Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2016 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard is elegant and silky in the glass. Crushed red berry fruit, spice, mint, blood orange and kirsch dance across the palate. Exotic spice notes emerge with a bit of time in the glass. Beguiling and expressive, the 2016 remains quite young. It's a wine that needed a ton of time to show its true potential. Yorkville series soils over sandstone, unusual for Anderson Valley, yield such distinctive wines, especially in the tannin profile. Superb.
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James Suckling
This has plenty of personality and delivers an athletic impression with velvety, black cherries at the edge with a fine-grained, assertive but supple tannin core. Excellent wine.
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Jeb Dunnuck
From just down the hill from the One Acre vineyard (which is at the top of the hill), the 2016 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard is nevertheless a dramatically different wine. Much straighter, focused, and firm, with a Côte de Nuits like feel in its raspberry, cranberry, violets, and rock mineral aromas and flavors, it hits the palate with beautiful acidity, medium body, and fine, polished tannin. Rating: 95+
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.