Central Coast and North Coast Pinot Producers

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 24, 2009, 3:25pm

This is a discussion topic that I have wondered about and wanted to openly ask.

Lots of CA Pinot producers…some of whom are on this board…produce only Pinot Noir without ever touching Chardonnay. As the two Burgundian grape varietals, why don’t they go hand in hand with some folks? I know that Kistler, Marcassin and some others do a very good job with the two.

Brian_Loring · February 24, 2009, 4:14pm

I can think of a couple of reasons. First, my passion is Pinot. I like and drink Chardonnay, but it wasn’t what got me wanting to make wine. Also, there is a sea of great Chardonnays being made - in every style and at every price point. Does the world really need another one?

Second, you need a much bigger press if you want to make a commercially viable amount of Chardonnay. Our press that works fine for Pinot is way too small for Chardonnay. We can only get about 1.5 tons of Chard in our press at one time. Not nearly efficient enough. And the bigger presses, in addition to being waaaayyyyyy more expensive, wouldn’t work for our Pinot lots - just too big. So we’d need two presses. Not only does that add expense, but it also takes up a lot of space.

Bill_Tex_Landreth · February 24, 2009, 4:19pm

Brian, thanks for the info. That is exactly the type of response I was looking for.

Eric_Anderson · February 24, 2009, 4:19pm

Interesting point. Actually, many of the Pinot producers in the Sta Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley do make Chardonnay (Arcadian, Au Bon Climat, Babcock, Brewer Clifton, Byron, Foley, Dierberg, Huber, Ken Brown, Longoria, Melville, Ken Volk, Clos Pepe). I think those that don’t just prefer to be specializing in Pinot and/or Syrah. There’s also a sea of Chardonnay out there.

jdietz · February 24, 2009, 11:22pm

Methinks, Eric, you meant there’s also a sea of Pinot out there???

Eric_Anderson · February 24, 2009, 11:33pm

Nope, I meant there was already a sea of Chardonnay out there for Pinot producers to compete with. Of course, there’s a sea of Pinot as well.

Kevin_Klym · February 25, 2009, 2:20am

Don’t forget Sea Smoke makes Chardonnay (albeit in small quantity, mags or as a freebie to long-time list members) as well.

Mary_Baker · February 25, 2009, 2:23am

Misleading topic title … I’m just sayin’ … [nea.gif]

Dave_Morris · February 25, 2009, 2:20pm

I’d rather more producers focused on pinot than chard. Someone correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t there more chardonnay produced out of Cali than any other varietal? I thought it wasn’t even close. Whereas pinot is like a distant 5th overall or something like that.

john_holdredge · February 25, 2009, 4:27pm

You make the wines your heart guides you to make. It’s the benefit of being a small producer that doesn’t have to follow corporate dictates. Generally, whites speak to me less, and I do listen to the voices in my head.

That said, I occasionally threaten to make a chardonnay, but if I ever do, it will be a less ripe style, full of acid (and not go through ML), and would never get closer to oak other than being in the same room as some barrels.

Of course, with that profile I’ll have to drink it all myself, which keeps me from doing it…

ToddFrench · February 25, 2009, 4:28pm

John, I’d love to share some of that with you!

Dave_Morris · February 25, 2009, 4:36pm

That process sounds like it would probably resolve all the reasons I don’t like chard. Put me on the list for an allocation.

Eric_Anderson · February 25, 2009, 5:11pm

…mine too, and yet look at the sales of big, buttery, vanilla-laced Chards.

Dave_Morris · February 25, 2009, 5:29pm

The people who like those don’t post on boards like these…thankfully.

Eric_Anderson · February 25, 2009, 6:38pm

Which is another interesting point - why don’t we see this type of person show up on a wine board? I bet we automatically assume they have more pedestrian tastes; but I wonder if that’s always true.

Dave_Morris · February 25, 2009, 6:48pm

I don’t think I meant it that way intentionally but it is an interesting question. It was more of my visions of “butter and oak vs. non-butter and oak” debates that I would just as soon not be a part of.

john_holdredge · February 25, 2009, 7:00pm

I’ve done some informal “testing” of the market in the sense of opening (traditional) chablis from “traditional” years (read: not hot years like 2005) where the acid is screaming.

I LOVE that stuff, but I am surprised how few people (at least around here) seem to share my love. Makes me think it would be a hard sell, and in this market, that is the last thing i need.

ToddFrench · February 25, 2009, 7:02pm

Well, those who like it are fans of Chablis, and probably, would just buy Chablis…

john_holdredge · February 25, 2009, 7:52pm

True- but if you dont like a greener flavor profile and boatlaods of acid, a cali chard in that style wont rock your world.