Domestic Pinot 2 Part Question

We are long time California Cabernet /blend drinkers, and have been enjoying exploring domestic Pinot Noirs over the last year or so.

We’re finding ourselves enjoying Rivers-Marie and Rhys very much.

Question 1: What other domestic producers are in this genre, or near it, that we should know and taste?

Question 2: With our annual trip to Napa / Sonoma in January, I’d like to set up several tastings with Pinot producers. Where should we go for Pinot?

Thank you!

Alex

I think Santa Cruz Mountains is out of the question for a Napa/Sonoma trip, so I’d say focus on Russian River Valley addresses. I have no idea who is open to appointments and who isn’t. Williams-Selyem, Dehlinger, Rochioli, and Hanzell all come to mind as possibly interesting to you. I don’t drink many cab blends so can’t cast my palate preferences to your approach angle on the Pinot Noir, but I applaud the direction of your taste drift.

Cheers,
fred

Thank you. I know Sojourn has a tasting room in Sonoma so we’re going to taste there… What others in the area?

Dehlinger and Scherrer are a must try and good to visit if you can get an appointment. Peay is also fantastic.

I think you might like Holdredge. I might try to arrange something with Eric at Ladd Cellars, also.

Alex - the 2 you mentioned, Rhys and Rivers Marie are among a very small group of pinot producers that I buy from every year. Some others I really enjoy and suggest you try are Kutch, Scherrer and Ceritas.

Other names coming to mind as I think more on it are Littorai and Hirsch.

Cheers,
fred

While in Napa, a visit to Failla might work out. The Pinots are well made if a touch more “purple” than the 2 you mentioned.

A plug for Porter Creek in RRV. Alex and his wife are great people. He did some training in Burgundy and is a very experienced Pinot-maker. The family has been winemaking there for almost 35 years. The Pinots combine appropriate ripeness for the AVA with charm and restraint.

Also, Joseph Swan is right down the road and worth a stop…Rod Berglund being another extremely experienced hand.

RT

Siduri in Santa Rosa. Adam only has 20+ Pinots to choose from.

Soliste and Kutch. They will host a tasting if you call well in advance for an appointment. My two favorite pinot producers. The Prince of Pinot has given these two wine makers his highest praise and scores. Both make a lighter more Burgundian style wine.

Arcadian.

If you’re going to visit Sojourn you might as well stumble across the square when you’re done and visit Walt. They say they make pinot noir for people who like cabernet. Indeed, they’re luscious!

If you’re in the Russian River Valley you should visit Hartford.

Ancillary is a Pinot project between Mike Smith and Mark Carter. I think you would enjoy it. I have been buying River Marie for years. Coming from a cab perspective I think you would like Kosta Brown, but it is difficult to get.

Go to Envy Wines in Calisoga, you can try Mike’s wines which are phenomenal cabs and Ancillary Pinot’s.

Cheers,

Mark

Copain is of the controlled ripeness school and in my top tier for CA pinot, and the winery is in Healdsburg even though most of the grapes are from Anderson Valley. Essential visit in my book if you’re going to be in Sonoma.

Arcadian is a great pinot. Joe makes a list of world class wines. Some with age are available for purchase from the winery. BUT not in Napa.

I also enjoy Rhys pinots. Another one you may want to check out in the Russian River area is Arista. They also make some tasty white wines.

I agree with the above and would forcefully recommend Lynmar.

Reserve one of their special tasting experiences and be prepared to be wowed.

Rochioli typically only offers tastes of one current pinot or chardonnay, so it would be a quick stop.

If you can get in at Williams Selyem, their tastings are amazing.

Depending on how your trip lines up with the schedule at Chasseur, you could be in for a real treat. Their pinots are classic! Honestly fabulous.

I do not know if they do visits, but I buy their wine: Peter Michael might blow you away for chard, pinot, and cab based wines!

Lastly, Merry Edwards makes nice pinots (and wine, in general) and you can schedule a pretty nice tasting experience.

I strongly recommend appointments and would be willing to generalize and say that “buying up” for the better select experiences is well worth it.

Let us know what you do!

(Once more, the Lynmar experience is the bomb…upgrade to any level they will do!)

A hearty second and third on Lynmar. Very impressive place with huge doors that they open when the weather is nice; just like tasting outside. Great glass ware, big pours, and they usually have something hidden under the counter. Just pay for the best tasting. Some of their single vineyard wines are probably not worth the tariff, but the entry level wines are good values. I met their former winemaker (name escapes me now; Bibiana??) in Vegas when she was with Adam Lee and one of the Pisoni boys, who I think she married.

I recently tasted through Fulcrum’s line-up and was very impressed. Nice (new) tasting room on Sonoma square.

+1 for Arcadian.

As for Pinots in Napa, I wouldn’t bother. Anyone care to disagree?