This is old school Anderson Valley all the way – pure and elegant dark cherry fruit with just a touch of rusticity. This high-elevation Pinot Noir made entirely from Pommard clone displays the quintessential dusty, spicy aromas of this classic clone. Pale garnet in the glass, the wine is certainly not shy with its intense aromas of cherry, black tea, clove, and cedar. The mouth filling palate shows bright acidity, balanced chalky tannins and a persistent finish with both fruit and spice lingering.
This fruit was de-stemmed and allowed to ferment naturally, it was aged for 17 months in French oak barrels, 25% new. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered, which means vegan. 98 cases produced.
2019 Waits-Mast Roma’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
$52.00
Roma’s Vineyard in Anderson Valley is one of the highest vineyards in the AVA. Roma’s Vineyard was planted high above Anderson Valley by Dean and Suzi Carrell in 1993, using Pommard cuttings from Ted Bennet and Deborah Cahn’s Navarro Vineyards. Roma’s Vineyard is organically farmed and located at 1850 feet above sea level on Lone Tree Ridge, over looking the town of Boonville, and the soil is comprised of Gold Ridge Loam over sandstone.
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is noted as being a top region in American to make restrained and refined Pinot – think more Burgundy than Russian River. Despite that, most growers making amazing Pinot from Anderson Valley are not actually located in Anderson Valley. So much killer fruit is grown there, but I think most winemakers are not able to take the plunge of moving up to such a still remote and isolated community. Brands like Ceritas, Copain, Donkey & Goat, Peay, Lioco and Failla all source from Anderson Valley, and their wines are consistently highly rated and sought after. But none of their brands live in Anderson Valley. This is also true for Waits-Mast, an urban San Francisco made brand that sources all their fruit from incredible vineyards in Anderson Valley.
If you have never made the trek to Anderson Valley, it is one of my favorite regions on the planet, and you should put it on your next itinerary. I’ll help you plan. Call me. In the meantime, drink this.