Top 5 pinot noir wines from California

[Ryan_Saccomano]

Anthill
Littorai
Rhys
Drew

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

Alphabetically:

2002 or 2005 Brogan Cellars Helio Doro Block Buena Terra Vineyard. Picking just one is splitting bliss.
1974 Hanzell, though I have high hopes for a 1984 and 1987 I have collected since.
2005 Rivers-Marie Summa Old vines
2001 Rochioli East Block
1992 or 1996 Williams-Selyem Allen Vineyard, again how can you choose only one?

Honorable recent mentions would include the 05 Small Vines or 07 Small Vines MK Vineyard, 2005 Lynmar Five Sisters and 2005 Peay Scallop Shelf.

[Kenny_H]

no order

mt eden
arcadian
rhys
siduri
talley

[Chad_Richardson]

No order and disclaimer that there Re so many others I haven’t had a chance to explore deeply…

Sojourn
Kosta Browne
Loring
Copain
Failla

[Roberto_Rogness]

How the mighty have fallen: only one mention each for Calera and Au Bon Climat!

[George_Chadwick]

@Roberto Rogness

How the mighty have fallen: only one mention each for Calera and Au Bon Climat!

Actually three for Calera before your post; and mine makes four:

Santa Cruz Mt Vineyard when Ken Burnap made the wines
Rhys
Calera
Wm Selyem pre-1998
Radio-Coteau Marsh

[Brian_Gilp]

@George Chadwick

@Roberto Rogness

How the mighty have fallen: only one mention each for Calera and Au Bon Climat!

Actually three for Calera before your post; and mine makes four:

And by my count three also for ABC.

[Danny_M_a_z_z_a]

Williams Selyem
ABC
Rhys
Sea Smoke
Kosta Browne

[Scott_Brunson]

I can’t believe no smarta$$ named Vosne-Romanee, Chambolle-Musigny…

I used to buy Sea Smoke, Pisoni, Lucia, Roar but my tastes have changed.
Copain
Hanzell
Peay
Rhys
I need to try Anthill and Ceritas

I have a hard time swallowing K-B and Marcassin

[M_Dildine]

There are too many fantastic Pinot producers in California to select only five. For example, just from tonight:

[Michael_Raczynski]

It looks like we are all a bunch of lemmings!

Sojourn
Rochioli
Loring
Copain
Peay scallop shelf

[Carlton_McCrindle]

Based only on my limited experience, in alphabetical order:
Au Bon Climat
D’ Alfonso
Inman
Williams-Selyem

[Bob_Hughes]

Stunned, stunned I tell you, that we are already on the 2nd page of this thread and no one has mentioned Martinelli’s Blue Slide Ridge yet .

[Bob_Paul]

Anthill
Kutch
Rhys
Rivers Marie

After that it gets tough for me. Maybe a Rochioli, KB or Marcassin to round out the top 5. I have only had a couple of Paul Lato’s, but have thought they were great as well.

[Bob_Cuozzi]

Mt Eden
Thackrey …they need time but have really become quite something
Whitcraft…though i haven’t had any in a few years
Marcassin…though again have not had any lately
Aubert

Was on both the Martinelli and Rochioli lists back in the 80s and early 90s but dropped off for a variety of reasons…more about hostage wines etc than the juice itself which I enjoyed. I left the W-S list when they sold the label.

I don’t drink many CA Pinots these days but have enjoyed other people pouring Loring, Dehlinger, and some others. Would like to try Kutch…have seen some locally and may give one a try soon.

Cheers, Bob

[Joe_S]

Not in special order:

Failla
Freeman
Williams Selyem
Peay
Littorai

Following these but maybe not in same class are Martinelli, Merry Edwards. I have Ceritas, Rivers-Marie, and Sojourn on order but have not tasted them as of yet.

[Doug_Lee]

Arcadian
Ceritas
Littorai
Mount Eden
Rhys

[Eric_Flanagan]

@Adam Lee

Independent of vintage to me would imply that they’ve done it over many vintages, so while I don’t think I could come up with any specific 5, I’d definitely start with the people who have made Pinot Noir well from a single site over a large number of years…so folks like Rochioli, Dehlinger, Mt. Eden, Sanford, etc.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

Of course, the other possibility is that I am old and am appreciating more highly those that have been doing it longer than I.

Nothing wrong with having a few years of bottle age Adam. I always enjoy your efforts…especially the “Pisoni Vyd”. Looking good in the RRV video… If you like guys who have been around a while you gotta give a nod to Bob Cabral too…

[Arif_F]

Mt Eden

Hirsch
Littorai

Cobb
Kendric
Rhys

[coreyweaver]

Littorai- not only is Ted a pioneer. His current work with biodynamics and clonal diversity in the vines is exiting.
Mt Eden- a singular classic.
Anthill farms- I simply love drinking these wines. So transparent. Not sure if they are built for 10+. Not sure I care.
Copain- These define the deep end of Anderson valley for me.
Ceritas- Always just needed them to make more pinot. Seems I am getting my wish. Exited about the new sites.


If the op asked for ten I could easily say
Rivers Marie- summa. Nuff said.
Arcadian- defines California south of Cruz, along with au bon climate.
Williams selyem- more an achievement award than a current favorite. But there is no disputing the quality approach and star studded staple.
Rhy of course.
Joe swan, flowers, so many other classics.

As well as all the exiting new labels, kutch, couloir, ghostwriter, zepaltas etc…