Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Delicate but flavorful, this nervy wine walks a tightrope between ripeness and tartness that gives it an extra zing on the palate. Bright red cherry and raspberry meet light herb and cedar flavors, while firm tannins tingle on the finish. Best after 2023.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: How can one not love the Anderson Valley? Aside from being one of the most beautiful scenic areas in California, this growing region gives us some of the state's finest Pinot Noirs. The 2016 Drew Family Fog Eater is an excellent and lovely effort. TASTING NOTES: This wine is bright, fresh, and alive. Its aromas and flavors of red fruit and mineral accents should make it a delicious food match with fresh salmon sashimi. (Tasted: September 25, 2018, San Francisco, CA)
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A delicate, high-toned wine from the Anderson Valley, the 2016 Pinot Noir Fog-Eater offers up delicate aromas of red berries and sweet spices, followed by a medium-bodied, mouthwateringly acid-driven palate with bright fruit flavors and light structuring tannins. Its fine-boned style won't be for everyone, but it's a pure and tangy expression of an extreme site.
Anderson Valley, located in Mendocino County just above Sonoma County, is one of California’s coolest AVAs, allowing it a long growing season. Only 15 miles long, the region makes a slice eastward through the mountains, from the frigid Pacific Ocean. Dramatic diurnal temperature variations here preserve grape acidity and thus freshness in the finished wines. These are prime conditions for growing Pinot Noir, and the valley produces many fine versions. Characteristics of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir typically include crisp acidity, cranberry and strawberry notes as well as earthy notes of forest floor and mushroom.
Still Pinot Noir, however, is only part of the story. Pinot Noir, along with Chardonnay, are also grown for Anderson Valley’s exceptional sparkling wines. Produced via the traditional method, these offer a classic toasty note from lees aging, bright, complex fruit notes and a clean, refreshing character.