Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
In 2007, Anne helped her friend Timothy Mott with the planting and farming of his small vineyard of Pinot Noir, 1861, perched on a rocky hillside overlooking the town of Sonoma. A co-founder of Electronic Arts and executive of numerous start-ups, Tim and Anne then partnered in the expansion of Blue Farm.
Critically acclaimed winemaker Kenneth Juhasz has helped make Blue Farm’s small lot, single vineyard wines since 2003. Blue Farm focuses on Burgundian Grand Cru style Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, drawing on Anne’s distinctive enological experience.
In 1981, Anne arrived from Germany to Sonoma, where she worked with legendary winemaker André Tchelistchef. For over three decades, Anne has been farming some of California’s most celebrated vineyards. In addition to her personal Blue Farm project, Anne is president and winegrower of 242 acres for The Donum Estate.
Living with the vineyard is the primary purpose of Anne’s craft. Her intuitive growing style develops wines of poise and power. Today, five Blue Farm vineyards reach from Sonoma’s Valley to its Coast and to the Russian River. Blue Farm wines reveal exceptional discoveries from lands graced with natural gifts.
As early as the 1970s Carneros became known as a source of terrific Pinot Noir, and was one of the first California regions to gain such a reputation. The combination of sunny days, cooling fog and thin clay soils are tailor-made for the variety. Another factor in Pinot Noir’s prominent place here is vintners’ willingness to experiment widely. The history of the grape in Carneros is marked by continuous research into clonal variations, viticultural techniques and site selection. Careful evaluation over time has revealed a signature flavor profile as well. Complex aromas and flavors of cherry, red berry, spice, earth and cola appear time and again in Carneros Pinot Noir. To this day the appellation remains one of California’s standard bearers for the variety.