Alfaro Family Vineyards
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Alfaro 2012 Pinot Noir, Trout Gulch Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From a 30+ year-old vineyard near Aptos, made with 20% whole-cluster fermentation and 50% new French oak. Medium-light color, this was earthy, with tart cherry and raspberry aromas plus notes of tea leaf and sweet oak. Medium-bodied with a lively mouthfeel and moderate tannins, nice.
Alfaro 2012 Pinot Noir, Lindsay Paige Vineyard, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Estate vineyard planted in 1998 with 10 Pinot clones, made with 20% whole clusters and aged in 33% new French oak. Slightly darker color, displaying more vanilla/oak than the previous wine along with black cherry and plum fruit and spice. Bigger on the palate, with somewhat bitter tannins on the finish.
Comments: Richard and Mary Kay Alfaro established their vineyards and winery in the late 1990s. There are now about 38 acres of vineyards planted on the property, and some portions are now certified organic. Lindsay Paige Vineyard, first planted in 1998, is named for the Alfaros’ daughter. Richard makes the wines, and was behind the winery table at the event.
Bargetto Winery
Bargetto 2012 Pinot Noir, “Mount Eden Clone,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light color, with earthy strawberry and tea leaf aromas with undertones of sweet oak. Medium-bodied with a bright mouthfeel and moderate, chalky tannins on the finish, nice.
Comments: Said to be the oldest continually-operating winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Bargetto celebrated their 80th anniversary in late 2013. Brothers Phillip and John Bargetto ran a winery in San Francisco from 1910 to 1917, and launched the Bargetto label in Soquel immediately following the end of Prohibition. Their 40-acre estate Regan Vineyard, was planted in 1992 in the Corralitos area. Olivia Teutschel is the Bargetto winemaker.
Beauregard Vineyards
Beauregard 2012 Pinot Noir, Beauregard Ranch, Ben Lomond Mountain. From Pommard, 667, and 115 clone vines planted in 2005 at a vineyard dating to 1949, the wine was aged in 50% new American oak. Medium-light color, this had ripe and forward raspberry fruit, plus spice and vanilla/oak aromas. Medium-bodied with a lively mouthfeel and slightly tart finish.
Beauregard 2012 Pinot Noir, Coast Grade Vineyard, Ben Lomond Mountain. From four Pinot clones at a vineyard planted in 2008, the wine was aged in 50% new American oak. Medium-light ruby, with floral red fruit, earth, lots of spice, and undertones of sweet oak. Medium weight on the palate, this had good acidity and moderate tannins on the finish.
Comments: Amos Beauregard first planted 13 acres of winegrapes at his ranch near Bonny Doon in 1949. His grandson Jim and Jim’s son Ryan now manage 105 acres of vineyards in the area. The Beauregard label was founded in 1999, and Ryan makes the wines. They’ve been using a good deal of American oak but have switched to mainly French oak beginning with the 2013 vintage. Coast Grade (originally Nora’s) Vineyard is the family’s newest site, with 17 acres planted in 2008. The small Ben Lomond Mountain AVA is entirely within the larger Santa Cruz Mountains AVA.
Big Basin Vineyards
Big Basin 2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from several vineyards, fermented with about 25% whole clusters. Medium-light color, this had bright aromas of black cherry, earth, spice, and a chalky mineral note. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins on the finish.
Big Basin 2011 Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From mostly Mount Eden, 115, and 667 clones, about 30% whole-cluster fermentation. Medium-light color, with slightly riper red fruits, dried herbs, lots of spice, and vanilla/oak on the nose. A bit more weight on the palate than the previous wine, with moderate tannins.
Big Basin 2010 Pinot Noir, Woodruff Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From 30+ year-old vines, about 50% whole-cluster fermentation. Medium-light color, featuring a more tart cherry profile, along with spice, earth, hints of flowers and herbs, and a touch of vanilla/oak. Medium-bodied with more structure than the previous wines, finishing with refined tannins, nice.
Big Basin 2008 Pinot Noir, Alfaro Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. About 20% whole-cluster fermentation. Medium-light color, showing riper black cherry and plum, plus big spice and earth notes, with sweet oak in support. Medium-light weight with good acidity and moderate tannins on the long finish.
Comments: Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Big Basin was established by Bradley Brown in 1998. The first plantings at the estate vineyard came in 2000 and the winery was completed in late 2003. Bradley learned much of his winemaking from John Alban, and the stylistic similarities show in a number of the Big Basin wines. Though better known for its Rhône-style wines, Big Basin has also made very good Pinots. The Woodruff Family Vineyard bottling was my favorite of their wines at the tasting.
Burrell School Vineyards & Winery
Burrell School 2011 Pinot Noir, “Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light ruby color, with floral aromas along with bright cherry, a touch of tea leaf, and hints of sweet oak in support. Medium-light weight with lively acidity on the palate, finishing with moderate, chalky tannins, nice.
Burrell School 2010 Pinot Noir, “Principal’s Choice Estate Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Slightly darker color, this showed some earthy/funky notes on the nose, along with tart cherry and a bit of spice. Richer mouthfeel than the 2011, with moderate tannins and a slightly tangy finish.
Comments: David and Anne Moulton started work on their estate vineyard in 1973. The first plantings were Chardonnay and Merlot, with Pinot Noir added in 2002. The estate vineyard is at 1,600-foot elevation in the Summit area, and includes Pommard, 115, 667, and 777 Pinot clones. David makes the wines, and ages them in mostly-new French oak.
Byington Vineyard & Winery
Byington 2009 Pinot Noir, “Block 4,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. From a west-facing block in the highest part of the vineyard, aged in 50% new French oak. Medium-light garnet, this had smoky, oaky aromas along with black cherry and earth. Fairly rich mouthfeel, this finished with milder tannins.
Byington 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Blend of vineyard blocks 1-3. Medium-light color, with red fruits and a resiny oak character. Brighter acidity on the palate than the previous wine, with a lively finish.
Comments: Bill and Mary Byington purchased a 95-acre property along Bear Creek Road in 1958, originally planning to make it into a family retreat. But after planting nine acres with Pinot Noir in the mid-1980s, Byington Winery was launched in 1987. Santa Cruz native and current winemaker Andrew Brenkwitz has been with Byington since 2001.
Cinnabar Vineyards & Winery
Cinnabar 2012 Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From clones 37 (Mount Eden) and 667, aged in 30% new French oak. Medium-light color, showing upfront cherry fruit, lots of spice, and a stony mineral note. Medium-bodied with a smooth texture and fairly mild tannins.
Comments: Cinnabar was founded in 1981 by Tom Mudd, on a site in the hills overlooking Saratoga. He planted 22 acres in 1984 and 1985, and completed a winery building – complete with caves – in 1987. Eight more acres were planted in 1991. The estate vineyard and winery were sold to Mount Eden when Tom passed away in 2007, but the Cinnabar label has continued to produce wine with purchased fruit. Their 2012 Pinot was sourced from Lester Family Vineyard, planted in the mid-1990s near Corralitos.
Clos LaChance Wines
Clos LaChance 2010 Pinot Noir, “Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from five vineyards that the winery farms. Medium-light color, with higher-toned red fruit, earth, and herbs, with oak well in the background. Medium weight with a lively mouthfeel and moderate tannins.
Clos LaChance 2010 Pinot Noir, “Murphy’s Choice,” Santa Cruz Mountains. A barrel selection, the fruit source changes each vintage – the 2010 was sourced from Biagini and Erwin vineyards. Medium color, featuring black cherry, wet stone, herbs, and a touch of sweet oak. More structured than the previous wine, finishing with fine, chalky tannins, nice.
Comments: Clos LaChance owners Bill and Brenda Murphy first planted a small “backyard vineyard” with some Chardonnay vines at their property in the Saratoga area in 1987. One thing led to another, and their first commercial wines were released from the 1992 vintage. Bill and Brenda continue to run the winery, along with their daughters, and they now farm other vineyards in addition to their own. Jason Robideaux is the Clos LaChance winemaker.
Clos Tita
Clos Tita 2011 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium ruby color, this had ripe plum, earth, tea leaf, lots of spice, and resiny oak on the nose. Fairly big and structured, with a somewhat tart finish and grippy tannins.
Comments: Clos Tita is the label of David and Britta Estrada, who first planted their vineyard in the Scotts Valley area in 1990. The vineyard includes Martini, 113, 114, and 777 Pinot clones, and the wines are typically aged in mostly new French oak.
Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards
Cooper-Garrod 2011 Pinot Noir, Finley Vineyard, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Aged 10 months in about 25% new French oak. Medium color, this had higher-toned tart cherry fruit, herb, and forest floor aromas. Medium-light bodied, with lively acidity and fine tannins on the finish.
Comments: Cooper-Garrod is run by winemaker Bill Cooper and vineyard manager Jan Garrod, who first began replanting old orchards with winegrapes in 1972. The estate vineyards are located above Saratoga. Only 2.5 acres are planted to Pinot Noir, with the 2-acre Finley Vineyard being the largest portion, planted in 2004. The estate vineyards are certified organic. Bill poured his wines at the tasting.
Dancing Creek Winery
Dancing Creek 2010 Pinot Noir, “Adagio,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Trout Gulch Vineyard, aged in neutral French oak. Medium-light color, displaying earthy/funky aromas along with tart red cherry and a touch of spice. Medium weight on the palate with moderate tannins.
Dancing Creek 2010 Pinot Noir, “Legato,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Trout Gulch Vineyard, aged in American oak. Medium-light color, with cherry fruit plus menthol and resiny oak. More structured in the mouth with a grippier tannic finish.
Comments: A fairly new producer from the Corralitos area, Dancing Creek presented a contrast of neutral French oak and newer American oak in their two wines sourced from Trout Gulch Vineyard. The vineyard was planted in the mid-1980s above Aptos by Bernard and Gerry Turgeon. Of the two Dancing Creek wines, I preferred the “Adagio.”
Heart O’ The Mountain
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Heart O’ The Mountain 2011 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. From all five Pinot clones at the estate vineyard. Medium-light ruby color, this had bright red cherry, earth, spice, and touches of sweet oak and wet stone. Medium-bodied with a lively texture and fine tannins.
Heart O’ The Mountain 2011 Pinot Noir, “Wild One,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. All 777 clone, fermented with native yeast. A bit lighter color, featuring more spice aromas along with slightly higher-toned bright red fruits, tea leaf, earth, and a hint of flowers. More structured than the previous wine, this had a chalky mineral quality on the finish, nice.
Comments: The estate property, located in the Scotts Valley area, has an interesting history. Pierre and Sada Cornwall purchased it in 1881 and gave it the “Heart O' The Mountain” name. A vineyard was planted a few years later, and the family produced wine until Prohibition. In 1940, famed director Alfred Hitchcock bought the property and owned it for a number of years. Current owners and winery proprietors Bob and Judy Brassfield purchased it in 1978, and later planted nearly seven acres of Pinot Noir – the estate vineyard includes Pommard, 115, 667, 777, and 828 Pinot clones. The first commercial wine vintage came in 2005. Bob makes the wines, and they have shown well at the Pinot Paradise tastings.
House Family Vineyards
House Family 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Aged in about 25% new French oak. Lighter color, with ripe red fruits, vanilla/oak, earth and spice notes on the nose. Medium-bodied with a moderately lively mouthfeel and finish.
House Family 2011 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Includes Swan, 777, and 828 clones. Medium-light color, this displayed a distinct stony/mineral component along with bright red fruit, savory notes, tea leaf, and spice. Brighter texture on the palate than the previous wine, with refined tannins, nice.
Comments: Located near The Mountain Winery (Dave House is co-owner of that historic property) in the hills above Saratoga, the first commercial vintage from the estate vineyard was in 2006. Fruit is sourced entirely from the estate vineyard. Operations manager Jim Cargill works with consulting winemaker Jeffrey Patterson (of Mount Eden) in producing the wines. Sales manager Jim House poured the wines at the tasting.
Hunter Hill Vineyard & Winery
Hunter Hill 2012 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium ruby color, this was fruit forward with ripe black cherry and plum, plus spice and resiny oak. Medium-bodied with firm and somewhat chewy tannins on the finish.
Comments: Vann & Christine Slatter are proprietors of
Hunter Hill, with an estate vineyard in the hills above Soquel. The property had once been the Manildi farm, where Christine’s grandparents had planted an orchard as well as grapevines. Vann & Christine first planted Merlot there in 1992, and added Syrah in 2002. That same year, they grafted some of their vines to Pinot Noir.
Kings Mountain Vineyards
Kings Mountain 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Entirely from Pommard clone. Medium-light color, this had floral and black cherry aromas plus lots of spice and a framework of vanilla/oak. Medium-bodied with a fairly lively mouthfeel and finish.
Kings Mountain 2009 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. From Martini and 667 clones. Medium-light color, with higher-toned ripe plummy fruit, earth, and a bigger sweet oak component on the nose. Richer on the palate than the previous wine, with moderate tannins.
Comments: Winery owner Mike Markkula was an early investor and CEO at Apple Computer. The estate vineyard was planted in 1992 above the Woodside area, and they’re dry-farmed. Winemaker Brian Caselden ages the Pinots for 18 months in 100% new French oak and another two years in bottle prior to release.
La Rochelle Winery
La Rochelle 2009 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. The fruit was sourced mostly from the Lester family’s Deer Park Vineyard site. Medium-light color, showing bright cherry, earth, and vanilla/oak aromas. Fairly rich texture, with a firm tannic finish.
La Rochelle 2008 Pinot Noir, Lester Family Vineyard – Deer Park, Santa Cruz Mountains. From Mariafeld, Wädenswil, and Mount Eden clones, aged in 43% new French oak. Medium-light color, this displayed higher-toned red fruit and a bigger oak element, plus spice and forest floor notes. Medium-bodied with more structure than the previous wine and moderately grippy tannins.
Comments: La Rochelle is the Pinot Noir label of Livermore Valley’s Steven Kent Mirassou, a 6th-generation winemaker. The label was started by the Mirassou family in 2003 and purchased by Steven in 2005. Pinots are sourced from a variety of growing regions, and they’re made by winemaker Tom Stutz, who was on hand at the tasting. Deer Park Vineyard (now simply called Lester Family Vineyard by most vintners) is in the Corralitos area and is planted to Wädenswil, Pommard, Mariafeld, Jackson, and several Dijon Pinot clones. The vineyard is managed by Prudy Foxx.
MJA Vineyards & Winery / DaVine Cellars
DaVine 2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Byington Vineyard. Medium-light color, aromas of black cherry, spice, and vanilla/oak. Medium weight on the palate with moderate tannins.
DaVine 2013 Pinot Noir, Fog’s Edge Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains (barrel sample). Sourced from 667 clone vines from a vineyard in the Corralitos area, this will be released next year. Medium-light color, this had primary strawberry fruit along with spice and a floral note. Medium-bodied with a lively texture and refined tannins – tough to know how this will turn out but it’s certainly promising at this stage.
Comments: MJA also produces wine under the Serene Cellars label and sells Kona coffee under the Diamond Head Coffee Company label. Owner Marin Artukovich started in the Kona coffee business in 1990, and he added wine to his portfolio in the mid-2000s, focusing on Napa Valley Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc and Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot Noir. Pinot fruit from an estate vineyard should be coming before long. The 2013 Fog’s Edge Vineyard barrel sample was easily the best Pinot I’ve tasted from DaVine.
Mount Eden Vineyards
Domaine Eden 2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Mount Eden, Calera, Martini, Swan, 667, 777, and 828 clones from the old Cinnabar property purchased by Mount Eden in 2007, and aged in 40% new French oak. Medium-light ruby color, with vanilla/oak and spice upfront, along with ripe raspberry and earth notes. Fairly rich mouthfeel, with moderate tannins on the finish.
Mount Eden 2012 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. From the estate vineyard, aged in about 75% new French oak. Medium-light color, this featured ripe cherry, earth, and spice, plus tea leaf and a stony mineral component. More taut and structured on the palate than the previous wine, with a slightly tart finish and fine tannins.
Comments: Mount Eden is one of California’s most historic vineyard sites, with a story that extends back to legendary vintners Paul Masson and Martin Ray. The vineyard at Mount Eden was replanted beginning in 1984 with a variety of Dijon and “heritage” clones, including some propagated from the original vines planted there. Pinots undergo native yeast fermentations in small lots, then go into mostly new oak along with some one-year old oak, and barrel-aged for about 18 months. Proprietor/winemaker Jeffrey Patterson was on hand at the tasting.
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The Mountain Winery
The Mountain Winery 2009 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light color, with earthy aromatics plus tart red fruits, herbs, and a stony mineral note. Medium weight in the mouth, this finished with moderate tannins.
The Mountain Winery 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light color, this displayed raspberry, spice, and touches of flowers, fresh herbs, and vanilla/oak. Brighter texture on the palate with more structure than the previous wine and chalky tannins on the finish, nice.
Comments: For many years, The Mountain Winery has been known more for hosting concerts at its amphitheater than for its wines, but these recent Pinots made by Mount Eden’s Jeffrey Patterson are a sign that the winemaking is no longer taking a back seat. The estate Pinot vines were planted in 2004. Both wines were from Calera, Swan, 777, and 828 clones, with 25% whole-cluster fermentation, and aged in 50% new French oak. The 2010 Pinot in particular was a standout.
Muccigrosso Vineyards
Muccigrosso 2006 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Fairly light color, showing surprisingly fresh black cherry fruit for a 2006 Pinot, along with spice and a somewhat resiny oak component. Medium-bodied and structured in the mouth, finishing with bigger tannins.
Muccigrosso 2008 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light color, with a riper and darker fruit profile than the 2006, plus earth and a similar resiny oak note. Medium weight with a moderately grippy tannic finish.
Comments: The small family winery run by Michael and Lynne Muccigrosso dates to 1983, when they first planted vines on their property on Bear Creek Road. They launched their wine label in 2000, with the initial commercial wines coming from the 2001 vintage. Michael is the winemaker.
Muns Vineyard
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Muns 2009 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Aged in about 33% new Hungarian oak. Lighter color, this displayed tart cherry, herbs, orangepeel, and spice. Medium-bodied and lively, with moderate tannins on the finish.
Muns 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light garnet, with black cherry, earth, lots of spice, and tea leaf on the nose. Medium weight on the palate with a bright texture, finishing with fine, chalky tannins, nice.
Comments: At 2,600-foot elevation, 13-acre Muns is the highest Pinot vineyard in the area, planted from 1998 to 2005 with 114, 115, 667, and 777 clones. Fruit from the vineyard is currently sold to over a dozen other producers. The first commercial release of Muns wines was from the 2004 vintage. The wines are made by noted local winemaker Tony Craig. Muns uses mostly Hungarian oak barrels for aging the Pinots – I thought they worked better with these wines than some of the others at the event. As usual, proprietors Ed Muns and Mary Lindsay poured their wines at the tasting.
Nicholson Vineyards
Nicholson 2010 Pinot Noir, “Cuvée,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from 30% estate fruit and from two vineyards in the Aptos Hills area. Medium ruby color, featuring upfront ripe cherry fruit, lots of vanilla/oak, and spice on the nose. Fairly rich mouthfeel with a smoother texture and finish.
Nicholson 2010 Pinot Noir, “Estate Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from the estate vineyard Brooks Block. Slightly lighter color, this had spice and orangepeel aromas along with red fruits and a big sweet oak component. Medium-bodied with more structure than the previous wine, and moderate tannins.
Comments: Brian and Marguerite Nicholson first planted their vineyard in the Corralitos area in 1996, with more vines added in 2004. They have about 2.5 acres of Pinot Noir, with five Pinot clones mixed through the vineyard in a “selection massale” style. John Ritchey is the Nicholson winemaker
Roudon-Smith Winery
Roudon-Smith 2008 Pinot Noir, “Private Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from three vineyards. Light garnet color, with black cherry and plum fruit, earth, and spice. Medium weight with a somewhat smooth texture and fine tannins.
Roudon-Smith 2012 Pinot Noir, “Private Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced entirely from Regan Vineyard. Medium-light color, showing ripe and high-toned black cherry fruit, lots of spice, and sweet oak. Bigger and more structured than the 2008, finishing with grippier tannins.
Comments: The winery was established in 1972 in the Scotts Valley area by Bob and Annamaria Roudon and Jim and June Smith. A winery building was completed in 1978. Al and Diane Drewke joined the business in 2006, and in 2011 they became sole owners of Roudon-Smith. The estate vineyard is planted to Chardonnay, while Pinot is sourced from other local vineyards.
Russian Ridge Winery
Russian Ridge 2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced entirely from the estate vineyard. Medium-light color, this featured red fruits, herbs, earth, and wet stone on the nose. Medium-bodied and structured on the palate, finishing with firm tannins – a promising young Pinot that should benefit from time in the cellar.
Comments: A new participant at Pinot Paradise, this small family winery established in 2008 makes wines from a number of grape varieties, sourced from Napa to Paso Robles. Owner Scott Townsend makes the wines at Cuvée Wine Cellars in San Carlos
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard
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Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard 2011 Pinot Noir, Branciforte Creek Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From Pommard clone vines planted in 1988. Medium-light ruby color, with flowers, fresh herbs, bright red fruits, earth, and a stony mineral component. Medium weight and lively in the mouth, finishing with moderate tannins, nice.
Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard 2001 Pinot Noir, “Reserve,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from 30+ year-old vines at the original winery’s Jarvis Vineyard site, bottled from two selected barrels at the same time as the regular 2001 Estate Pinot and held back for release until 2011. Medium-light garnet color, this displayed spice, tea leaf, flowers, with red cherry fruit in the background. Medium-bodied and still showing great acidity with the structure for further aging, and fine tannins on the finish – terrific bottle-aged Pinot.
Comments: The winery was established by Ken Burnap in 1975, at the Vine Hill property that he purchased from David Bruce, who had planted Pinot vines there in 1968. A century earlier, the Jarvis brothers had planted a vineyard on the same property. Ken retired from the business in 2003, selling the vineyard property to another vintner but selling the winery label to his assistant Jeff Emery, who continues to run the winery and make the wines. Branciforte Creek Vineyard, only about a mile from the old estate vineyard, was planted in 1988 entirely to Pommard clone Pinot. Jeff was on hand along with Cynthia Bournellis to pour the Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard wines, both of which were among the highlights of this year’s tasting.
Sante Arcangeli Family Wines
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Sante Arcangeli 2013 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Split Rail Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From David Bruce and 32 (Roederer) clone Pinot fruit picked specially for Rosé, left about 18 hours on the skins before pressing. Very light salmon/pink color, featuring bright floral aromas plus strawberry and fresh herbs. Medium-light bodied and lively, with a clean and refreshing finish, nice.
Sante Arcangeli 2012 Pinot Noir, Split Rail Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From David Bruce, 32, and Pommard clones, aged in about 50% new oak. Light ruby color, this had floral and strawberry aromas along with savory notes and earth. Medium-bodied with good structure, finishing with chalky tannins, nice.
Comments: Established in 2010 by John Benedetti, Sante Arcangeli is named for John’s great-grandfather, who settled in the San Mateo coast town of Pescadero. John has credited well-known Anderson Valley Pinot winemaker James MacPhail as well as local winemaker Ryan Beauregard and the Brassfield family of Heart O’ The Mountain for helping him develop his winemaking skills. The Pinots often but not always include some whole clusters in the fermentations, and both French and Hungarian oak are used for aging. Split Rail Vineyard was planted from 1986 to 1991 by Greg Stokes, David Bruce’s vineyard manager. Located in the Corralitos area, it’s planted partly to the old David Bruce Pinot selection – a field selection that includes Mount Eden, Martini, Wädenswil and Pommard clones. John poured his wines at the tasting, and both were standouts.
Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards & Winery
Savannah-Chanelle 2010 Pinot Noir, Regan Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. Aged in 33% new Hungarian oak. Medium-light ruby color, this had fruit-forward black cherry aromas along with spicy oak and earth notes. Medium weight on the palate, with a smoother texture and finish.
Savannah-Chanelle 2010 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Regan and Muns vineyards, plus 5% from Tondré Grapefield in Santa Lucia Highlands, aged in 33% new Hungarian oak. Medium-light color, with upfront raspberry and plum fruit, spice, and sweet oak. More structured in the mouth, this finished with grippier tannins.
Comments: Mike and Kellie Ballard purchased the Savannah-Chanelle property in 1996 – it had previously been home to the old Congress Springs Vineyards. Located in the Saratoga area, its wine history goes back much further – Pierre C. Pourroy Winery was there prior to Prohibition. The property went through other owners in subsequent years, with the vineyard sometimes falling into neglect before being restored under Victor Erickson and Daniel Gehrs of Congress Springs in the 1970s. There is only a tiny bit of Pinot planted there, though, so nearly all the Pinot fruit is purchased. Tony Craig has been the winemaker since 2003. The wines are aged in Hungarian oak and the bottles use synthetic cork closures.
Ser Wine Company
Ser 2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from 40% Lester Family, 30% Byington, and 30% Lilo vineyards, aged in about 10% new French oak. Medium ruby color, displaying ripe and forward plum and black cherry along with tea leaf, baking spice, and hints of flowers and sweet oak. Fairly rich mouthfeel with a smooth texture and moderate tannins.
Comments: Ser is a new winery, with 2012 being the inaugural vintage. Owner/winemaker Nichole Walsh is the associate winemaker of Bonny Doon Vineyard. Her wines use native yeast fermentations and she makes no additions during the winemaking process. This was a promising new release in a somewhat bigger style than many Pinots from the area.
Silver Mountain Vineyards
Silver Mountain 2008 Pinot Noir, Miller Hill Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From 115 and 667 clone vines planted in 1997, aged mostly in Hungarian oak. Medium-light garnet color, this showed ripe strawberry, spice, and herbs on the nose. Medium-bodied, with chewy tannins on the finish.
Silver Mountain 2009 Pinot Noir, Muns Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From 114, 115, 667, and 777 clones, aged in 33% new Hungarian oak. Medium-light color, with a more earthy character along with tea leaf, sweet oak, and lots of spice. Medium weight and structured, with a grippy tannic finish.
Comments: Founded in 1979 by Jerold O’Brien, Silver Mountain is located in the Summit area at an elevation of 2,100 feet. Joseph Swan was one of Jerold’s winemaking mentors, so it’s appropriate that some of the estate vineyard’s Pinot vines, planted in 2003, are Swan clone. Both Swan and Pisoni clone vines are planted on their own roots, and Dijon clones are planted there as well. The vineyard is certified organic. Wines are aged mostly in Hungarian oak.
Silvertip Vineyards
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Silvertip 2010 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Medium-light color, this had earthy/funky aromas along with black cherry and plum, with a touch of sweet oak. Medium-bodied with a lively texture and fine, chalky tannins.
Silvertip 2011 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Slightly lighter color, this had floral and strawberry notes upfront, plus dried herbs, earth, and vanilla/oak in the background. Medium weight, bright and structured on the palate, with refined tannins on the finish, nice.
Comments: Silvertip is a newer producer owned by the Nelson family. Their estate vineyard, at about 1,700-foot elevation on the western side of Summit Road, had previously been a Christmas tree farm. The winery is named for the Silvertip Fir Christmas trees that were some of the family’s favorites. In 1999 the site was planted with nine acres of Chardonnay, Syrah, and with 115, 667, 828, and Pommard clone Pinot Noir. The winery was established in 2009, and the wines are made by Paul Stroth. The wines are made exclusively from estate fruit, and aged entirely in French oak, no more than 33% new. The early Pinot releases from Silvertip have been quite promising.
Sonnet Wine Cellars
Sonnet 2012 Pinot Noir, Muns Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains (tank sample). This was set to be bottled soon after the tasting. Medium color, this had bright cherry fruit, sweet oak, and a stony/mineral component on the nose. Medium-bodied with firm tannins.
Sonnet 2013 Pinot Noir, Muns Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains (barrel sample). This is due to be in barrel for another year. Slightly lighter color, with primary ripe red cherry and spice aromas. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins on the finish – pleasant enough but tough to predict how this will end up with another year in barrel.
Comments: Sonnet was founded in 2003 by Tony Craig, who got his start making wine at David Bruce Winery. Originally from Newcastle in England, Tony had been a Shakespearean actor before beginning his wine career. The wines were aged in Hungarian oak – a common theme among a number of local vintners whose Pinots Tony has had a hand in making.
Soquel Vineyards
Soquel 2012 Pinot Noir, “Partners’ Reserve,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Lester Family, Coast Grade, and estate vineyards, from 14 Pinot clones. Medium-light color, displaying ripe black cherry fruit, tea leaf, earth, and vanilla/oak. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the finish.
Comments: Soquel Vineyards was launched in 1987 by twin brothers Peter and Paul Bargetto and their friend Jon Morgan. Peter and Paul are part of the well-known Bargetto winemaking family – their grandfather John Bargetto and his brother Philip founded nearby Bargetto Winery in 1933.
Storrs Winery & Vineyards
Storrs 2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Christie Vineyard in the Corralitos area and from the estate Hidden Springs Ranch. Medium-light color, this had shy aromatics of tart cherry, vanilla/oak, and spice. Medium-bodied and structured, finishing with moderate tannins.
Storrs 2011 Pinot Noir, Christie Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. Entirely from Pommard clone. Slightly darker color, featuring flowers and red berry fruit on the nose along with spice and tea leaf notes, and better-integrated sweet oak in the background. Lively mouthfeel, this finished with fine, chalky tannins, nice.
Storrs 2010 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced entirely from Christie Vineyard. Medium ruby color, this showed a more earthy profile, along with black cherry, spice, and sweet oak. More structured on the palate, finishing with grippier tannins.
Comments: Steve and Pamela Storrs started their winery in 1988. Both studied at UC Davis, where Steve studied viticulture and Pamela studied enology. They planted an estate vineyard in the Corralitos area in 2007 with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and it’s certified organic. They’re planning to open a new energy-efficient winery near the vineyard soon. Christie Vineyard is one of the oldest in the Corralitos area.
Thomas Fogarty Winery & Vineyards
Thomas Fogarty 2011 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from nine vineyards including four different estate sites, fermented with about 50% whole clusters. Medium-light ruby color, this was fruit-forward with bright cherry aromas plus earth, herbs, flowers, and spice in support. Medium-light weight on the palate, this had a lively texture and a juicy and slightly tart finish with fine tannins, nice.
Thomas Fogarty 2012 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. About 25-30% whole-cluster fermentation. A bit darker color than the previous wine, showing a more earthy/funky profile with riper black cherry fruit and a bigger spice component. Richer mouthfeel with a grippier tannic finish.
Thomas Fogarty 2012 Pinot Noir, Camel Hill Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains. From a vineyard above Lexington Reservoir in the Los Gatos area. Medium-light color, with more vanilla/oak upfront along with black cherry and spice on the nose. Bigger and more structured, finishing with firm tannins.
Comments: Dr. Thomas Fogarty, a famed surgeon and inventor of numerous medical devices, first planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir at his property in the mountains above Woodside in 1978. Three years later, he founded his winery. Michael Martella was with him from the start as winemaker and viticulturist. Michael stepped aside in early 2013, and Nathan Kandler, who has been with the winery since 2004, became the Thomas Fogarty winemaker. The main estate property, at about 2,000-foot elevation, has about 25 acres of vines, including three distinct Pinot sites – Windy Hill, Rapley Trail, and Razorback.
Vino Tabi Winery
Vino Tabi 2012 Pinot Noir, “Mariafeld Clone,” Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from Lester Family Vineyard. Medium color, this displayed higher-toned cherry, spice, and lots of vanilla/oak. Medium-bodied, finishing with firm tannins.
Vino Tabi 2012 Pinot Noir, “Three Clone,” Santa Cruz Mountains. From Mariafeld, 667, and Swan clones. Medium-light color, aromas of ripe and higher-toned plum and black cherry, spice, and somewhat resiny oak. More structured on the palate than the previous wine, with a grippy finish.
Comments: Vino Tabi (“Wine Journey" in Japanese) provides custom crush services aimed at producing very small private-label lots. For their own label, Pinot fruit has been purchased from several well-known Santa Cruz Mountains vineyards, including Lester Family, Saveria, and Regan. Wines are produced at the Surf City Vintners complex in Santa Cruz.
Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery
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Windy Oaks 2010 Pinot Noir, “Limited Release – 100% Whole Cluster,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Fermented entirely with whole clusters, aged 22 months in barrel. Medium-light garnet color, with bright herbal and spicy aromas, red fruit, and touches of flowers and sweet oak. Lively and fairly structured on the palate, with fine tannins on the long finish – a very nice whole-cluster Pinot without obvious stemmy character and showing very well this young.
Windy Oaks 2010 Pinot Noir, “Proprietor’s Reserve,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. A barrel selection, about 30% whole-cluster fermented, aged 24 months in about 55% lighter-toast new French oak. Medium-light color, showing a bigger vanilla/oak component than the previous wine along with black cherry, lots of spice, and a tea leaf note. Bigger mouthfeel with a more grippy tannic finish, this will need time in the cellar.
Windy Oaks 2011 Pinot Noir, “Henry’s Block,” Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced from 2A clone vines in an older one-acre vineyard block. Lighter color, this had very bright aromatics, with red cherry and strawberry fruit, earth, baking spices, and a floral note. Great acidity in the mouth, finishing with refined tannins, nice.
Comments: Windy Oaks proprietors Jim and Judy Schultze purchased their Corralitos property in 1995, and began planting their estate vineyard the next year. More plantings followed through 2002, and the estate vineyard is now about 22 acres. Henry’s Block is part of the main vineyard site adjacent to the winery, which was completed in 2001. Jim typically makes his Pinots with around 25-40% whole-cluster fermentation and about 50% native yeast. The “Henry’s Block” bottling is very limited production and is already sold out. Windy Oaks consistently makes some of the Santa Cruz Mountains’ best Pinots, the three wines that Jim and son James poured at the tasting were standouts.
Woodside Vineyards
Woodside 2011 Pinot Noir, Estate, Santa Cruz Mountains. Sourced entirely from Dijon clones, from the winery’s own vineyard and four other nearby vineyards that they manage, aged 18 months in French oak. Medium-light ruby color, this featured higher-toned red fruits, tea leaf, and lots of spice. Medium weight on the palate with a tangy finish.
Comments: The oldest winery in San Mateo County, Woodside was founded by Bob Mullen in 1960. The winery is unusual in that it farms over 20 separate small vineyards in the Woodside area, totaling over 17 acres. Bob sold the majority of the winery to Louis "Buff" Giurlani in 2010. The wines are made by Brian Caselden.
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