I don’t know Gavin Chanin (Lutum Wines, soon to be defunct, and Chanin Wines, which shall live on, and UCLA brilliant art major I looked him up) but his wines are instructive, sending a strong message of what he is aiming for.
I’ve had so many New World pinots where my brain apologizes to itself upon the entry of the wine onto the palate. “OK its oaky right now but…” “OK its soft now but…” “OK with time it will…” “OK it’s not Burgundy so to expect terroir, or earth, or figuring out the structure, comes later…”
So, tonight I opened Chanin 2016 Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County fresh from the back of the minivan. Before I opened it, reading about it, I thought (and without research I still think) this is his low end Villages blend, his Bourgogne. His Lutum Sanford Benedict, a vineyard-designate wine, the only other wine of his I’ve had, I love from the first sip, but this isn’t that, this is less than. Time to mentally excuse, apologize…
Nah. The first sip is a complete fascinating wine three dimensional all kinds of things going on. Perfect ripeness, perfect acidity, bite, earth, no discernable oak until the finish, no discernable sweetness, just a complete wine. Other stuff going on TBD. There are a lot of $80-100 Cote de Nuits “Bourgognes” out there and this surpasses them all, except maybe those with tons of age but that’s apples versus oranges.
So, his lowest end Chanin, my first and only Chanin, wine… I’ve now tried. Freshly delivered. Just…wow.
So…his very high scoring Chardonnays are probably also revelatory and…nah. I expect to have to apologize to myself, for the oak, the softness, the weird leesy funk…Someone open one for me please.
He’s not maklng Burgundy. For the price, he’s making better. I sense he is putting all of his heart soul and integrity into his wines. At any rate that’s what it tastes like and starting tonight I am now an extreme fan. And since 1990 my instincts have served me very well for my palate and I am averse to new discoveries.
If he raises his prices, eff him. If he adds oak or ripeness, goodbye. If he sticks to this pattern of integrity and disciplined application of genius and I can only drink one American pinot, Chanin is it. Unless Burt Williams or Ken Burnap come out of retirement. I see you John Thomas and Gabriel from Clos Saron Home Vineyard…but you guys are getting the full glorious expression from your funky beautiful vineyards, after ten years of age. This guy can get great wine out of any vineyard that has the potential. These aren’t great vineyards yet he’s making great wine.