Wine

from South Valley Magazine February 21-27, 2020

by Weeklys

Volunteer

AWARD - WINNING WINES Lightpost winemaker Christian Roguenant and Laura Ness recently sat down to discuss the winery’s latest offerings. Tasting travel at Lightpost

What could be better than a great Pinot Noir? How about four of them? Hailing from as far away as San Luis Obispo and Russian River, and as near as the Santa Cruz Mountains, these wines really speak of place, and of winemaker Christian Roguenant’s eagerness to make them a snapshot of their vineyard birthplaces.

I sat down with Christian and owner Sofia Fedotova to taste the latest Lightpost Winery Pinots, all of which won medals at the recent SF Chronicle Competition.

The 2018 Russian River Pinot (Gold), Clone 2A and 667 from a vineyard in Guerneville, shows ripe berry, medium intensity, baking spice and soft cherry cola notes, making it an easy charmer. Heading south, the 2018 San Luis Obispo Pinot (Gold), also Clone 2A and 667, ups the ante with abundant earth, leather and savory aromas, and a wonderful structure, layered with dark cherry and chewy tannins, adding great length. The 2018 Spanish Springs Vineyard (Gold), hails from a 50-acre vineyard near Pismo Beach, and is made of 100 percent Swan clone, one of Christian’s favorites. This is a stunning red-headed beauty, exhibiting leather, incense, red cherry and cranberry, all wrapped in svelte tannin.

Of the lot, the one with the most age-worthy horsepower is the head-turning 2018 Santa Cruz Mountains Pinot (Silver) from the dry-farmed Ferrari Vineyard, filled with forest floor, everlasting spice and impressive structure.

There’s sure a lot of Noir to be found at Lightpost. New Pinot Noirs won medals at competition By LAURA NESS