CA Pinot Noir is anything but the homogeneously fruity, somewhat boozy, always-earlier-drinking-and-one-dimensional shadow of Burgundy that it’s still too often assumed to be. From Mendocino to Santa Cruz Mountains, and from the Sonoma Coast, with its exposure to the vagaries of the sea and its weather, to the more inland Sierra Foothills, California Pinot Noir can’t possibly be painted with a broad brush and still be spoken of accurately. Indeed, California is such an exciting place for Pinot Noir right now because of the range of microclimates and soils in which it can be grown. Differences in elevations, underlying geology, exposures to the ocean, fog, daytime sun, evening chill, divergent winemaking philosophies, and more continue to create a stunning mosaic of Pinot Noirs throughout California. 

 

2016 Anthill Farms
'Demuth' Pinot Noir
Anderson Valley

 

2016 Tessier
'Saveria' Pinot Noir
Santa Cruz Mountains

 

 

2015 Cote West
'La Cruz' Vineyard
Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast

 

2014 Joseph Swan Vineyards
Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley