THE WILDER SIDE OF CALIFORNIA
Doug Wilder, Issue 26

The recent surge in the popularity of Pinot Noir is nothing new to the California vintners that have loved it for years. It was only a matter of time until this varietal received the public recognition it deserved, and that time has come. Pinot Noir has entered the mainstream, and it seems very comfortable with its new status. The wineries discussed here are not new to the industry. They have developed their reputations through decades of hard work. This is the latest report in the continuing love affair that I have with Pinot Noir.

2003 Adrian Fog - Pinot Noir Mendocino County; Vinfolio rating: 95 points
Adrian Fog's premiere release was from Floodgate Vineyard in 1998. It earned 98 points and a spot on my "Top 20 list of 2000." Although Stewart Dorman and Jane Farrell have stopped using that vineyard as a source, they continue to produce extremely intense wines. The winery is a tiny space just north of Sebastopol where they implement some labor-intensive winemaking strategies, such as using inert gas to displace wine from the barrel to the blending tank during racking and blending. A pump will not be found here. Vinfolio is proud to be the exclusive Napa Valley retailer for Adrian Fog, continuing a personal relationship of six years working with Stewart and Jane.

I recently tasted this new release and found a decadent richness throughout with sour cherry and earth on the nose, evoking thoughts of Burgundy. On the palate, there is a huge dollop of sweet cherry hard candy, cola and ginger-like spice. Beautiful in every way, it shows excellent length and sophistication. Drink: 2005-2015.

2002 Donum Estate - Pinot Noir Carneros; Vinfolio rating: 93 points
Donum is a new project dedicated to Carneros Pinot Noir. The wine is made by Ken Juhasz (Auteur), and the vineyards are managed by Anne Moller-Racke. She has been a part of developing some of the best vineyards in Carneros since 1983 when she was with Buena Vista.

This wine exhibits the hallmark richness of Carneros fruit. The nose is an enticing combination of earthy chanterelle, sandalwood, cherry, raspberry and cinnamon. On the palate I find elegance and length to the soft shadings of cherry, chocolate and raspberry. Drink: 2005-2010.

Founders Dick Dore and Bill Wathen began making wine in 1985 at Rancho Tinaquaic, located in Northern Santa Barbara County. The Rancho was originally purchased in 1837 by Dore's great-great grandfather, an English sea captain named William Foxen. He developed a 9,000-acre cattle ranch and created a cattle brand in the shape of the ship anchor that adorns the wine label to this day.

2003 Foxen - Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block Eight, Santa Maria Valley; Vinfolio rating: 94 points
Bien Nacido is one of the most recognized sites for Pinot Noir in the Santa Maria Valley. When you taste a wine from this vineyard you know to expect something very special. Block 8 was planted in 1996 for Foxen. It is the steepest and highest elevation block in the vineyard with a mixture of Dijon, Mt. Eden and Pommard clones.

The first thing to notice about the wine is the rich shadings of fruit in the nose evoking dark cherry, raspberry, blue plum, licorice and earth. On the palate it has a supple, creamy characteristic to its excellent concentration. All of the aromatic qualities are found in the flavors as well. A beautiful bottle of wine. Drink: 2005-2015.

2004 Foxen - Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley; Vinfolio rating: 92 points
The majority of the fruit for this wine also comes off of Bien Nacido Block 8 with the remaining 15% sourced from Julia's Vineyard in the Santa Maria benchland. It is nearly all Pommard clone. The wine delivers up a supple, ripe and smooth expression of this region, with notes of fresh strawberry, sassafras and spicy cola. Drink: 2005-2012.

2003 Green Truck - Pinot Noir, Napa Valley; Vinfolio rating: 91 points
I first met Green Truck Cellars owner and winemaker Kent Fortner through my work with Abe Schoener (SCHOLIUM). They share space at White Rock Winery along with Nicole Abiouness (Abiouness) and Jason Kesner (Kesner). Kent got his start in winemaking at Chalone and currently works at Luna (the incubator for all of the winemaker's mentioned here). As I learned about Kent, I saw intriguing parallels to my own life. We both have families from Kansas: my dad and his grandparents. That by itself is pretty spooky if you know anything about how different life is in western Kansas. Another is the name of the winery—Green Truck Cellars. There actually is a green truck. It is a 1966 Ford F-100 Twin I-Beam originally owned by Kent's grandfather, and still used by Kent for everything from picking grapes to transporting cases. My dad had essentially the same truck, resurrected from a local water department auction. Lastly, Kent proposed to his wife in front of the green truck in Jackson Hole. I have a story about me and another Ford truck in Jackson Hole, but let's move on...

Green Truck is sourced from the Nord Vineyard near the mouth of the Napa River as well as Suscol Ridge (Pommard clone), a collapsed volcano remnant only 2 km from Nord. The contrasting climate and soils make for a complementary blending that is Green Truck.

The nose is full of soft, red cherry with luscious creamy bits of vanilla and cola spice. On the palate there is well formed acidity wrapped around the smooth loamy black cherry flavors. Drink: 2005-2010.

2001 Robert Mueller - Pinot Noir Emily's Cuvee, Russian River Valley; Vinfolio rating: 92 points
Robert Mueller has been one of the mainstays in high quality Russian River Pinot Noir for as long as I can remember. His Emily's Cuvee is always one that I look forward to tasting.

The overall feel of this wine is well structured fruit of dark cherry, licorice, cola and smooth chocolate. Finishes with elegant acidity. Drink: 2005-2011.

2003 Selby - Pinot Noir Russian River Valley; Vinfolio rating: 91 points
I have known Susie Selby since her first vintages in the early 1990s. Her wines have always been an extension of her personality: direct, honest, and unpretentious. Selby coaxes the best fruit from her vineyards and adds a gentle approach to winemaking. The profile of the Pinot is quite rich with aromas of licorice and macerated black cherry and plum. On the palate, spicy clove and hints of earth add interest to the smooth black cherry and anise core. Toasty vanilla on the finish. Drink: 2005-2011.

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