Dec 30, 2022
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Ancillary Cellars
| Owner(s) | Mark Carter, Mike Smith |
| Web site | www.ancillarycellars.com |
| Link to this site |
A collaboration between celebrated Napa Valley vintners Mike Smith and Mark Carter who each had their own label specializing in Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Carter Cellars (Carter founded it in 1998) and Myriad (Smith founded it in 2009). Carter owns the Carter House in Eureka, California, where the 301 restaurant has a Wine Spectator Grand Award wine list. Smith began working for Thomas Rivers Brown in 2001, and Brown introduced Smith to Carter.
The pair released their first Pinot Noirs under the Ancillary label in the 2012 vintage. A Chardonnay followed with the 2014 vintage.
Vineyard sources for Pinot Noir include Sangiacomo Vineyard and Sun Chase Vineyard, both located in the Sonoma Coast.
The wines are sold through allocation by mailing list.
Articles About Ancillary Cellars
Reviewed Wines
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $50. From Robert’s
Road Vineyard, located directly below Gap’s Crown and Sun Chase vineyards. Clones are 115 and Pommard.
Aged on the lees for 10 months.
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of cherry, red berry,
Provencal spices and underbrush lead to a light to medium weight core of cherry and strawberry fruits. More
savory than the Sun Chase with a vein of herbs in the background. Elegant and easy to drink with supple
tannins and some finishing length.
Score: 89.
Reviewed February 8, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $50. From a high elevation (900’ to 1400’) vineyard
located in the Petaluma Gap region. Clones 667, 777 and “828.”
·
Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very nicely perfumed with
scents of black raspberry, black cherry, spice, balsam and subtle oak.
Silky, elegant and refined, with layers of black cherry and pomegranate
flavor accented by complimentary tobacco-laced oak. Very soft and
polished on the finish.
Score: 91.
Reviewed February 8, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sun Chase Vineyard Whole Cluster Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $55.
This wine is meant to bridge the gap between the ripe California style of Pinot Noir and the Old World style.
Clone “828.”
·
Moderate reddish purple hue in the glass. The nose is pleasant but unusual and hard to describe
with only a hint of black cherry and a touch of floral bouquet. Very soft and smooth on the palate with an earth-kissed
core of cherry fruit. Not as giving and a little more structured than the regular Sun Chase bottling,
although the tannins are still rather suave.
Score: 89-90.
Reviewed February 8, 2015
ARTICLE »
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $50. From Robert’s Road Vineyard, located directly below Gap’s Crown and Sun Chase vineyards. Clones are 115 and Pommard. Aged on the lees for 10 months. · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Aromas of cherry, red berry, Provencal spices and underbrush lead to a light to medium weight core of cherry and strawberry fruits. More savory than the Sun Chase with a vein of herbs in the background. Elegant and easy to drink with supple tannins and some finishing length. Score: 89. Reviewed February 8, 2015 ARTICLE »
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sun Chase Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $50. From a high elevation (900’ to 1400’) vineyard located in the Petaluma Gap region. Clones 667, 777 and “828.” · Moderate reddish purple color in the glass. Very nicely perfumed with scents of black raspberry, black cherry, spice, balsam and subtle oak. Silky, elegant and refined, with layers of black cherry and pomegranate flavor accented by complimentary tobacco-laced oak. Very soft and polished on the finish. Score: 91. Reviewed February 8, 2015 ARTICLE »
2012 Ancillary Cellars Sun Chase Vineyard Whole Cluster Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.5% alc., $55. This wine is meant to bridge the gap between the ripe California style of Pinot Noir and the Old World style. Clone “828.” · Moderate reddish purple hue in the glass. The nose is pleasant but unusual and hard to describe with only a hint of black cherry and a touch of floral bouquet. Very soft and smooth on the palate with an earth-kissed core of cherry fruit. Not as giving and a little more structured than the regular Sun Chase bottling, although the tannins are still rather suave. Score: 89-90. Reviewed February 8, 2015 ARTICLE »