2017 Pinot Noir All-Americans

“The only way to really get a sense of where a wine stands is to score it.
Scores are another way for me to learn your palate and judge what your
comments mean compared to my palate.”

A PInotFile reader

In the final issue of the PinotFile each year, I name my All-Americans, my favorite domestic Pinot Noirs reviewed this past year. In 2017, nearly 850 domestic Pinot Noir were reviewed, with 15% of the wines receiving a score of 94 or above. These extraordinary wines have what wine writer Hugh Johnson calls “numinous,” that is defined by Webster as “the higher emotions or the aesthetic sense.” In other words, truly extraordinary, spellbinding wines that elicit emotion. 79 wines were scored 94, 29 wines 95, 13 wines 96, 8 wines 97 and 3 wines 98. The prices of Pinot Noir scoring 90 or above ranged from $18 to $125 with an average of $55.

I score all the wines using the 100-point scoring system with guidelines as follows: 94-99 Extraordinary, 90-93 Outstanding, 86-89, Very Good, and 82-85 Good. Wines scoring less than 82 do not merit publication in the PinotFile and there are very few of these in the current marketplace.

In choosing the All-American Pinot Noirs, I follow several dictums and these have been outlined in the past: www.princeofpinot.com/article/1754. In essence, the All-Americans are the highest scoring wines. This year I have included multiple wines from the same producer if qualified. The 2017 All-Americans were judged independent of price, case production, vintage or wine region of origin. Most of the wines tasted in 2017 were from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages. It is somewhat unfair to compare wines from disparate vintages, but the evaluation of each wine is taken on its own merit in the context of the vintage.

Only finished bottled wines that are formerly reviewed in controlled, and therefore comparable circumstances are candidates for All-American consideration. Almost all wines are culled from unsolicited winery submissions while a few wines that are rarely sent for review came from personal purchases.

Pinot Noir awarded the Value icon offer an exceptional price to quality ratio and generally this is a wine priced at or below $39 that is also scored in the upper Very Good or above category (89 or above). The prices of Pinot Noir scoring 89 or below reviewed in 2017 ranged from $12 to $85 with an average of $39.50.

The Chardonnay All-Americans are chosen using the same process as for Pinot Noir.

To search for the complete review of each All-American wine, visit the Home Page at www.princeofpinot.com. Click on Winery Directory, then the producing winery, and then read the review among the listings for that winery.

The most important take-away from these All-American awards is expressed in the words that Jamie Goode so eloquently offered in his book, I Taste Red, a recommended discourse that explores how we taste wine. “The notion of rating or judging wine reflects the fact that we come to wine from our own perspective. A rating cannot be a global, universal score that is a property of that wine. If you decide to follow a critic, you need to choose one whose own narrative of wine is largely overlapping with yours: you need to adjust for differences and calibrate yourself to the critic.”

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2017 California Pinot Noir All-Americans

First Team Wines

2015 Benovia La Pommeraie Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 98….highly nuanced perfume….focused and adroit with a dreamy velvety texture….proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove.

2016 Kutch McDougall Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 98 ….other worldly aromas…. a fruit grenade…. uncommon finishing intensity…. a complete wine….ridiculously good.

2015 Paul Lato “Atticus” John Sebastian Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 98 ….aromas are knee-weakening seductive.…an ephemeral wine with amazing harmony and silkiness….almost indescribable.

2014 Big Basin Vineyards Lester Family Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 97 ….a glorious wine….vibrant and refreshing….soothes the palate….bombastic cherry finish….really emotes.

2015 Ferrari-Carano Sky High Ranch Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir 97 ….sexy nose full of pheromones….knee-bending….really emotes….grand finish that lasts until next sip.

2016 Kutch Bohan Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 97 ….deep well of fruits and exotic spices….ethereal refinement….such delicacy and sensuality while knocking my socks off with flavor….romantic.

2014 Maggy Hawk Jolie Maggy Hawk Estate Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 97 ….ridiculously alluring….flat-out delicious….celebratory black cherry delight.

2015 Paul Lato “Seabiscuit” Zotovich Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 97 ….Vivid and vibrant….overall harmony….well-spiced blackberry goodness.

2015 Paul Lato “Lancelot” Pisoni Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 97 ….soars over time….earth-toned blackberry flavors….uncommon length….superb rendition of vineyard’s terroir.

2015 Cattleya Cuvée Number One Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 96 ….decadent, powerful wine yet demure….showy character….spirited acidity….uncommon finishing generosity.

2014 Drew Family Cellars Morning Dew Ranch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 96 ….exudes pure class….gorgeous nose….velvety and lush….memorable finish….impeccable balance.

Second Team Wines

2014 Dutton-Goldfield Deviate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 96 ….earth, floral and foliage aromas….very smooth and sexy on palate….remarkable follow through on an intense finish that seems to last a minute.

2014 Goldeneye Confluence Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 96 succulent mid weight core of red berry and cherry….special in every way….commendable harmony….extraordinary finish that seemed to last indefinitely.

2015 Kutch McDougall Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 96 ….teasing flavors with uncommon goodness….circus of fruit….infusion of whole cluster character into the fruit profile….orgasmic.

2014 Maggy Hawk “Stormin” Maggy Hawk Estate Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 96 ….vivacious aromas, descriptors don't do justice….gorgeous and delicious….spot-on balance…..extraordinary finish.

2015 Paul Lato “The Contender” Drum Canyon Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 96 ….energetic core of gorgeous boysenberry and blackberry fruit….lush in the mouth….impeccable balance….long, fulfilling finish.

2015 Pisoni Pisoni Estate Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 96 ….a serious wine….structured tannins are suave and supportive….balance spot on….rarely encounter a domestic Pinot Noir with this length of finish.

2015 Chasseur Soft Asylum Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 95 ….lovely aromas, ephemeral flavors….satin in texture….nothing out of place….a ticket to heaven.

2014 COBB Emmaline Ann Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….sensational aromas, ….delicious cherry fruit….seamless and polished….tugs at your heart strings.

2015 Domaine De La Côte Memories Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 95 ….nose is alive….intense attack….bright acidity,….exquisitely balanced….extremely long and gregarious finish….just perfect.

2015 Eric Kent Sasha Marie Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….toned and trim….both weight and weightlessness….noticeably juicy, joyously long finish….immense charm and poise.

2015 Kutch Bohan Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….terroir-driven….rustic and earthy….lovely spice….sinewy tannins….silky texture is dreamy….stunning even four days later.

2015 Kutch Falstaff Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….mouth filling goodness….polished mouthfeel striking….extraordinarily long finish….plenty of whole cluster character.

2014 LaRue Emmaline Ann Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….fruit-driven aromas, impressive fortitude on palate….very soothing with gentle tannins….power in a velvet glove character.

2015 Lucienne Lone Oak Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 95 ….enticing aromas….alerts the taste buds…very polished, even slinky….gossamer tannins….quintessential Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir.

2015 Morgan Double L Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 95 ….very special nose that attracts….high-collared….flat-out terrific….gifted with plenty of extract yet discreet in generosity….tenacious finish.

2014 Pisoni Pisoni Estate Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 95 ….core of fruit arrives with notice….tannins hold fruit in check….appealingly silky texture….captivating and approachable….a reference wine for Pisoni Vineyard.

2015 RAEN Royal St. Robert Cuvee Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….complex nose, splendid attack….fresh and crunchy style….delights with a hearty and sustained finish….appealing elegance.

2013 Soliste Sonatera Vineyard T Block Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….elegantly composed….glorious flavors….whole cluster nuances….cherry-fueled finish that never gives up….wine has a spring in its step.

2016 Valerie’s Vineyard One Acre Carneros Pinot Noir 95 ….intoxicating aromas….gorgeous in every way….unbelievably intense and persistent finish….a message from heaven.

2014 Wayfarer The Traveler Wayfarer Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 95 ….soaring aromas….discreetly concentrated….freshness, vibrancy and juiciness….harmonious and giving….deserves an ovation.

McDougall Ranch, Sonoma Coast

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2017 Oregon Pinot Noir All-Americans

First Team Wines

2014 Walter Scott Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 97 ….reserved but alluring nose….unctuous on the palate….perfectly ripened fruit flavors….infatuating….will stay the long course.

2014 Walter Scott Temperance Hill Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 97 ….at loss of words to describe joyful nose….reflects Temperance Hill terroir….vigorous flavors….perfect harmony….captivating.

2015 Evening Land Seven Springs Estate La Source Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 96 ….welcoming aromas….delicious and seductive….rather elegant….inviting Pinot delicacy….a memorable wine.

2015 Knudsen Vineyards Estate Reserve Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 96 ….riveting aromas and flavors….charming dose of spice….sophisticated….seamless texture….grand finish….collectible.

2014 Phelps Creek Cuvée Alexandrine Columbia Gorge Pinot Noir 96 ….remarkably complex nose….very sophisticated….built to age….enjoy for its complexity and longevity….needs more time in cellar.

2016 Privé Joie de Vivrie Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir 96 ….brooding aromas….heavenly texture and balance….outlandish finish….a tour de force

2012 Privé le sud Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir 96 ….appealing scents….delicious bombastic wine….richness of flavor and energetic verve….luscious and satiny….dreamy.

2015 Brick House Evelyn’s Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir 95 ….clearly a special wine, seductive aromas….impression of boldness and ripeness….sturdy backbone of tannins matches sappy fruit….finish lingers indefinitely.

2014 De Ponte Cellars Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 95 ….luxurious deep black cherry perfume….deliciously ripe fruits….dreamy….long finish is almost too good to be true.

2014 Trisaetum Family Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 95 ….heady scents….cashmere texture….mouth coating sap….finish grand cru in spirit….connoisseur’s wine.

2014 Trisaetum Estate Reserve Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 95 ….grand nose….gloriously fresh aromas….a flavor explosion greets palate….suede tannins….remarkably long finish.

Second Team Wines

2015 Broadley Vineyards Jessica Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 95 ….silky in mouth….vivacious core of dark fruits really grab your attention….boldly structured….finishes with intensity and purpose….marvelous.

2014 Brooks Rastaban Brooks Estate Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 95 ….intoxicating nose….very classy….impeccably balanced….pleasing earthiness….impressive polish and verve.

2014 Gran Moraine Estate Reserve Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 95 ….aromas rise up over time….onslaught of flavors….big by Oregon standards….great depth of fruit….soothing texture….a good friend now but will benefit from cellaring.

2015 Evening Land Seven Springs Estate Anden Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 95 ….very fulfilling in mouth….whole cluster fermented demeanor….intriguing savory underpinning….juicy finish.

2015 Walter Scott Seven Springs Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 95 ….open and giving…. soaring aromas….superb harmony….regal spiced fruit….quenching finish and invigorating acidity

2015 Brick House Cuvée de Tonnelier Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir 94 ….clean and fresh aromas….beautifully elegant….masterfully crafted….everything is in sync….glorious finish.

2014 Brooks Crannell Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 94 ….engaging aromas….delicious cherry pie core….suave tannins….cherry-driven finish lasts a minute.

**2015 Compton Family Wines Alpine Cuvée Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 Also a best value $38. ….exceptional aromatic seduction, a gift from heaven….outstanding harmony….darker, riper fruit package….Pinot royalty.

2015 de Lancellotti Lachini Vineyard Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir 94 ….a comforting wine….vivid flavors….impressive mid palate intensity….satiny in texture….right touch of oak.

2015 de Lancellotti Onelia Willmette Valley Pinot Noir 94 ….array of aromas….remarkable attack….seamless….silky and sexy….charitable red fruited goodness on finish.

2014 De Ponte Cellars Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 94 ….dreamy nose….delicious….elegant and silky….memorable finish….a step up in class.

2015 Siduri Hawk’s View Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 ….a real charmer….juicy, forward and elegant….balletic character….thoroughly delightful.

2014 Kramer Vineyards Heritage Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 94 ….nose builds in charity over time in glass….gentle in the mouth….bright acidity….superb balance….compelling package.

2014 Lenné cinq élus Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 94 engaging aromas….delicious core of fruits….envelopes the taste buds….very long finish….truly age worthy.

2015 Lingua Franca Ryan’s Plow Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 ….seductive aromas….elegantly composed….vibrant flavors….suave tannins….noticeable mid palate intensity….remarkable finish.

2015 Lingua Franca Tongue n’ Cheek Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 94 ….penetrating aromas….vivid essence of fresh dark red cherries….earthbound….expansive in the mouth….tenacious finish.

2015 Nicolas-Jay Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 ….a very interesting wine evolves over time….highly pleasing aromas….soft in the mouth….sleek, rewarding finish….more cordial with decanting.

**2014 Phelps Creek Vineyards “Beehive” Columbia Gorge Pinot Noir 94 Also a best value $38. ….intriguing aromas….flat-out delicious and very showy….skillful oak management….incredibly glorious cherry finish.

2015 Soléna Domaine Danielle Laurent Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 94 ….sophisticated, haunting wine….right combination of fruits and savory earthen notes….impressive harmony.

2015 Soléna Prince Hill Vineyard Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 94 ….a very showy wine….charming aromas….silky smooth….very giving now….unrelenting juiciness….very lengthy finish.

2013 Tendril C Note Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 ….array of pleasurable aromas….feminine perfume….waves of fruit….textural charm….extra long finish….a special wine.

Temperance Hill Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills

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2017 California Value Priced Pinot Noir All-Americans

There is a huge market for reasonably priced Pinot Noir that is of very good quality. The reality is that it is expensive to farm and produce quality Pinot Noir, making value priced domestic Pinot Noir limited in availability.

As you can see from the table below, the retail prices of table wine have escalated significantly over the past decade.

Most of the wines submitted for review to the PinotFile are in the premium or ultra premium category and cost more than $40. As a result, I don’t have the opportunity to review large numbers of value priced Pinot Noir. Nevertheless, here are some recommended wines I found in 2017. I consider the value priced icon for wines that score at least 88 and are priced less than $40. A few wines were awarded both the Pinot Geek and Pinot Value icons making them particularly desirable. There was only one of these California wines reviewed in 2017 and is indicated by a preceding double asterisk. I have not included Pinot Noir Rosé wines as they almost always represent good value.

First Team Wines

**2015 Sanglier River Tusque Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 94 $36

2014 O’Connor Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 93 $35

2014 Press Cellars Helluva Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 93 $30

2014 Windy Oaks Estate Schultze Family vineyard Estate Cuvée Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 93 $39

2015 Carmel Road Panorama Vineyard Arroyo Seco Monterey Pinot Noir 92 $35

2016 Kutch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 92 $39

2014 Mignanelli Nelson Family Vineyard Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir 92 $36

2015 Roessler Wine Cellars Black Pine Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 92 $30

2015 Sandler Wine Co. Bien Nacido Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir 92 $36

2015 Sandler Wine Co. Boer Vineyard Chalone Pinot Noir 92 $36

2014 Sarah’s Vineyard Santa Clara Valley Pinot Noir 92 $25

Second Team Wines

2015 August West Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 91 $34

2014 Davis Bynum Jane’s Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 91 $35

2014 Sanglier River Tusque Sonoma County Pinot Noir 91. $36

2016 Alma de Cattleya Sonoma County Pinot Noir 90 $28

2015 August West Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 90 $34

2015 Balletto Vineyards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 90 $29

2015 Birichino Saint Georges Central Coast Pinot Noir 90 $24

2014 Brooks Note Marin County Pinot Noir 90 $36

2014 J. Lohr Highlands Bench Santa Lucia Highlands Monterey Pinot Noir 90 $35

2015 J Vineyards & Winery Monterey County, Sonoma County & Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 90 $24

2015 Morgan Twelve Clones Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 90 $35

2014 Pence Ranch Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 90 $27

2015 Sarah’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 90 $38

2013 Seal Beach Winery Taylor Noelle Clone 459 Pence Ranch Vineyard Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 90 $32

2014 Seal Beach Winery Reserve Star. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 90. $35

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2017 Oregon Value Priced Pinot Noir All-Americans

Most of the wines submitted for review to the PinotFile are in the premium or ultra premium category and cost more than $40. As a result, I don’t have the opportunity to review large numbers of value priced Pinot Noir. Nevertheless, here are some recommended wines I found in 2017. I consider the value priced icon for wines that score at least 88 and are priced less than $40. A few wines were awarded both the Pinot Geek and Pinot Value icons making them particularly desirable. There were two of these wines reviewed in 2017 and they are indicated by a preceding double asterisk. I have not included Pinot Noir Rosé wines as they almost always represent good value.

Referencing the map below, it is evident that the best wine consuming customers are those with higher incomes. For Oregon, that is the northern Willamette Valley.

First Team Wines

**2014 Compton Family Cellars Alpine Cuvée Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 94 $38

**2014 Phelps Creek Vineyards “Beehive” Columbia Gorge Pinot Noir 94 $38

2015 DANCIN Écarté Oregon Pinot Noir 93 $37

2014 Dominio IV Rain on Leaves Stermer Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 93 $35

2015 Brigadoon Lyle Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 92 $23

2015 Broadley Vineyards Zenith Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 92 $30

2014 Kramer Vineyards Estate Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 92 $28

2014 Lenné Estate Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 91 $38

2015 Rain Dance Vineyards Estate Nicholas Vineyard Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir 91 $30

2014 Résonance Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 91 $35

2016 Walter Scott La Combe Verte Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 91 $28

Second Team Wines

2014 Broadley Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 $20

2015 Alit Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 $27.45

2014 Coeur de Terre Heritage Reserve Estate McMinnville Pinot Noir 90 $36

2015 DANCIN Pas de Trois Oregon Pinot Noir 90 $37

2015 DION Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir 90 $25

2014 iOTA Not One iOTA Pelos Sandberg Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 90 $28

2014 Maison Roy & Fils Petite Incline Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 $35

2014 Purple Heart Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 $38

2015 Siduri Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 90 $36

2015 Trisaetum Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 90 $36

2014 Winter’s Hill Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 90 $39

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2017 California Chardonnay All-Americans

Top notch barrel fermented California Chardonnay is somewhat expensive. The All-Americans ranged in price from $38 to $70 with an average of $53.

In the past couple of years, I have been impressed by the Chardonnays from Pratt Vineyard (photo below). This 15.65-acre vineyard is located in Sebastopol on Sexton Road, south of the town of Graton and west of the town of Sebastopol. Jim Pratt, of Cornerstone Certified Vineyards, a winegrower for over 30 years, began developing this Sebastopol Hills vineyard in 1998. Soils are Goldridge sandy loam. Both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are planted, with at least some of the Chardonnay as Old Went clone.

In addition to Chardonnays from Pratt Vineyard, there are several other vineyard-designated Chardonnays from the North Coast that are a guarantee of high quality: Bacigalupi, Charles Heintz, Durell, Hanzell, Ritchie, Rochioli, Savoy, and Zio Tony.

2015 Dutton-Goldfield Devil’s Gulch Vineyard Marin County Chardonnay 97

2014 la pitchoune Pratt Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 97

**2015 La Follette Sangiacomo Vineyards Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 95 $38

2015 La Rue Charles Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 95

2014 Peirson Meyer Charles Heintz Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 95

2015 Scherrer Helfer Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 95

2015 Ancient Oak Cellars Single Vineyard Series Nurmi Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 94

2014 Balletto Cider Ridge Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 94

2015 Cattleya Pratt Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay 94

2014 Gregory James Hawk Hill Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 94

2015 Migration Dierberg Vineyard Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay 94

2015 Sonoma-Loeb El Novillero Carneros Chardonnay 94

2015 Three Sticks One Sky Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay 94

2015 Zina Hyde Cunningham Adeline’s Vineyard Anderson Valley Chardonnay 94

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2017 Oregon Chardonnay All-Americans

Oregon Chardonnay has gained considerable prominence recently. If you are new to Oregon Chardonnay, it is an ideal time to get on board. The prices of the 2017 Oregon Chardonnay All-Americans ranged from $30 to $100 with an average of $52, comparable to California Chardonnay counterparts.

2014 Gran Moraine Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay 98

2015 Knudsen Vineyards Dundee Hills Chardonnay 96

2015 Walter Scott X Novo Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 96

2015 Evening Land La Source Seven Springs Estate Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 95

**2016 Rain Dance Estate Nicholas Vineyard Chehalem Mtns Chardonnay 95 $30

2015 Walter Scott Cuvée Anne Willamette Valley Chardonnay 95

2014 Evening Land Seven Springs Estate La Source Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 94

2014 Evening Land Seven Springs Estate Summum Eola-Amity Hllls Chardonnay 94

2014 Knudsen Vineyards Dundee Hills Chardonnay 94

2015 Walter Scott Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Chardonnay 94

Knudsen Vineyard, Dundee Hills

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2017 Wineries of the Year: Kutch Wines, Benovia Winery, Walter Scott Wines

Traditionally, I have chosen a single winery each year as the “Winery of the Year.” This year, I could not single out one winery, and have chosen two wineries from California and one from Oregon as “Wineries of the Year.”

Benovia Winery and Kutch Wines are this year’s California “Wineries of the Year.” The two wineries present quite a contrast. Benovia has a more glamorous winemaking facility and hospitality center in Santa Rosa, while Kutch is housed in a more modest warehouse setting in Sonoma. Benovia’s winemaker, Michael Sullivan, is a veteran in the Russian River Valley, while Jamie Kutch is a relative newcomer in comparison. Benovia produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from estate vineyards almost exclusively, while Kutch’s wines come only from sourced grapes. Benovia’s Pinot Noirs are made using a typical Russian River Valley approach using largely de-stemmed grapes and aging in about one-third new oak barrels. Stylistically, the wines show luscious fruit flavors beautifully balanced with structured tannins and modest acidity. Kutch vineyard sites are much cooler in general and the grapes are picked earlier. The wines are fermented 100% whole cluster, and aged in very modest new oak. Stylistically the resultant wines are lower in alcohol and higher in acidity with an emphasis on delicacy and balance. Kutch Chardonnay is more lean and acid-driven, while Benovia’s Chardonnays are more richly fruited with more barrel input. The two styles of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are far apart, but both are equally alluring.

Walter Scott Wines is the 2017 Oregon “Winery of the Year.” Located in the Eola-Amity Hills region of the Willamette Valley, owners Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vinified with grapes sourced from multiple premium vineyards primarily located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. After only nine vintages, Walter Scott has risen to the top tier of Oregon wineries, primarily due to the couple’s talents and the special vineyard sources that give their wines their dazzling character.

Benovia Winery

Proprietors: Joe Anderson, Mary Dewane, Michael Sullivan
Winemaker: Michael Sullivan
Address: 3339 Hartman Rd, Santa Rosa, CA , 707-921-1040
Website: www.benoviawinery.com
Tasting: Guests are welcome by appointment only daily ($30 per person waived with purchase of two or more bottles per guest)
Wine Purchases: Wines are sold through a mailing list, the winery’s website and the tasting room. $40-$75.
Wines: Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, Russian River Valley Blanc De Blancs, Sonoma County Zinfandel and Sonoma Mountain Grenache. Annual production about 5,000 cases.

This winery dates to 2003 when Joe Anderson and spouse Mary Dewane bought a 55-acre ranch west of Healdsburg just outside the Russian River Valley AVA that included included old vine Pinot Noir and Zinfandel planted on the property’s Cohn Vineyard. The property also included a home that allowed Joe and Mary, who lived in Arizona, to spend time in Sonoma County and pursue their winery aspirations.

In 2005, the couple purchased the Hartman Road Vineyards and Winery from Cecil DeLoach. The 18-acre ranch, located in the Laguna de Santa Rosa sub region of the Russian River Valley, had 13.5 acres of Pinot Noir and a dated winery. Eventually, a 40-acre horse ranch parcel adjacent the winery property was acquired increasing the property to 58 acres. The original 13.4-acre estate vineyard was expanded to almost 42 acres and renamed Martaella Vineyard. This vineyard includes nine clones and heirloom selections of Pinot Noir and four clones of Chardonnay, all planted in a high density configuration of between 2000 and 2722 vines per acre.

A 16-acre site near Freestone named Tilton Hill Vineyard, has been planted with 12 acres of Pinot Noir. Again, this is a high density planting established in 2009 with Dijon selections of Pinot Noir.

Today, Benovia Winery has 71 acres of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel vines in three distinctive locations across the Russian River Valley AVA, the Sonoma Coast AVA and the Sonoma County AVA. The name, Benovia, is a merger of the first names of Mary Dewane’s father, Ben, and Joe Anderson’s father, Novian. The property’s estate Martaella Vineyard was named for the mothers, Martha (Joe’s) and Eleanor (Mary’s).

Winemaker Michael Sullivan joined Benovia at its launch as a partner to lead winemaking, vineyard development and management of the winery. Michael had previously produced brilliant wines at Hartford Family Winery. Early on, Michael had to make due with an aged winery and equipment using primarily purchased grapes. (Michael and Prince at winery below)

Today, Benovia Winery has a modern new winemaking facility dedicated to Pinot Noir and has transitioned to predominantly estate grown wines. I have been lucky to sample the Benovia wines over the past twelve years and have seen first-hand the progressive rise in quality and consistency. (Winery pictured below)

Scores for Benovia Pinot Noir over the past four vintages (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015):

Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 89, 89, 89, 92
La Pommeriae Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Zio Tony Vineyard) 92, 94, 92, 98
Martaella Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 93, 92, 93, 94
Cohn Vineyard Sonoma County Pinot Noir 95, 94, 91, 92
Tilton Hill Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 91, 93, 90, 94

Scores for Benovia Chardonnay:

Fort Ross-Seaview Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 93 (2012), 93 (2013), 94 (2014)
La Pommeraie Russian River Valley Chardonnay 92 (2012), 93 (2015)

Kutch Wines

Proprietors: Jamie and Kristen Kutch
Winemaker: Jamie Kutch
Address: 21660 8th Street East, Sonoma
Website: www.kutchwines.com.
Tasting: Available to mailing list customers who have made a previous purchase from the mailing list. Email tastings@kutchwines.com well in advance. Weekdays only. A limited number of appointments are available for those who don’t have a previous purchase ($30 per person).
Wine purchases: Offered twice a year to mailing list members only by allocation. Prices range from $39-$62.
Wines: Offered twice a year to mailing list members only. Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Bohan Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Falstaff Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, McDougall Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, and Signal Ridge Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir. Very limited amount of Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay has been produced. Annual production 2,500 cases.

I have profiled Jamie extensively over the past twelve years since I first met him. Jamie’s interest in Pinot Noir developed while he was working as a stock trader at Merrill Lynch in New York. He has admitted that part of his interest was fueled by reading the PinotFile. Upon the urgings of other young winemakers in California, including Andrew Vingiello (A.P.Vin), Brian Loring (Loring Wine Company) and Michael Browne (Kosta Browne), Jamie quit his job, talked his wife-to-be, Kristen, to move west with him, and began learning winemaking under the tutelage of Michael Browne. I first met Jamie when he was working for Michael while Michael was making wine at Freeman Winery in Sebastopol in the early 2000s.

Jamie did not follow the path of Kosta Browne Pinot Noir stylistically after his first two vintages. He developed his own style through tasting many older vintages of top-shelf California Pinot Noir looking to discover their desirable wine traits such as balance and age ability. Travels to Burgundy allowed him to learn more about stem inclusion and time spent with accomplished California winemakers and growers fueled his passion. His talent as a thinker and innovator led him to push the envelope successfully. He has become respected by wine cognoscenti for the individuality of his wines and his accomplishments in a relatively short period of time.

Jamie’s first commercial vintage was 2005, the same as for Benovia Winery. Since then, he has become a strong proponent of whole cluster fermentation. Inclusion of whole clusters in fermentation adds an extra dimension to the structure, texture, sensuality, and aromatic and flavor profile of Pinot Noir. That said, there are a number of potential pitfalls to this technique such as green aromas and flavors, so appropriate vineyard sites must be chosen carefully vintage vagaries taken into account, and vinification protocols adapted accordingly. Jamie began extensive whole cluster trials in 2009 and was cautious at first, but he found that it was the wines he produced with 100% whole cluster fermentation that he liked the best. By 2012, he was all in so to speak, vinifying all of his wines with 100% stem inclusion.

In the winery, after the grapes are carefully sorted, Jamie puts the whole clusters in open-top fermenters, initiates fermentation with wild yeasts, punches down with his feet, then basket presses the must into French oak barrels where natural malolactic fermentation ensues. The wines are aged on the lees for about 10 months, and left alone until bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Scores for Kutch Pinot Noir over the past five vintages 2012-2016:

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 90 (2012), 90 (2013), 89 (2014), 89 (2015), 92 (2016)
Falstaff Vineyard Pinot Noir 93 (2012), 94 (2013), 93 (2014), 92 (2015), 95 (2016)
Bohan Vineyard Pinot Noir. 93 (2013), 92 (2014), 95 (2015), 97 (2016)
McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir 96 (2013), 95 (2014), 96 (2015), 98 (2016)
Signal Ridge Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir 94 (2014), 94 (2015), 93 (2016)

Walter Scott Wines

Proprietors: Ken Pahlow, Erica Landon, Sue & Andy Steinman
Winemaker: Ken Pahlow
Address: 6130 Bethel Heights Road NW, Salem, OR. 971-209-7786
Website: www.walterscottwines.com
Tasting: Cellar tasting by appointment only hosted personally by Ken or Erica. Schedule: info@walterscottwines.com. Closed until Spring Release in early March.
Wine purchase: The wines are sold primarily through a mailing list. A limited selection of wines are available on the website. Price range $28-$85.
Wines (2015): La Combe Verte Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Cuvée Ruth Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Sojourner Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Freedom Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Clos Des Oiseaux Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Dubai Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Seven Springs Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, Los Muertos Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir. La Combe Verte Chardonnay, Cuvée Anne Willamette Valley Chardonnay, Freedom Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, X Novo Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay. Annual production 4,500 cases (2015). In 2016, Chardonnay from Bunker Hill Vineyard will be added.

I had my first up close meeting with Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon this past July before the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) when I tasted through all of their 2016 Pinot Noir and Chardonnays resting in barrels. The winemaking facility is very modest but that is of little importance when the wines are dazzling. I believe Ken and Erica should adopt the tagline, “We have the grapes!” since all of their wines are sourced from very special Willamette Valley vineyards. The couple have been involved in the Oregon wine business for more than twenty years and the contacts and friendships established over this time have enabled them to source fruit from a very impressive lineup of prestigious vineyards. All great wine starts with great grapes.

Ken’s past winemaking experience includes stints at St. Innocent Winery (14 years), Patricia Green Cellars (where he first began producing the Walter Scott wines) and Evening Land Vineyards where he worked alongside Burgundian winemaker Dominique Lafon. Erica is a sommelier who has taught for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and International Sommelier Guild, and managed wine programs at prestigious restaurants including Timberline Lodge, Ponzi Family’s Dundee Bistro, Ten 01, and a number of Bruce Carey restaurants in Portland. In 2014, both Ken and Erica left their additional jobs to focus entirely on Walter Scott.

Andy and Sue Steinman have provided legal counsel (she is an attorney focused on wineries) and Andy business experience, as well as financial backing for Walter Scott since 2012. Many of you know the Steinmans who attend the IPNC faithfully every year. The IPNC was where I first met them many years ago, and they have kindly shared special Pinot Noir wines from their extensive cellar at the Salmon Bake ever since.

The name, Walter Scott, honors Walter, Ken’s grandfather who was a flight engineer for TWA, and Ken’s nephew, Scott, whose time was short but impressed with his fearlessness.

Walter Scott was launched in 2008 with the modest production of 25 cases of Pinot Noir and 135 cases of a non-vintage white grape blend. The first commercial vintage followed in 2009, a total of 650 cases of La Combe Verte Pinot Noir that was a tribute to the team at Patricia Green Cellars where the wine was produced by Ken. In 2012, a winery space in the Eola-Amity Hills located adjacent to Justice Vineyard was leased to Ken and Erica by the Casteel family of Bethel Heights Vineyards. The same year, fruit was offered from the renowned Freedom Hill and Temperance Hill vineyards. In 2013, X Novo and Sojourner vineyards were added and in the following year, Seven Springs Vineyard became a fruit source. Critical acclaim about Walter Scott wines quickly rolled in from many prominent wine publications.

Sometimes, a winery’s esteem is reflected in the quality of the appellation wines, not just the vineyard-designated wines. At Walter Scott, the same care and attention to detail goes into the Walter Scott Willamette Valley appellation wines as for the single vineyard selections. The winery’s La Combe Verte Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay represent outstanding quality at reasonable prices and these wines typically sell out a few days after release.

Scores of Walter Scott Pinot Noirs from the 2015 and 2016 vintages:

La Combe Verte Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 91 (2016)
Cuvée Ruth Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 93 (2016)
Seven Springs Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 95 (2015)
Clos des Oiseaux Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 93 (2015)
Dubai Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 94 (2015)
Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 97 (2015)
Temperance Hill Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 97 (2015)
Sojourner Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir 92 (2015)

Scores of Walter Scott Chardonnays from the 2014, 2015 and 2016 vintages:

La Combe Verte Willamette Valley Chardonnay 93 (2016)
Cuvée Anne Willamette Valley Chardonnay 95 (2014), 95 (2015)
X Novo Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay 94 (2014), 96 (2015)
Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Chardonnay 93 (2014) 94 (2015)

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Quotable Wine Quotes of 2017

Regarding Pinot Noir

If an alien asked me: “What can Americans achieve? I’d sit him down with a glass of Eyrie Pinot and a copy of As I Lay Dying….John Atkinson, MW

When you find a Pinot Noir that hits all of the grape’s hallmarks - fine-grained tannins, frisky acidity, red-berry fruit and truffle-y, stony earth - it just might make you an addict. Consider yourself warned….Wines & Spirits

Pinot Noir is the botanical equivalent of a radio transmitter. The vine, through its grapes and its wine, is able to transmit what happened subsoil, down to the last rainfall, the last heat spike, in each vintage, making it one of the most expressive red-wine grapes in the world….Sarah Looper, Wine & Spirits

I feel like Pinot Noir as a variety is approaching a zone that had previously only been occupied by Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay regarding general consumer acceptance, wine list placements and cultural presence…..Jeff Pisoni, Pisoni Vineyards

Pinot Noir can be a wine that’s difficult to read, but it can also be extremely sexy. There are very few varieties that can be both intellectual and pleasurable at the same time, the flexibility of the grape is fascinating….Josh Reynolds, Vinous

Pinot Noir is endlessly interesting. There aren’t many grapes that are endlessly interesting….Josh Wesson, Supreme Provisions

Today it seems that delicious handcrafted Pinot Noir at a decent price is pure fantasy - some might even call it “unicorn” wine….Katie Kelly Bell, forbes.com

It’s no secret in this industry that Pinot Noir is a twisted grape….taming the notoriously tricky Pinot grape requires skill, patience, and a little bit of fatalism….Julia Burke

Regarding oak

Fortunately oenophiles don’t have to deconstruct the wines they drink to know if they’re too oaky. Even in a young wine, the oak should never stand out too much. A well-made wine is always balanced, whether fermented and aged in oak or not….Lettie Teague, Wall Street Journal

Oak is only good for making tables and chairs. If you taste oak, it’s the winemaker’s fault. Even if the wine has been aged in barrel, you should only be able to taste the fruit….Marco Caschera, Vincent Giradin in Meursault

Wines that rely for their presence on heavy oaking often reach maturity with high levels of irremediable hard tannin with all the grace of a lump hammer like the Cheshire Cat, just the grin is left, and a desiccated and crabby one at that….Remington Norman, The World of Fine Wine

Regarding Winemaking

The special winemaker finds something of himself in every wine and something of every wine in himself….Irving Penn (original quote adapted to wine)

In general, I would posit it is harder to make good inexpensive wine than a good expensive one. That seems perhaps to be a trivial observation, but too many wines are made by those who craft their wines to impress - and to justify a high price tag….David Graves, co-founder Saintsbury Winery

Fining and filtering a wine is like torturing someone then asking if they are happy….Mounio Saouma, Lucien Le Moine

Progress has been notably hampered by the widely media-lauded unholy trinity of red wine production: overripeness, over oaking and over extraction….Remington Norman, The World of Fine Wine

Regarding Wine in General

The Somms are a strange people, only recently discovered by Westerners. Little is known about where they originated….Ron Washam, HoseMaster of Wine

Most wine is fairly priced. Wine sales operate on a fundamental supply-and-demand model that is hard to refute; the market sets the price. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t multitudes of high-priced or overrated wines out there. The market is awash with them, yet they help determine a wine’s real value….James Laube, Wine Spectator

Wine prices reflect what the market will bear. Of that I have no doubt. But will the eager enthusiasts not blessed with megabucks now be shut out from ever tasting the great wines. I f we are not already at that sad pass, we may well be very soon….Charles Oiken

Where is the quality cheap wine going to come from to save the wine business again if the worst happens? There won’t be any, thanks to an industry dominated by scores, overpriced wine that doesn’t deliver value, and winespeak….Wine Curmudgeon

There’s no doubt that the French coming here (Oregon) is an exclamation mark that what we’re doing here in the New World is awesome. Everyone’s welcome. I love the French, the Australians, the Californians….it’s all good in the hood….Alex Sokol Blosser, Sokol Blosser Winery

The relationship between style and quality remains contentious….Remington Norman, The World of Fine Wine

Unicorn wines is a term used by Somms for ultra rare, extremely limited, and there highly prized bottles that inspire gangs of envy among wine geeks. They confer status not by virtue of their cost….but of special expertise it takes to acquire them….Zachery Sussman, The World of Fine Wine

A balanced wine is one where all of its components - acidity, alcohol, dry extract, fruits, tannins - are in harmonious relationship with one another. Nothing sticks out….Benjamin Lewin MW, The World of Fine Wine

Wine isn’t something you need to learn in classes or by chasing a pin or a diploma. Wine is something that becomes part of your life in gradual, almost invisible, steps. And when it enters your life in that way, it’s all the more meaningful….Jon Bonné

Wine is unique in that it needs words to bring it to life….Andrea Frost, The World of Fine Wine

Minerality is used as an ill-defined and over used term, often as a marketing tool….it might be largely ‘a redox phenomenon,’ a mystical name for sulfur….Pescale Denevlin, The World of Fine Wine