Pigs and Pinot in Healdsburg

A friend of mine is going to be attending this event and the website lists the following wineries as pouring. Not being a big CA pinot guy, do you see any names on the following list that he should prioritize? I think his palate is pretty wide open, but perhaps leans a bit toward the more elegant style. Thanks.

Acacia
AdrianFog
Alysian
Argyle
Arista
BoulderBank
BroganCellars
Brooks
Cartograph
Chalone
CharlieClay
Dairymple
DeLoach
DomaineAurélienVerdet
DomainedelaVougeraie
DuttonGoldfield
Emeritus
Etude
EveningLand
Expression
Freeman
GaryFarrell
George
GratonRidgeCellars
HaleMary
HartfordCourt
Holdredge
InmanFamilyWInes
IronHorse
JVineyards
KingsMountainVineyards
KostaBrowne
LaCrema
LaRochelle
LazyCreek
MacMurryRanch
Martinelli
Matrix
MerryEdwards
MountfordEstate
NautilusEstate
NavarroVineyards
Papapietro-Perry
Rochioli
Siduri
Simi
SonomaCutrer
Stephen&WalkerWinery
Tabott
ThomasGeorgeEstates
TonySoterVineyards
Trione
Twomey
UnionvilleVineyards
VirginiaMarieLambrix
VisionCellars
WesMar
WilliamsSelyem
WilliamsonWines
Woodenhead

http://www.hotelhealdsburg.com/pigsandpinot/#taste-wineries

YMMV

Arista
DuttonGoldfield
Emeritus
Etude
HartfordCourt
Holdredge
IronHorse
JVineyards
KostaBrowne
MerryEdwards
Papapietro-Perry
Rochioli
Siduri
ThomasGeorgeEstates
WesMar
WilliamsSelyem
Woodenhead

Alysian is Gary Farrell’s new venture. Definitely try these. Another recommendation for Merry Edwards, Papapietro-Perry, Rochioli, and Williams Selyem. Kosta Brown and Siduri maybe (quite big wines.) I might add Argyle, Martinelli and Vision Cellars to the list as well.

Bearing in mind I don’t know some of the newer wineries, to my knowledge the only one avowedly pursuing an ‘elegant’ style is Inman.
While she does generally succeed, in my opinion there are challenges with the terroir.

I’d prioritize Vougeraie, young Aurelien Verdet (works with David Duband), Evening Land, Soter and Inman. There’re a lot of names I’d be curious to try again and many I’ve never heard of. Navarra should have some restraint. Haven’t tried a Papapietro in years and would enjoy the follow-up. Recently preferred a non-Gary Farrelled Gary Farrell to an Alysian and would want to check both.

RT

I’ve had the Holdredge that is being poured at that event.
I liked the wine quite a bit.
The winemaker was a head case though- the guy kept following me around trying to convince me to drink more wine.
I finally pulled him aside and kicked the snot out of him.
I was bruised for days.

1 Like

Sure. But, how was the pig?

I just figured those wines were made by Rod Berglund, or with ‘his grapes’ anyway. [wow.gif]

Oh sure, call out the token burgs. [snort.gif] I was ignoring all but the Cali wines. [cheers.gif]

Agree on Navarro with the exception that i’ve had some Deep End Blend wines that have been pretty burly. Good though. Still have a few bottles of the 2005 downstairs. The regular l’Ancienne bottlings show usual AV cherry, but yes restrained.

I have very limited exposure to Evening Land - different wine makers by region right? If they have the Oregon wines (esp. Seven Springs), or maybe one of the bourgognes it could be interesting. I had a central coast wine from them back in 2009 (Santa Rita?) that was quite ripe.

Last Papapietros I had were spring 2009 just before leaving San Fran - all very fruit forward to me.

Not familiar with a lot of 'em but I like these:

DuttonGoldfield (they keep the alc levels reasonable)
GaryFarrell (making a comeback)
Holdredge (drunken owner LOL)
InmanFamilyWInes (very nice single vyd PNs)
MerryEdwards (damn well-made)
Papapietro-Perry (more of a fruit-forward style)
Siduri (great PNs from Oregon to Santa Barbara)
Twomey (great vyd expression)
WilliamsSelyem (Sonoma County’s “grandpa” of PN)
Woodenhead (guess you’d call them Burgundian style)

This is WineBurgserkers isn’t it?

Isabelle Meunier bares watching. She’s getting the hang of Seven Springs.

Ask that Holdredge guy if he’s pouring anything with little fishies swimming around with lasers strapped to their heads. You’ll want to taste those.

RT

frickin endangered species…

Probably better to start with an ill-tempered trout, and go from there.

RT

Uhhh, Richard, I’m a bit puzzled. A beautiful 'bow, but you are not in flyfishing garb and no stream in sight. So what gives? You wouldn’t pose with a store-bought fish would you?

Mitch. Not me. I believe that’s the Dr. Evil of Healdsburg.

RT

Photo is next to a spring fed lake on a nearby mountain.
Lake was planted many years ago and has been generally forgotten except by the owner (who lives out of the area) and me. This is not a particularly large fish for that lake.

Looking at this list I could point out in two seconds all the names most would mention…

but I want to add one more you’ve probably never heard of.

MATRIX

Try this wine while you’re there. You will NOT be dissappointed! I stumbled across this winery by accident about two years ago. Late in the afternoon driving through Sonoma my friend and I were looking for one last winery to hit before they all shut down and drove by Matrix. We just said screw it and drove in.I’m so glad we did. I absolutely loved every pinot they poured. We bought several bottles and when I asked what other retailers carried them, they replied “None… only a couple restaurants in Healdsburg”

Tiny winery. Small production. INCREDIBLE Pinots.

I don’t get to Sonoma often but will go there next time I’m in the area.

I’ve had Mountford Estate pinot (from New Zealand) and it’s quite good, definitely in a more “restrained” lighter style with bright acids.

Had a George Wine Co Hansen PN last night that was pretty tasty. A little too bretty for me but there are people out there who like cow shit so…

Thanks John. Now I unfortunately know exactly what you look like when you are on the john.