PINOT NOIR: Los Carneros & Beyond

From the legendary vineyards of Burgundy to the cool-climate wine-growing regions of southern Napa.

 BY CHRIS SAWYER

Long before demand for high-quality Pinot Noirs from the West Coast exploded in the 1990s, the legacy of working with this noble Burgundian variety in the cool-climate zone south of Napa goes back to the original vines planted by Judge John Stanly in the 1870s.

After prohibition, 200-acres of the original Stanly Ranch site were purchased by Napa Valley icon Louis M. Martini, who started a series of successful field trials that resulted in the certification of the popular Pinot Noir clones Pommard 5 and Martini 13. The success of those trials helped fuel new investments by Beaulieu Vineyards, Charles Krug, Robert Mondavi, Beringer Vineyards, Clos du Val, and the Bartolucci family, who developed vineyards to the west from the 1950s to 1970s.

Over time, the Stanly Ranch vineyards were sold to respected labels such as Saintsbury, Abiouness, Cherry Pie, and COHO Wines, and in 1983, became the first sub-AVA of Napa Valley, Los Carneros. Named in Spanish after the flocks of sheep that once roamed the hills in the early 1970s, the area has grown from 200 acres to over 10,000 acres today. The loamy clay soils and warm but tempered micro-climates are influenced by San Pablos Bay’s morning fog and powerful maritime breezes providing the perfect muse for growing pinot noir. The long growing season allows the clusters to slowly develop deep flavors and high acidity, resulting in a versatile range of elegant and wellstructured wines.

ATTACK OF THE CLONES

Over the past fifty years, the integration of modern farming techniques and access to new Pinot Noir “clones” have helped producers define their own unique styles in Carneros by offering sophisticated wines that run the gamut from bright, fresh and fruity; elegant, refined and etherial; to the deeper, richer and more complex vineyard-designate styles that represent a true sense of place.

One of the modern-day pioneers to lead this charge is wine importer-turned-vintner Francis Mahoney, who started Carneros Creek in 1972. After beginning the ten-year clonal research project he did with UC Davis in 1974, the clones rich in flavor and low in yields became a trademark for Carneros’ rolling hills. As time passed, flavor choices increased with the influx of the French clones from Dijon and other famous vineyard regions of Burgundy.

To showcase this diversity, Etude Winery divided the 156-acres of Pinot Noir vines planted at the Grace Benoit Ranch on the western edge of Carneros into an intricate series of separate blocks layered with a topographical matrix of slopes and facings and planted an assemblage of clones. The crown jewel of the portfolio is the “Heirloom” Pinot Noir, crafted with nine distinct suitcase selections spread over 6-acres of the estate property.

“We don’t refer to them by their Burgundy provenance, nor do we refer to who may have imported them,” said winemaker Jon Priest, who joined the team in 2005. “While each block has heritage and history linked to the old world, what’s inside the bottle is more about the characteristics we capture from this dynamic site.”

At Hyde Estate, the flagship Pinot Noir is a proprietary blend that includes Dijon clones 115 and 114, Pommard, and two unique Hyde selections—one of which is from Oregon. “From the vineyard to the bottle, it’s a long-term commitment that only gets better over time,” said General Manager Chris Hyde, whose family harvested its first vintage from the estate property in 2009.

Cuvaison, best known for its Chardonnay and Merlot offerings, has become a Pinot Noir producer on the rise. Under the guidance of winemaker Steve Rogstad and general manager Daniel Zepponi, the team is in the process of planting 50-acres of their estate vineyards on Duhig Road with their best Pinot clonal selections in elevated areas. Rogstad, who currently makes four distinct styles of Pinot with estate fruit, including a 500 case bottling of the “rare” Mariafeld Clone 23 from Switzerland, said he is thrilled that clones have caught consumers' attention.

Steve Rogstad, Winemaker at Cuvaison Photo courtesy of Cuvaison

Across the road, winemaker TJ Evans of Domaine Carneros has seen similar results with the flavorful small lot wine he crafts with the Hanzell Clone, derived from budwood taken from historic vines planted in 1953 at Hanzell Vineyards, near Sonoma. Evans said the steep westernfacing slope where the Hanzell is planted produces smaller clusters and concentrated hillside flavors that are ideal for the still wine program.

“Right now, I consider Carneros to be on the edge of new opportunities,” said Evans. “With smaller vineyard blocks and new clone variations, these new sites are allowing us to showcase the true personality of the region for the first time in decades.”

Photo courtesy of Lewis Vineyard

VINEYARD DESIGNATE WINES

To enhance guests' Pinot Noir experience, Saintsbury provides opportunities to taste a selection of wines crafted with fruit from mature vines and historic sites. A classic example is a vineyard designate from Stanly Ranch. Another is from the Lee Vineyard, initially developed by Burgundy wine lovers Ira and Shirley Lee in the late 1960s.

To offer another unique perspective on notable vineyards and the Pinot-friendly cool-climate zones in south county, Ancien Wines is a hidden treasure. Its new tasting room, located on South Coombs Street in Napa, boasts lovely east-facing views of Napa River and the sub-appellation of Coombsville— home of the cherished Mink Vineyard.

Before starting this boutique, Pinot-centric brand with his wife Teresa in 1992, gifted winemaker Ken Bernards contributed to the advancement of this noble grape variety through a series of ground-breaking research projects he did on soils, clones, rootstocks, and trellis systems during his seven-year tenure at Domaine Chandon. In 1998, Bernards’ first major outside vineyard project was helping Carneros property Ed and Camille Penhoet develop Toyon Farms, which now includes Dijon Clone 115 and an intriguing version of the “Pisoni Clone.” While Saintsbury’s version from this vineyard is medium-bodied with ripe red fruits and layers of spice, the Ancien version is more plush, round, and layered with deep notes of dark cherry, juicy berries, and earth tones. “You work for what you get,” laughed Bernards.

In the case of the limited-release Pinot from the more centrally located vineyard owned by Bill and Angela Mink: this 2.5-acre parcel features Swan and 115 clones planted on a few feet of cobbly alluvial soil layered on top of white volcanic ash. The result is a more mineral-driven wine with opulent fruit notes of ripe blueberry, mocha, and spice.

WINEMAKERS TOUCH

Ancien Winemaker Ken Bernards Photo courtesy of Ancien Wines

As in the vineyards, Pinot trends change in the cellar. That was particularly true in the 1990s, an awkward period when flavor profiles were easy to gauge in shorthand as ripe, riper, or over-ripe. Today, the emphasis has shifted towards more restraint by winemakers who have gotten to know the vineyards better over time and can provide consumers with a better understanding of the site's characteristics and the region where the grapes are grown.

In the case of winemaker Todd Graff, who likes to showcase the signature cherry note in the Carneros Pinot he makes for Frank Family Vineyards, it starts with the gentler handling of the fruit and a softer approach with extended cold soak applications. “Not being too heavy-handed is the key to capturing the pure flavors inside the glass,” said Graff.

At the Peju family’s Calmere Estate Winery on Los Amigas Road, winemaker Sara Fowler uses a more minimalist approach by being more patient and less aggressive on the punch downs to extract color, flavors, and the perfect balance of beauty, strength, and bright acidity in each of the nine Pinot clones she works with on the estate.

On the far end of the spectrum is Olivia Brion, a monumental series of single-vineyard designated Pinot Noirs crafted with estate grapes grown at Lake Heron, located in the Wild Horse Valley appellation in the windy southern portion of the Vaca Mountain Range, by the winemaking team of David Mahaffey and Kira Ballotta.

David Mafferty and Kira Balotta of Olivia Brion Photo courtesy of Olivia Brion

To Mahaffey, who started this remote wine project in the early 1980s, the sense of place begins on the nose. To capture character inside the glass, the team has stayed away from higher levels of ripeness on the vine and emphasized capturing the rocky character of the high-elevation soil and pure fruit expressions from the site. “I call it pinosity,” said Mahaffey. “If it doesn’t have Pinot character on the nose, chances are the wine will not taste that good.”

From the legendary vineyards of Burgundy in France to the cool-climate winegrowing regions of Napa: This finicky, thin-skinned grape, which was once mainly recognized for its fruity flavors, soft tannins, and delicate demeanor, is now becoming one of Napa’s darlings for wine lovers, hitting stride at the optimum time.

Mink Vineyard