Garnet Vineyards

Garnet was an inexpensive, easily approachable, early drinking Pinot Noir produced by Saintsbury as far back as 1983. The brand name was acquired in early 2011 by Silverado Winegrowers, the largest independent grower of Pinot Noir for Saintsbury. Silverado Winegrowers also acquired the Garnet winemaking facility.

The Garnet winemaker and partner is Alison Crowe, a University of California at Davis enology graduate who developed her skills at Chalone, Byington Winery and Vineyards, Bonny Doon Vineyard and Bodegas Salentein in Argentina. She is a frequent contributor to Wine Business Monthly magazine and is the author of The WineMaker's Answer Book.

Reasonably priced offerings from the 2009 and 2010 vintages include Pinot Noir from estate vineyards in Carneros (Diamond Vineyards, Stanly Ranch and Champlin Creek), Monterey County (four vineyards) and the Sonoma Coast (Rodgers Creek) and one single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Rodgers Creek Vineyard in the Sonoma Coast. The wines enjoy distribution by Vintage Point throughout the United States and are sold through the Garnet Vineyards website.