Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Hugh Chapelle took over as director of winemaking at Lynmar in 2004, after a successful run at Flowers. He makes Quail Hill from the estate vineyard on Laguna Ridge, first planted in the early 1970s. This 2005 is round, rich and fragrant when first opened, with the deep textural satisfaction of great Russian River pinot noir. The substantial dark cherry and black raspberry flavors gain richness from the equally dark, chocolate savor of the oak. The combination forms a delicious bond, balanced, harmonious and lasting, built to cellar. If you open it now, decant the bottle for roast chops from pasture-raised Berkshire pigs.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is just too young to drink now. The interplay of the acids and tannins locks down the flavors and make a sting on the palate. But there is the terrific core of flavor, of ripe blackberries and cherries, of red and black currants, of cola and root beer and licorice, that will emerge in time, making for delicious drinking. Best 2009–2013, possibly longer.
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.”
Home to a diverse array of smaller AVAs with varied microclimates and soil types, Sonoma County has something for every wine lover. Physically twice as large as Napa Valley, the region only produces about half the amount of wine but boasts both tremendous quality and variety. With its laid-back atmosphere and down-to-earth attitude, the wineries of Sonoma are appreciated by wine tourists for their friendliness and approachability. The entire county intends to become a 100% sustainable winegrowing region by 2019.
Sonoma County wines are produced with carefully selected grape varieties to reflect the best attributes of their sites—Dry Creek Valley’s consistent sunshine is ideal for Zinfandel, while the warm Alexander Valley is responsible for rich, voluptuous red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are important throughout the county, most notably in the cooler AVAs of Russian River, Sonoma Coast and Carneros. Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Syrah have also found a firm footing here.