneros appellation, a region known to be low and marshy right next to San Pablo Bay. However, this is exactly what you find in this special sustainably-farmed vineyard. It was planted in 1998 by Steve MacRostie close to the bay at 700 feet above sea level. Red volcanic soils produce very low-yielding vines that produce fruit of exceptional richness but also finesse. A cool site due to the winds and elevation, this is often the last Pinot Noir vineyard David picks. Clones Pommard, 115, 777, and 667. Dark crimson in the glass. Aromas of smoky spice, sandalwood, pine and berries. Lush flavors of deep dark cherry, red berries, and spice. Silky texture that lingers on the long finish.
Brousseau, Chalone, 2021 ($59.99) - Located in the famed Chalone appellation of Monterey, Brosseau is one of California's premier organic vineyards and one of its most unique. While some Cali vineyards have cool climates, and others have limestone in their soils, very few have both. In 1980, this convergence of climate and geology inspired Jon and Jan Brousseau to plant their iconic vineyard. Tucked into the Gavilan mountain range, east of the Santa Lucia Highlands, Brosseau is a spectacular vineyard for Pinot Noir. It is certified organic, and consistently yields less than 2 tons per acre of dark, exceptionally concentrated fruit. The vineyard’s climate and limestone, decomposed granite, and volcanic rock soils also impart a clear minerality to the wines, as well as a firm, tannic backbone. Fulcrum's blocks include clones Pommard, and 114. Deep garnet hue. Elegant nose of dark cherry, sesame and mineral. Cedar, dark cherry, raspberry, and mineral flavors abound. Satiny texture and acidity that provides the structure for aging.
Walala, Sonoma Coast, 2021 ($59.99) - Towering above the Pacific, Walala sits 1,200 feet above sea level, just a stones throw from the coast. This is the "true" Sonoma coast and it places it on the edge of the ability to ripen Pinot Noir. Farming here is not for the faint of heart and requires excellence in execution for every phase of the growing season. Gravelly loam soils provide the base for clones 828, 777, and 113 that are planted on 3309C rootstock. This location allows the fruit to mature evenly and slowly to develop a richness and complexity that few sites can match. Bright Crimson in the glass. Aromas of spice, sandalwood, and cherry. Lush flavors of deep dark cherry, red berries, and forest floor. Silky texture that lingers on the long finish.
Gap's Crown, 2021 ($64.99) - Since being planted in 2002, Gap's Crown Vineyard has emerged as one of the Sonoma Coast’s preeminent sustainable vineyards for Pinot Noir. Nestled on the western hillside of Sonoma Mountain, Gap’s Crown presents an amazing location to capture both the complexity and intensity that define world-class Pinot Noir. The site’s distinctive microclimate is predominantly influenced by summer fog rushing in from the Pacific Ocean through the Petaluma Gap. The soils are rocky and well-drained, and are ideal for Burgundian varietals. David uses clones 114 and 828. Generally the richest of David's Pinots, this has deep dark purple hues. Earth, desert sage, anise, and berry compote on the nose. Mouth-filling blackberries, spice, and earth on the palate. Long intense finish. A bold and rich expression of Pinot Noir.
On Point, Sonoma Coast, 2021 ($39.99) - David's standards are so high that he "rejects" some of the bunches from his single vineyard wines. These go into the On Point bottling. Make no mistake, these are still terrific grapes, and this is a terrific wine. Wine Spectator: 93 "Almost lush up front, with mulberry and boysenberry compote notes, this is quickly harnessed by lightly chalky minerality, while fresh violet and iris accents emerge on the pure finish. Drink now through 2028."
The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Roland Green, 2017 ($65.99) - This is an amazing Pinot Noir, a single vineyard production of the iconic Eyrie Vineyards in the Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR. It is approachable now, but it will reward 8-10 years of aging. Wine Advocate 94 “The 2017 Pinot Noir Roland Green has a pale ruby color with aromas of forest floor, laurel, tobacco leaves, and woodsmoke with red and black berry fruits. The medium-bodied palate is silky and juicy with a fine balance of intense fruit and earthy accents. It finishes long and savory.” Vinous 94 “Vivid red. Highly perfumed, mineral- and spice-tinged red berry, cherry, and incense aromas carry a suave floral nuance. Seamless and animated on the palate, offering intense raspberry, bitter cherry, spice cake, and rose pastille flavors and a touch of succulent herbs on the back half. Finishes silky, spicy, and impressively long, displaying excellent clarity and fine-grained tannins.” David Lett was a winemaking pioneer in Oregon, establishing his winery in 1965 against the advice of his viticultural professors at UC-Davis. The success of his wines led Robert Drouhin to purchase land nearby and build Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
Martinelli Pinot Noir Biondi Home Ranch, 2021 ($75) - Best known for terrific Zinfandels, the Martinelli family also produces top-notch Pinot Noirs. None of their wines are shy, and this is a big, delicious Pinot. Wine Spectator: 95 “Loaded, with gorgeous succulent, lush boysenberry, mulberry, and açaí berry fruit seamlessly inlaid with singed apple wood, anise, and fruitcake details. Gains additional beguilement from a late flash of potpourri and black tea. Now-2032.”
Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir Machado Vineyard, Sta. Rita Hills, 2022 ($96) - Greg has a way with both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Wine Spectator: 96 “Offers a beautiful, steady stream of blood orange, bitter cherry, and raspberry coulis notes stitched finely with subtle rooibos tea, singed sandalwood, dried anise, and savory details. Feels pinpoint in focus, with serious length on the finish thanks to the nicely buried mineral tension. Now through 2038.” Very limited.