You don't have to go far for pinot noir

May 21, 11:56 AMSF Drinks ExaminerDeborah Parker Wong

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Photo credit: Deborah Parker Wong

Pinot noir fans in Nothern California don't have to go far to enjoy the wealth of wine styles and price points available from Anderson Valley producers.  The expressive and well-crafted pinots from this coastal valley and it's surrounding sub appellations make experimenting with several producers a low-risk proposition.   Each year, fans from around the state and the country converge on the hamlets of Mendocino, Boonville and Philo for the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival which includes a technical conference, three days of al fresco wining and dining, and total pinot noir immersion.  The only caveat is that some producers make very limited amounts of wine in which case, you'll have to source those wines directly from the winery or keep an eye out for them on wine lists after they have been snapped up by sommeliers.  Here's short list of some notable current releases listed alphabetically across three price categories. 

 

$29 and under

Brutocao Vineyards Anderson Valley Pinot Noir  $26
Characterized by sweet, ripe dark plum, a lean mid-palate, subtle hints of oak on a long finish

Husch Vineyards $23
Touch of earth on the nose with bold fruit mid-palate and spicy, stuctured tannins

Raye's Hill Heneberg Vineyard  $26
Appealing nose, hints of dried fruit, expressive on the palate with a persistant finish

Roederer Estate  $26
Delicate aromas, lean, bright fruit on the palate for a taut, racy style

 

$30 - $49

Baxter Run Dog $45
Violet-hued, toasty black cherry aromas followed by a rich black fruit core and caramel finish

Elke Donnell Creek $38
Elegant nose, savory and ripe with a lithe structure

Esterlina Estate $40 Ripe cherry, cola and pomegranate with rich, spicy tannins

Greenwood Mendocino Ridge  $30
Ripe cherry, lean, meaty mid-palate with spicy tannins and a touch of sweet fruit on the finish

Handley Holmes Ranch $30
Earthy aromas, savory tannins with restrained fruit and complex oak flavors, intriguing 

Roessler Hein Family $45  
Expressive aromas of strawberry, bursting mid-palate of same and ripe, cocoa-dusted tannins

$50 and over

Cakebread Cellars  $50
Aromas of cherry and umami, ripe but leaner on the palate with bright acidity and savory finish

Goldeneye Gowan Creek  $55
Earthy, mineral aromas, restrained fruit, medium tannins, note of pencil shavings on the finish