Two AV Wineries of Special Mention: Maggy Hawk and Domaine Anderson

Proprietor Barbara Banke (Jackson Family Estates) celebrates Maggy Hawk, a gifted thoroughbred racehorse, with the wines sourced from a 23.55-acre vineyard in the “deep end” of the Anderson Valley. Each wine is named for a horse born to Maggy Hawk, Jolie, Afleet, Stormin’ and Unforgettable, and to her sire, Hawkster.

Winegrower Dennis Winchester lives on the property and works with winemaker Elizabeth Grant-Douglas to produces these special wines. The Maggy Hawk label was launched with the 2007 vintage.

The Maggy Hawk Vineyard contains a complex of different aspects (primarily south and southeast facing) and clones, producing an array of different Pinot Noirs. It is situated adjacent redwoods at 300 to 530 feet, and is one of the last vineyards in the Anderson Valley before the Pacific Ocean. The soils are decomposed sandstone which has exceptional drainage and low nutrients. Yields are painfully low, never above 2 tons per acre. The vineyard was planted in 2000 to clones 115, 667, Pommard 5 and Wädenswil.

Jolie is from a southeast facing block planted to clone 115 and is always the most nuanced, floral and pretty wine. Afleet is from a 1.23-acre block of Pommard 5 clone and offers complexity, a mouth filling texture, and remarkable consistency. Stormin’ is from clone 667 and shows a powerful nature each year. Unforgettable, also clone 667, but planted on the vineyard’s steepest slope, is difficult to farm and pick, and incredibly low yielding. It is typically dark-fruited, intense and replete with minerality. Hawkster is only produced in the best vintages from Wädenswil clone and is the crown jewel of the Maggy Hawk Collection.

I have previously reviewed the 2007 and 2009 vintage wines. They are something special. The wines are sold only through an allocated mailing list at www.maggyhawk.com.

2010 Maggy Hawk Afleet Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 147 cases, $55. Pommard clone. · Moderately light garnet color in the glass. Appealing aromas of fresh cherry, wooded forest and pennyroyal. Soft and polished on the palate with a tasty mid weight core of darker cherry and berry fruits with a noticeable overlay of smoky oak. The tannins are suave and very fine. The wine finishes with modest intensity and a little more oak than I prefer, but the charming fruit is enticing. Score: 90

2010 Maggy Hawk Jolie Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.5% alc., 291 cases, $55. Clone 115. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Uplifting aromas of cherry, strawberry, spice and underbrush. Delicious and full in the mouth, with a good attack of dark cherry fruit accented with anise, dark chocolate and toasty oak. Impressive harmony and elegance with complimentary integration of oak. The finish is polished and pleasant. Score: 91

Domaine Anderson officially opened during this year’s Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival. The winery is the vision of the Rouzaud family of Louis Roederer and their American team dedicated to producing still Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines. Roederer Estate, which also owns Schraffenberger Cellars, has been in the Anderson Valley for 30 years.

Sourced from 52 acres of estate vineyards, the inaugural 2012 vintage of Domaine Anderson produced two estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines from a blend of several vineyards. In addition, two single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines were produced in limited quantities sourced from small, selected blocks in Roederer’s Anderson Valley vineyards.

The winery is located south of Roederer Estate Winery in Philo across the street from Goldeneye and adjacent Balo Vineyards. It is surrounded by the 17-acre Dach Vineyard.

Domaine Anderson’s winemaker is Jerry Murray, who has dedicated his career to producing super premium Pinot Noir wines. Spanning three continents and eight wineries, Murray acquired his skills working in Oregon, New Zealand and Germany. The winemaker consultant is Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac.

The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines are aged 16 and 12 months respectively in 25% to 35% new French oak barrels

The winery will not be open to the public, but the wines are available through a mailing list at www.domaineanderson.com. The wines are released twice a year to the mailing list.

2012 Domaine Anderson Dach Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., $N/A. Inaugural vintage. This 17-acre vineyard is a mile east of the town of Philo at an altitude of 300 feet and surrounds the winery devoted to still Pinot Noir. Aged in about 25% to 33% new French oak for 16 months. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. An immature nose featuring a heavy oak presence. Still very young, with mid weight flavors of juicy black cherries, accents of herbs and spice, and generous, firm tannins. Somewhat silky on the palate with a significant oak overlay. Needs to be decanted or time to integrate the oak and tannins. Score: 91