Best Lighter-styled Pinots coming out of CA

[Peter_Simpson]

@Berry Crawford

@Peter Simpson

No brett in my bottles of Navarro Pinot, I suspect Berry was actually drinking a Burgundy and got confused.

stinky bluecheesy poopy smell. pretty sure it was brett.

@Peter Simpson

I third Joseph Swan, in particular the Saralees’s.

Over Trenton Estate?

Brian was looking for a lighter style of Pinot, I think the more red fruit profile Saralee’s better fills the bill.

[Jay_Miller]

What I’ve tried and would say fall in that category:
Arcadian
recent Copain
Rhys
Mt. Eden

I keep hearing good things about Littorai and Inman from people I respect but haven’t tried any.

[CFu]

@Cris Whetstone

I think the main ones are covered.

But like others I always wonder how Kutch gets mentioned as being this style. Unless they have some extreme bottle variation the wines have been quite the opposite to me. Big, fruit forward and oaky.

someone srsly needs to open an 07 Kutch for us since the non 07’s have been ultra ripe and oaky.

[DavidSawyer]

When I was barrel tasting last spring at Copain, Wells Guthrie said he planned to continue making wines in the restrained style. I like these wines much better personally. Great winemaker.

@Richard T r i m p i

@Brad S w a l l o w

How about Copain from recent vintages?

A distributor was saying the same thing a year or so ago and I tried some over the Summer. Their 06 Kiser had a nice subtlety with good acidity. Hopefully Copain continues in that direction.

Been hearing more positive things about recent Kutch vintages, but unlike a vocal majority, my tastes of the 05 and 06 were flat out disappointing. Second the Varner, had an excellent bottle of 05 Hidden block a few nights ago.

RT

[Lance_Smith]

@Rob MacKay

@Jeff Fish

I’d add McHenry to the list. Nothing overblown about their pinots.

+1 on this. Their 06 Estate only has 12.8% abv. Very enjoyable and very Burgundian style.

Windy Oaks is pretty close as well but some bottlings need time to integrate the oak.

I’ll go +2 on this one.

Drinking my first bottle of McHenry tonight. 2006 Swan Clone. One glass in but I am digging this wine for the mere $26/bottle I believe I paid for it.

Great wine, a bit less of the ‘mineral’ component versus that of a Rhys or Alesia. Very translucent in color. Overall, more subtle and subdued but a nice change-up from poaching more of my Rhys/Alesia/Anthill/Windy Oaks bottles.

This bottle of wine that will not last past this evening!

[andy_velebil]

@Chris Presutti

@Rick Smith

I’ve only had Kutch a few times, but don’t find it matching what is being looked for here.

What next? Someone suggesting Kosta Browne?

The first Kutch bottlings were done with Mike Browne’s assistance, hence the heavier style. However, subsequent vintages when it’s only Jamie are far more restrained, elegant, and certainly lighter in style. It’s all relative so I don’t really think there’s a wrong answer given yet in this thread. The existence of lighter styled Pinot than Kutch does disqualify Kutch as a lighter styled Pinot.

Hmm, unless I am mistaken, I thought the first vintage of Kutch were barrels he bought from KB that were already made??

[M_Sai]

Once I realized that I liked the lighter side of the Cali Pinot spectrum, I narrowed my buying to three producers already mentioned: Rhys, Anthill & Inman.

All three make great wines that age very well, but one thing that has not been mentioned - all three have very reasonable prices. I see no reason to go elsewhere when all three of these producers sell most of their wine in the $40s - while several of the producers mentioned in this thread are now pushing $60 on release.

[Robert_Thornton]

@Rick Smith

I’ve only had a couple of vintages, but how about Roessler’s Savoy?

For me, not so much. I love Anderson Valley pinot, but wouldn’t put Roessler at the top of the lighter styled list.

Cheers,
-Robert

[Brian_Loring]

Don’t overlook Keefer Keefer. Went to dinner with Marcy and Craig tonight… and had a bottle of their 2007. Very pretty. Very nice. Worth seeking out.

[Brett_Johnson]

@Berry Crawford

Someone mentioned WesMar. Thats a great suggestion. Great wines.

+2

One of my favorite pinot producers.

BTW, Brian, if you can hold out until late 2011, my own Sta. Rita Hills pinot is right in the strike zone you’re looking for.

[Cris_Whetstone]

@andy velebil

@Chris Presutti

@Rick Smith

I’ve only had Kutch a few times, but don’t find it matching what is being looked for here.

What next? Someone suggesting Kosta Browne?

The first Kutch bottlings were done with Mike Browne’s assistance, hence the heavier style. However, subsequent vintages when it’s only Jamie are far more restrained, elegant, and certainly lighter in style. It’s all relative so I don’t really think there’s a wrong answer given yet in this thread. The existence of lighter styled Pinot than Kutch does disqualify Kutch as a lighter styled Pinot.

Hmm, unless I am mistaken, I thought the first vintage of Kutch were barrels he bought from KB that were already made??

[andy_velebil]

@Cris Whetstone

@andy velebil

@Chris Presutti

The first Kutch bottlings were done with Mike Browne’s assistance, hence the heavier style. However, subsequent vintages when it’s only Jamie are far more restrained, elegant, and certainly lighter in style. It’s all relative so I don’t really think there’s a wrong answer given yet in this thread. The existence of lighter styled Pinot than Kutch does disqualify Kutch as a lighter styled Pinot.

Hmm, unless I am mistaken, I thought the first vintage of Kutch were barrels he bought from KB that were already made??

Not trying to stir the pot, but I’ve heard people rave about one and talk poorly about the other. So lets all be honest here, there is nothing wrong with buying from another producer as that is done all the time, in many different parts of the wine making world. If that was what Kutch did, i have no issue with it as everyone has to start somewhere. But people do have a right to know the real info on these wines, whatever that may be. So if I am wrong, please let me know so I get the correct info. But I was lead to believe that Kutch just bought some barrels from KB and put his label on it.

[Glenn_L_e_v_i_n_e]

my favorite new feminine-styled domestic PN is Keefer Ranch. Ceritas has a feminine flair with somewhat bolder fruit.

[Bud_Carey]

Would WesMar fit into this category?

[Jason_Hagen]

WesMar certainly fits but like most, I think it depends on the vineyard. I don’t think I would call their Hellenthal light or feminine. But the Oehlman and Olivet have a lighter touch with nice tannic structure.

[Bob_Hughes]

Martinelli?

[Tony_V_e_l_e_b_i_l]

@Bob Hughes

Martinelli?

Try the recent edition of Red Car…does make Martinelli seem “light”

[Mark_Cochard]

Cracked the 07’ Navarro Methode Ancienne last night. Had my brett expert there and no brett whatsoever, Just a lighter styled pinot at 13.8% alcohol, just really elegant with finesse and great concentration (not extraction). Need to get more of this. On the other side, also opened a Roar 07’ Rosella’s pinot noir. This is a beautiful wine, medium ruby on this one where we see a lot of deeply colored wines from these guys, pushing 14.7% alcohol but hides it really well with great balance, red fruits, great length. I have plenty of this to stash away.

[Jordan_Posell]

Check out Peay for structured, ageworthy CA pinots (and syrahs).

[Daniel_Posner]

@Bud Carey

Would WesMar fit into this category?

Was just reading through this thread, and was amazed that, up until Bud posted, that Wesmar had not been named.
Great Pinots from CA in a “Burgundian style”