Unfiltered, Unfined

In the cellar at Joseph Drouhin, Burgundy, France

Sometimes I wax rhapsodic about white Burgundy (made from Chardonnay), but mostly I talk about reds. There’s a very good reason for this. Most red Burgundies are produced from Pinot Noir, which is a maddening varietal to grow but often sublime to drink. Beyond that, Burgundy itself is one of the motherlands of wine, known for its special soils and climate as far back as Roman times. So it turns out that Pinot Noir is my favorite red wine grape, and Burgundy is the most terroir-driven, grape-friendly terrain in the world. Is it any wonder that I love it so?

Another region doing amazing things with Pinot Noir is much closer to home. I’m referring to California, specifically areas along the coast that are close to the Pacific Ocean. These Pinot places are incredibly diverse in geography and climate, spreading from Central California to Mendocino. But one thing they all have in common is great Pinot Noir.

Santa Barbara - not your typical wine country

Santa Barbara, one of the most southern parts of the Central Coast, is such an area. Although the region’s wine history began in the 18th century when monks brought the first clippings and planted them for sacramental wine, modern viticulture commenced here in the 1960s and 70s, when pioneers such as Firestone, Sanford and Zaca Mesa started their wineries.

Santa Barbara is home to some unusual topography, with mountain ranges running east-west rather than north-south. This funnels in fog and cool air from the Pacific Ocean, extending the growing season and allowing the grapes to develop intense flavors as they gradually ripen. Plentiful sunshine and perfect soils only add to the cachet.

One world-class wine from this area is the ‘07 Taz Pinot Noir Santa Barbara. Ruby red, it glistens like molten raspberry candy and has some of the same flavors. But there are also elements of roasted nuts and dark cherries that vie with cola and nutmeg on the long, lush finish.

Wine aficionados can also enjoy Pinot from the terrain that begins just to the north of Santa Barbara, including (from south to north) Paso Robles, Monterey and Santa Cruz. But I think that when traveling up the coast, the next great Pinot Noir area is Carneros, which lies at the south end of both Napa and Sonoma counties.

The tasting room at Acacia

One of my favorite wineries in Carneros is Acacia. This jewel currently owns about 150 acres of top quality estate vineyards but continues to source grapes from other growers. Although Acacia makes several single vineyard wines, one of my favorite value propositions is the basic Pinot Noir Carneros, whose deep ruby color is accompanied by an attractive bouquet of cranberries, cherries, white flowers and allspice. Medium-bodied, it has a tangy acidity that matches with many different foods.

Another bottle I recently enjoyed was the Artesa Pinot Noir Carneros. Black cherry and vanilla on the nose meets toasty cream soda and vivid raspberry syrup on the tart, moderately acidic finish. It’s another eye-opener from this Pinot-crazy part of California.

Sunrise balloons over Napa

Continuing north and a bit east from Carneros, we reach the Napa Valley, home to great Bordeaux varietals. Unfortunately, the characteristics that make this valley a home for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are some of the same things that limit its abilities with Pinot Noir. But there are definitely good ones, including the Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Napa Valley Hyde Vineyard. Not inexpensive, this Pinot nonetheless brings the goods, with an intense, full-bodied, focused core of dark earth, dried cranberry, sage, mint and volcanic minerals. Complex and concentrated, it ends with a dry tannic edge.

Back west toward the Pacific Ocean we hit the holy grail of California Pinot Noir - Sonoma County. Sonoma is a big place, and there are many areas suitable for Pinot including the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg. But for me the epicenter of Cali Pinot is on the Sonoma Coast, where high rocky cliffs meet rolling hills that work wonders on the grape (although they’re notoriously difficult to plant).

Dinner with Dan Kosta (front left) at Table 6

One outstanding such wine is the Kosta-Browne Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Black cherry, cinnamon and allspice lead to a dusty raspberry finish. Another is the Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard Old Vines, a melange of violets and lavender on the nose that’s followed by vanilla, maple syrup and sweet cherries on the long, smooth finish.

Hartford Court is yet another Pinot-proud producer that features bottles from the Sonoma Coast. One of their biggest sellers is the Pinot Noir Land’s Edge. It’s spirited in youth, but holds a lot of promise on the juicy blackberry and black cherry nose and tangy, cinnamon-spiced palate.

Fort Ross - they plant vines here?

At the extreme northern edge of the Sonoma Coast lies Fort Ross, one of my favorite wineries. Owned by Linda and Lester Schwartz (expat South Africans who moved to California during apartheid after their phones were tapped by the authorities), Fort Ross’s terrain is so topsy-turvy that simply planting the vines and arranging for drainage was a colossal effort. But the proof of the Schwartz’s dream is in the bottle - none more exalted than the Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve. It’s full of spicy cola, raspberry, cranberry and savory herb and dried cherry fruit flavors that are balanced, elegant and structured.

Finally, just above Sonoma we reach what I consider to be the northern end of Pinot Noir’s range in California, that of Mendocino and Lake counties. A combination of cool coastal breezes, warm days, and the fertile soil of Mendocino makes for some terrific juice. One to try is the MacPhail Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Toulouse Vineyard. This wine is incredibly intense and complex, with berry jam, anise and a touch of beefy earthiness that fans out on the full-bodied, long and persistent palate.

As can be seen from the diversity of wines reviewed here, there’s a lot to love in California Pinot Noir. And although I’ll always enjoy red Burgundy, sometimes the occasion is just right for Pinot from the California Coast.

Recommended:

Red

Taz Pinot Noir 2007 (Santa Barbara, California) $25

Acacia Pinot Noir 2007 (Carneros, California) $20

Artesa Pinot Noir 2007 (Carneros, California) $28

Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir Hyde Vineyard 2007 (Napa Valley, California) $75

Kosta Brown Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007 (Sonoma County, California) $55

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Summa Vineyard Old Vines 2007 (Sonoma County, California) $60

Hartford Court Pinot Noir Land’s Edge 2006 (Sonoma County, California) $45

Fort Ross Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Fort Ross Vineyard Reserve 2005 (Sonoma County, California) $50

MacPhail Pinot Noir Toulouse Vineyard 2007 (Mendocino, California) $50