Winemaker Notes
Delightful warm earth soil notes a first, transitioning into deep aromas of red and black fruit, organic peel and florals, grounded with a distinctly mineral core that is typical from this site. There’s an exuberance and depth to the inviting and intense cherry, dark citrus, wet soil, cinnamon and raw chocolate notes throughout the nose and palate of Comptche Ridge. This vintage is more polished and sensually textured than previous years. The persistent complexity of flavors lingers on and remain focused by the structure they often find from this secluded Mendocino Coast site. With air, the texture become more detailed, the aroma and flavors sweeter, giving a delicious sense of the future.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
A large and diverse appellation within California’s North Coast AVA, Mendocino is home to several smaller sub-regions—most notably the Anderson Valley. This scenic region, with rolling hills covered in redwood forests as well as vineyards, is one of the world’s top producers of certified organically-grown grapes. Due to wide geographical and climatic variation, a vast array of wine styles can be found here.