Anderson Valley Pinot Festival
This piece first appeared in the Real Estate Magazine of Mendocino County, Issue 621, Published May 13th, 2011.
Mendocino County is home to some of the world’s most distinctive wines, and no region is more renowned than the Anderson Valley. Only sixteen miles long, this small valley is one of those magical spots on earth in which the elusive prince of Burgundy, Pinot Noir, can flourish. With summer highs upwards of 100° F, and nights and mornings regulated by cool coastal fog, the Anderson Valley produces Pinot Noir unlike anywhere else on the planet – a perfect balance between the earthy, structured wines of Burgundy and the fruit-driven, bright wines that mark the New World style.
Perhaps no other varietal evokes quite the same level of poetry and mysticism as Pinot Noir. The grape perfectly embodies its surroundings in the Anderson Valley: the deep loam of the ancient forests, the wild mushrooms that spring forth at every rain, and the rich wild berries that cover every bush. And few wines are capable of the range Pinot captures – from dark purple wines bleeding with jammy fruit, to ruby-red wines with just a hint of cherry, buried in dirt, meat, and the vegetation of the forest floor. If wine is a religion to many, Pinot Noir is its holiest of holies – and the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Festival is a jubilee.
Once a year for the past 13 years, winemakers and fans alike have celebrated this small region. Although large compared to its humble beginnings, the Anderson Valley Pinot Fest is nonetheless still an intimate affair, with only 40 wineries participating, and a Grand Tasting that is capped at less than 700 guests.
Winemaker dinners, technical speakers, open houses throughout the Valley, and an atmosphere of appreciation for this noble grape all make this a must-visit event for lovers of the varietal. Tickets sell out quickly, so it’s worth buying as soon as possible – if they are sold out, waiting lists are available. And even if you miss the Grand Tasting, as you’ll see there are plenty of other events to ensure your Pinot craving is fulfilled.
For those who want to delve a bit deeper into the world of Pinot Noir, the technical conferences offer the perfect opportunity. Although they are technical in nature, beginners and the simply curious are welcome. This can be a great way to learn a bit more about what goes on behind the curtain to get wine in your glass. For those in the industry, or those dabbling in amateur or custom-crush winemaking, the technical conference offers an opportunity to mingle with experts in the field, discuss issues with other winemakers, and learn from masters of their craft.
The morning consists of a more serious session, geared more towards professionals, amateur winemakers, and those with a firm footing in the world of technical winemaking. This year, Dr. Linda Bisson, a professor and geneticist in the Maynard A. Amerine Endowed Chair in Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis, will be giving a seminar on the impact of yeasts on Pinot Noir. Kelly Maher, a renowned viticulturist out of St. Helena, will be speaking on the importance of vine nutrition. And a winemaking panel, consisting of some of the top winemakers working with Anderson Valley grapes, will be discussing the relative merits of whole-cluster fermentation with Pinot Noir.
The afternoon is focused more towards consumers – even if you’ve never thought about what goes into winemaking, you’re likely to gain some interesting insight during this period. The program begins with a multi-vineyard tasting, with a central focus on the award-winning Ferrington Vineyard, and how the site is differentiated from other sites in the Valley. A number of winemakers who use Ferrington grapes will be taking part in a panel discussion, highlighting the specific attributes of Ferrington fruit and how it translates in the glass. Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, also speaks in the afternoon. She’ll be using tasting to showcase the Pinot Noir grape, and how it differs from other varietals. This is an excellent opportunity for newcomers to Pinot Noir to unlock some of its mystique, and a chance for Pinotphiles to speak with one of the world’s foremost wine experts about their passion.
The day wraps up with an exploration of Pinot Noir in its lighter incarnation – with speakers from Roederer, Toulouse, and others, tasting and discussing their Rosé wines made from the Pinot Noir grape. If you thought pink wines had to be sweet, this seminar will be an eye-opening experience, as the Rosés of Anderson Valley err on the dry side, showcasing many of the classic characteristics of Pinot Noir.
The Grand Tasting. The main event. This is what it’s all about. Plenty of people don’t know there’s anything more to the Pinot Festival than the Grand Tasting, and for good reason – with more than 40 producers, and a full day of some of the best Pinot Noir in the world, you can easily drive from the Bay Area or beyond and be more than satisfied with everything that happens under the big tent.
Although the tent is large, it’s an intimate event. With more than 40 producers and their assistants, and less than 700 attendees, there is plenty of room to chat and talk one-on-one. One of the things that makes Mendocino County such an incredible wine destination is the opportunity to chat with winemakers and vintners, and the Grand Tasting highlights that sensibility in a focused setting.
Many people find they first truly catch the Pinot bug at the tasting. This event is the perfect storm of a wide range of high-end Pinot Noir, fellow attendees who are passionate and outspoken about the almost mystical beauty of the grape, and individual winemakers who in many cases work the land themselves and take a hands-on approach to every aspect of the winemaking process. These things combine to create an atmosphere in which one can hardly help but fall in love with Pinot Noir.
If you’ve never attended a mid-scale tasting before, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that you’ll be tasting a lot of wine. These are excellent wines, and the winemakers are present, but no one will hold it against you if you spit and pour. Especially if you want to try a large percentage of all the wines present, you’ll need to pace yourself, drink plenty of water, and limit finishing the glass only to your absolute favorites.
You may have your favorite wineries present at the event – Littorai, Breggo, Black Kite, Couloir, or others with a cult following – but make sure to reach beyond the wines you know. There are many hidden gems in the Anderson Valley, and some of the small producers have very limited distribution, making it virtually impossible to find them anywhere else. If you’re with a group, you may want to split up to taste a wider range of wines, and meet occasionally to share notes and direct each other to standouts.
Whatever you do, take your time. It isn’t a race, and there’s no need to try them all. Take advantage of the amazing opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with some of the world’s most talented winemakers – all dedicated to the magic and mystery of one of the most ephemeral grapes in the world. And remember, if you miss anything, don’t panic – there’s always next year.
If you haven’t had your fill of Pinot Noir by the time the Grand Tasting winds down, worry not – Saturday evening there are a spattering of winemaker dinners. Although there are a number of exceptional restaurants in the area, many of which have extensive Mendocino County wine lists, during the Pinot Festival a small handful dedicate themselves completely to the cause of Pinot Noir. This year there are four formal winemaker dinners, including some of the best wineries in the region, paired with some of the best chefs. All four happen Saturday night, so you’ll have to choose just one ¬– not an easy decision!
The Café Beaujolais and the Albion River Inn are the two restaurants hosting winemaker dinners this year. Café Beaujolais will feature wines and winemakers from Baxter, Claudia Springs, and Goldeneye, paired with a six-course meal prepared by Chef David LaMonica. The Albion River Inn features the wines and winemakers of Esterlina, Lazy Creek, and Scharffenberger Cellars, paired with a four-course meal prepared by Chef Stephen Smith.
On the Roederer Estate, local Chef Rocco Hanson is offering a four-course meal, paired with the wines of Foursight, Phillips Hill, and, of course, Roederer Estate. As one would expect from the Valley’s king of sparkling, a sampling of sparkling Pinot will be offered before the meal. Finally, for something a bit more intimate and off the beaten path, Drew Family Cellars and Greenwood Ridge will be at the world-renowned Apple Farm for a smaller-scale meal. The Apple Farm is a locus of local food in the Anderson Valley, located among more than 1700 heirloom apple trees, and a productive garden.
Sunday most visitors are heading home from the festival, but some opt to linger one more morning and afternoon, to visit the properties of the many fantastic winemakers they met the day before. All day Sunday, wineries open their doors to pour special wines, offer hors d’oeuvres, and make their winemakers and vintners available to answer questions or just talk about what makes Anderson Valley so special.
This Sunday the Valley turns into one big party, with different wineries offering up their own take on an open house. Some have a country-style BBQ, with cornbread, chowder, and grilling. Others offer up artisan sausages, made from local products. Still others bring in chefs to prepare dishes specially paired to their wine offerings. A number of wineries, such as Philo Ridge Vineyards, have local musicians playing throughout the day, and it’s not unknown for impromptu dancing to take place.
A number of wineries treat the day as a particularly special event. Wineries such Navarro, Handley Cellars, Foursight, and Drew all open up library selections, allowing visitors to taste through verticals of their wines, giving a glimpse into how the Anderson Valley shifts vintage to vintage. Still others open their private estates and barns to the public – some wineries, such as Baxter, are open for tasting only this single day of the year – creating a more intimate, open way to interact with the winemakers.
After a weekend of tasting and activities, it can be tempting to skip Sunday and head home. For many, the Grand Tasting marks the end of the weekend. If you have the energy, though, I would highly encourage you to take advantage of the open houses. It is this sort of small-town, backwoods hospitality that makes the Anderson Valley such a unique wine destination in the United States, and at no time during the year is it more on display than during the final day of Pinot Fest.
Recent Comments