May 5, 2013
Cork Dork Etude: Inspired Wines of the Carneros the Gardener: Got Organic Grapes? Bravium: Relish the Acidity Rivers-Marie: 2010 & 2011 Reflect the Challenges of Farming on the Edge Dunstan Wines from Durell Vineyard Foursight Wines: Family Excels with Pinot COBB Wines: No Wine Before Its Time Sips of Pinot: Wines Tasted Recently Rosé and Chardonnay: Recently Sampled Wines Pinot Briefs
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Anaba Wines
| Owner(s) | John Sweazey |
| Web site | www.anabawines.com |
| Link to this site |
Anaba ("anna-bah") takes its name from the cool, upward-flowing breezes called anabatic winds that frequently stream through the estate vineyard during the warm summer months. These unique air currents make the vineyard more temperate and slow down the ripening process. To take advantage of the air currents, John is believed to be the first vintner in Northern California to harness wind power which supplies supplemental power to his tasting room offices and case goods storage. Plans are to harness solar power and add more turbines when a new 60,000 case winery is built on the estate vineyard property.
Proprietor John Sweazey fell in love with wine while visiting Napa Valley as a Stanford undergrad and later while traveling in Europe for nine months a few years after college. After starting and running a real estate finance company, he longed to settle in the Sonoma wine country to grow grapes and make wine. He sold his business in 2003 and found a winegrowing property in western Carneros.
The Director of Winemaking and Vineyard Operations and General Manager is Jennifer Marion, a graduate of University California at Davis, who has been at Anaba from the beginning. She has a background in both winemaking and viticulture, having worked with Napa Valley-based Crop Care Associates.
The portfolio of Anaba wines are sourced from Rhone and Burgundian varieties grown at the estate vineyard in Carneros and in other vineyard properties in Sonoma County. The first wines were released in early 2009 and are priced under $30. The wines are sold on the website and at the tasting room located at 60 Bonneau Road at the intersection of Highways 121 and 116, just outside the town of Sonoma (open daily). The tasting room is a converted farmhouse that stood on Anaba's J McK Estate Vineyard property.
Articles About Anaba Wines
Reviewed Wines
2010 Anaba Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc..
·
Deep, dark reddish-purple color
in the glass. Similar to the 2009 vintage but more reluctant and showing more oak at this early stage.
Luscious dark cherry and berry flavor with hints of herbs and anise, leaving a lasting impression on the lengthy
finish. Better the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Good (+).
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.8% alc.
·
Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass.
Subdued fruity aromas of darker cherries and berries with hints of spice, vanilla and oak. Moderately rich core
of dark berries and black plums accented by spice and oak notes. Brighter and more seductive than the 2009
vintage bottling with more body and structure. Also veers to the ripe side. Good.
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.8% alc..
·
Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass. The nose is very subdued at
this early stage, offering peeks of dark berry jam, spice and oak. Full-bodied, fat
and silken on the mid palate, with assertive flavors of dark stone fruits,
blackberries and poached plums. The most striking fruit in the Anaba lineup.
Much better the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle
with better integration of oak and more expressive fruit. Great upside potential.
Very good.
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Denmark Vineyard Wente Clone Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
14.3% alc., $37.
·
Pale golden straw color and clear in the glass. Interesting
aromatic profile offering scents of dried mango, lemon curd, ocean air, lees and
seasoned oak. Nicely flavored, featuring lemon zest, pastry cream and butter.
On the austere side but more interesting than the Sonoma Coast bottling with
lively acidity and some length on the finish. Good (+).
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
14.3% alc., $28.
·
Pale golden straw color and clear in the glass.
Green apple and pharmaceutical aromas. An austere wine with very little flavor offering demure notes of
apple, lemon water and subtle oak. Crisp and easy drinking but lacks interest. Decent.
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.45, TA 0.61, 929 cases, $32. From Gap’s Crown
and Sun Chase vineyards located on the western facing slope of Sonoma Mountain. Aged 11 months in 25%
new French oak barrels.
·
Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Lovely aromas of blackberries,
black plums, baking spice and oak, tending to fade over time in the glass. Moderately endowed with rich
flavors of sweet plums and berries veering to a very ripe profile. Silky on the palate with restrained tannins and
an underlying earthiness. Less interesting over time in the glass. The wine had a mild cooked fruit flavor the
following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Decent.
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.65, TA 0.57, 294 cases,
$45. Clone 667.
·
Dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Brightly fruited on the nose with very ripe dark
cherries and berries with a hint of Moroccan spice. Middleweight flavors of dark berries with a citrus-imbued
berry tang on the finish. More intensity and finishing strength than the Sonoma Coast bottling. The fruit cloaks
the tannic structure giving the wine a very soft and sleek texture. The wine grows on you over time.
Very good.
Reviewed April 4, 2012
ARTICLE »
2007 Anaba J McK Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $28.
A new winery owned by John Sweazey located in the town of Sonoma.
From the sustainably farmed J McK Vineyard located in the heart of
Sonoma Carneros.
·
Pleasing red cherry and berry scents with
underlying smoke and herbal oak. A medium-weighted wine replete
with red cherry, cranberry, red hard candy and brown spice flavors with
a bright riff of cherries haunting the lingering finish. The flavor profile reminds
me of a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Good.
Reviewed March 11, 2010
ARTICLE »
2007 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $28. Destemmed,
fermented in one-ton. Aged in French oak barrels for 17
months.
·
Very attractive scent of wild berries, oak vanillin and rose
petals. Tasty mixed blue and black berry core accented by notes of
cola, smoothly textured with supple tannins, and offering a refreshingly
bright finish. Highly drinkable now and a charming wine with some
flair. Very good.
Reviewed March 11, 2010
ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc.. · Deep, dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Similar to the 2009 vintage but more reluctant and showing more oak at this early stage. Luscious dark cherry and berry flavor with hints of herbs and anise, leaving a lasting impression on the lengthy finish. Better the next day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Good (+). Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.8% alc. · Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass. Subdued fruity aromas of darker cherries and berries with hints of spice, vanilla and oak. Moderately rich core of dark berries and black plums accented by spice and oak notes. Brighter and more seductive than the 2009 vintage bottling with more body and structure. Also veers to the ripe side. Good. Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.8% alc.. · Moderately dark reddish-purple hue in the glass. The nose is very subdued at this early stage, offering peeks of dark berry jam, spice and oak. Full-bodied, fat and silken on the mid palate, with assertive flavors of dark stone fruits, blackberries and poached plums. The most striking fruit in the Anaba lineup. Much better the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle with better integration of oak and more expressive fruit. Great upside potential. Very good. Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2010 Anaba Denmark Vineyard Wente Clone Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
14.3% alc., $37. · Pale golden straw color and clear in the glass. Interesting aromatic profile offering scents of dried mango, lemon curd, ocean air, lees and seasoned oak. Nicely flavored, featuring lemon zest, pastry cream and butter. On the austere side but more interesting than the Sonoma Coast bottling with lively acidity and some length on the finish. Good (+). Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
14.3% alc., $28. · Pale golden straw color and clear in the glass. Green apple and pharmaceutical aromas. An austere wine with very little flavor offering demure notes of apple, lemon water and subtle oak. Crisp and easy drinking but lacks interest. Decent. Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.45, TA 0.61, 929 cases, $32. From Gap’s Crown and Sun Chase vineyards located on the western facing slope of Sonoma Mountain. Aged 11 months in 25% new French oak barrels. · Moderately dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Lovely aromas of blackberries, black plums, baking spice and oak, tending to fade over time in the glass. Moderately endowed with rich flavors of sweet plums and berries veering to a very ripe profile. Silky on the palate with restrained tannins and an underlying earthiness. Less interesting over time in the glass. The wine had a mild cooked fruit flavor the following day from a previously opened and re-corked bottle. Decent. Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2009 Anaba Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.3% alc., pH 3.65, TA 0.57, 294 cases, $45. Clone 667. · Dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Brightly fruited on the nose with very ripe dark cherries and berries with a hint of Moroccan spice. Middleweight flavors of dark berries with a citrus-imbued berry tang on the finish. More intensity and finishing strength than the Sonoma Coast bottling. The fruit cloaks the tannic structure giving the wine a very soft and sleek texture. The wine grows on you over time. Very good. Reviewed April 4, 2012 ARTICLE »
2007 Anaba J McK Vineyard Carneros Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $28. A new winery owned by John Sweazey located in the town of Sonoma. From the sustainably farmed J McK Vineyard located in the heart of Sonoma Carneros. · Pleasing red cherry and berry scents with underlying smoke and herbal oak. A medium-weighted wine replete with red cherry, cranberry, red hard candy and brown spice flavors with a bright riff of cherries haunting the lingering finish. The flavor profile reminds me of a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Good. Reviewed March 11, 2010 ARTICLE »
2007 Anaba Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $28. Destemmed, fermented in one-ton. Aged in French oak barrels for 17 months. · Very attractive scent of wild berries, oak vanillin and rose petals. Tasty mixed blue and black berry core accented by notes of cola, smoothly textured with supple tannins, and offering a refreshingly bright finish. Highly drinkable now and a charming wine with some flair. Very good. Reviewed March 11, 2010 ARTICLE »
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