A quick word about Littorai

WINE TALK
1

I had the opportunity to visit Littorai on Saturday. While many of you may be familiar with this operation, it was new to me. I was impressed by the beauty of the site, the appropriate scale and design of the winery facility and the enthusiasm of the staff. Mostly, I was impressed with Ted Lemon’s thoughtful and conscious approach to sustainable land use and non-intrusive winemaking. The wines I tasted were incredibly fine - low alcohol, vibrant, complex and intensely balanced. Wonderful focus.

Those of you who are as fascinated by California’s quest to make world-class, traditionally styled Pinot as I am, should check out this gem.

2

Haven’t had a Littorai that hasn’t shown well.

3

Mike,

Well said. Their operation is at once humble, beautiful, functional, and the family lives right there to boot. And if you engage Ted in conversation, he will pull no punches.

The wines highlight the different vintages extremely well, although they typically need longer than most CA pinots to show their beauty.

4

some of my favorite pinots from cali are produced from this fine operation. seems to have a bit of cult following. if more folks knew just how good these are, then perhaps that would change.

5

By far my favorite Pinot maker - the wines are mazing, the staff is just marvelous and the site magical. Tuesday is my pick up day, can not wait to taste the SVD from 09. Recently I had a magnum of the 2001 Hirsh simply marvelous.

6

A couple of interesting aspects to the winery that I failed to mention (as communicated to me by the lovely Martina). The winery and surrounding vineyard have been designed to be a self sustaining eco-system. All process waste from the winery goes directly back into the vineyard. The winery itself is made of straw bales! The associated estate vineyard (The Pivot, I believe) is farmed biodynamically. The tour is focused on the vineyard and highlights the ecologically senstive processes (and biodynamic implements) used throughout.

I haven’t seen anything quite like this operation. Very serious, very exacting, very responsible, very self-contained and very, very sick wines. A geek winery in the best sense of the word!

7

Everyone should be checking out Winebid and Winegavel as there has been a lot of Littorai for sale lately. I’ve purchase my fill but there are still a good number of bottles up there, many of which are aged and selling for less than release price.

8

Took the same tour a few weeks ago and came away with the same positive impressions (and a trunk full of wine).

Love what they are doing at Littorai.

Elegant, subtle use of oak, nuanced, refreshing acidity, seductive, lovely.

9

I have to admit, that I was originally drawn in by Littorai and Lemon’s story and operation.
I don’t have access to his old stuff, but his bottlings from 06 and 07 have fell short for me as my palate has evolved. At $65 to $75 per bottle (shipping not included) there are other Burgs or CA Pinot I’d rather be buying. That being said, they are on my short list of CA pinots to recommend to stubborn pinot-noir-is-best-from-Burgundy folk.

10

I’m new to Littorai, but what I’ve consistently heard is that the single vineyard bottles demand age. I plan to let mine sleep (much as I do for Rhys, Copain and some others).

11

I’ve never had one. I see several posts giving the Pinots high praise - are the Chards also worth a look?

12

Absolutely.

13

Thanks for the note. Would love to visit. The '01 One Acre pinot I drank a couple of years ago was just mind-blowing.

14

I had a 2004 the other week (Mays, I believe), and it was simply beautiful. Those Pinots and Chards are delicious wines, but as a retailer, it sucks that they won’t let me list them on-line (not even at full retail)…so I don’t carry them anymore.

15

While the wines are great and certainly age worthy, the prices aren’t that attractive. I know RM and Littorai are different but it’s a stretch asking $80 for your summa when RM is just about half at $45.

16

Tyler,

Isn’t Littorai getting the Old Vines which would make the RM $60.
Also on another angle to this, won’t Littorai continue to get the Summa for the forseable future or now that RM owns Summa they are taking all the fruit?
I had the Littorai Summa 2005 a few weeks ago and it was delicious but much softer and approachable than RM, I think Ted Lemon uses less Whole Cluster. Anyone know more?

17

I know there is a small block of Summa that was planted in 1978 that still remains. Obviously RM pulls from this block for their OV but I don’t know of any of this fruit going into the Littorai Summa. 2008 was the last year for the Littorai Summa due to the sale of the vineyard to RM. I would hope and assume that all of the Summa fruit will now stay in house at RM but I am not 100% sure. Not sure on the whole cluster in regards to Littorai, maybe TRB can chime in here and answer for RM.

18

How else do you expect them to pay for their fancy new sustainable, energy efficient winery? neener [cheers.gif]

19

Littorai is my favorite I will miss the Summa bottling, not really a fan of RM’s version. Thank God for Theriot and The Haven. Not to mention the most epic domestic chards.

20

I’m quite familiar with RM and a fan. My impression is that Littorai is fashioned in a more subtle, traditional, lower alcohol, less fruit-forward style than RM. I’d put Littorai solidly on the Rhys/Copain side of the Pinot taste spectrum.

It would be interesting to taste the RM Summa side by side with the Littorai (apparently Littorai no longer receives Summa fruit).