PRE-POLL: Favorite California Pinot Noir Vineyard

This is a Pre-Poll to determine the Berserker’s favorite California Pinot Noir Vineyard.

The objective of the Pre-Poll is to ensure that we’ve captured all of California’s most significant Pinot Noir Vineyards. The actual poll will commence in a week or so.

To get us started, I’ve prepared the list below. The poll will determine favorite vineyards - the producers are included only to provide context.

If you have a vineyard to add, please include AVA and an example or two of producers that utilize grapes from this vineyard.

UPDATED 12/7 P.M.
Abbey-Harris, Anderson Valley (Anthill)
Alberigi, RRV (Radio-Coteau)
Alder Springs, Mendocino (Patz and Hall)
Allen, RRV (Williams-Selyem)
Alpine, Santa Cruz Mts (Rhys)
Amber Ridge, RRV (Dain)
Anderson Valley Reserve, Anderson Valley (Skewis)
Ashley’s, SRH (Brewer-Clifton)
Aubaine, San Luis Obispo (LWC)
Bella Una, RRV (Benovia)
Bien Nacido, Santa Maria (Ojai)
Blue Slide Ridge, Sonoma Coast (Marcassin, Martinelli)
Bondi Home Ranch, RRV (Martinelli)
Brosseau, Chalone (Dain)
Bucher, RRV (Williams-Selyem)
Bush, RRV (Skewis)
Cargasacci, SRH, (Siduri, Brewer-Clifton)
Cerise, Anderson Valley (Copain)
Clos Pepe, SRH, (Siduri, Ojai, Copain, Brewer-Clifton)
Clos Saron’s Home, Sierra Foothills (Clos Saron)
Cohn, Sonoma (Benrovia)
Comptche Ridge, Mendocino (Anthill)
Corby, Anderson Valley (Skewis)
Corda, Marin (Precedent)
Dehlinger Estate, RRV (Dehlinger)
Demuth, Anderson Valley (Skewis, Anthill)
Devil’s Gulch, Marin (Dutton Goldfield)
Dierberg, Santa Barbara (Arcadian)
Durell, Sonoma (CSJ)
Elsbree, RRV (Papapietro)
Fairview Ranch, SLH (Eno)
Falstaff Road, Sonoma Coast (Rhys)
Family Farm, San Mateo (Rhys)
Fe Ciega, SRH (Ojai)
Fiddlestix, SRH (Bonaccorsi)
Freestone, Sonoma Coast (Phelps)
Garys’, SLH (LWC, Siduri, Roar, Lucia)
Gold Coast, Santa Maria (Paul Lato)
Goldridge, RRV (Dehlinger)
Hansel Estate, RRV (Hansel)
Hanzell Estate, Sonoma Valley (Hanzell)
Hein, Anderson (Dain)
Hillside, Green Valley (Porter Creek)
Hillside, Santa Cruz Mts. (Rhys)
Hirsch, Sonoma Coast (Siduri, Williams-Selyem, Failla)
Home, San Mateo. (Rhys)
Horseshoe Ranch, Santa Cruz Mts. (Rhys)
Hyde, Carnos (Hobbs)
Jensen, Mt. Harlan (Calera)
Julia’s, Santa Maria (Foxen)
Kanzler, Sonoma Coast (AP Vin)
Keefer Ranch, Green Valley (Siduri, Failla)
Ketcham Estate, RRV (Ketcham)
Kick Ranch, Sonoma (Hobbs)
Kiser, Anderson Valley (Copain)
Koplen, RRV (Kosta Browne)
La Cresta, Santa Cruz Mts. (Mountain)
La Neblina, Sonoma Coast (Radio-Coteau)
La Petite Etoile, RRV (CSJ)
Las Madres, Carneros (Dain)
Le Bon Climat, Santa Maria (Le Bon Climat)
Lindsay Estate, RRV (Hobbs)
Little Hill, RRV (Rochioli)
Marcassin, Sonoma Coast (Marcassin)
McDougall Ranch, Sonoma Coast (Kutch)
Melville, SRH, (Brewer-Clifton)
Mills, Mt. Harlan (Calara)
Montgomery, RRV (Skewis)
Morning Dew Ranch, Anderson Valley (Wooden Head)
Mount Carmel, SRH (Au Bon Climat, Brewer-Clifton)
Mount Eden Estate, Santa Cruz Mts. (Mount Eden)
Occidental Ridge, Sonoma Coast, (Failla)
Oehlman, RRV (WesMar)
Olivet Grange, RRV (Inman)
Olivet Lane, RRV (Merry Edwards)
Peay, Sonoma Coast (Williams-Selyem)
Peters, Sonoma Coast (Skewis, Anthill)
Pisoni Estate, SLH (Pisoni, Siduri, Roar)
Rancho La Vina, SRH (LWC)
Rancho Ontiveros, Santa Maria (LWC)
Rancho Santa Rosa, SRH (Brewer-Clifton)
Rapley, Santa Cruz Mts. (Fogerty)
Reed, Mt. Harlan (Calara)
Reuling, Sonoma Coast (Aubert)
Ridgetop, Sonoma Coast (APVin)
Rincon, Arroyo Grande (Talley)
Rio Vista, SRH (Brewer-Clifton)
Rochioli Estate, RRV (Williams-Selyem, Rochioli)
Rosella’s, SLH, (Siduri)
Rosemary’s, Arroyo Grande (Talley)
Russell Family, Paso Robles (LWC)
Saralee’s, RRV (Swan)
Savoy, Anderson (Radio-Coteau, Benrovia)
Schultze Family, Santa Cruz Mts. (Windy Oaks)
Sea Smoke, SRH, (Sea Smoke)
Selleck, Mt. Harlan (Calara)
Seven Mules, RRV (Martinellil)
Silacci, Monterey (Tantara)
Skyline, Santa Cruz Mts. (Rhys)
Sleepy Hollow, SLH (Arcadian)
Sonatera, Sonoma Coast (Siduri)
Stanford & Benedict, SRH (Au Bon Climat)
Summa, Sonoma Coast (Rivers Marie)
Texas Hill, Sierra Foothills (Clos Saron)
Three Sisters, Sonoma Coast (Marcassin)
Tina Marie, Anderson Valley (Anthill)
Tondre Grape Field, SLH (Silver Mountain)
Trenton Estate, RRV (Swan)
Turner, SRH (AP Vin)
Ulises Valdez, RRV (Hobbs)
UV, Sonoma Coast (Aubert)
Varner Spring Ridge, Santa Cruz Mts. (Varner)
Verna’s, SRH (Melville)
Vista Verde, San Benito (Williams-Selyem)
Weir, Yorkville Highlands (Williams-Selyem)
Wentzel, Anderson Valley (Copain)
White Hawk, Santa Barbara (Ojai)
Willow Creek, Sonoma Coast (Rivers Marie)
Zio Tony Ranch, RRV (Martinelli)

Flawed…

Kutch doesn’t get Kanzler anymore. So my example would be either KB, Kanzler Estate or AP Vin

No Summa Vineyard? Rivers Marie

Trenton Estate (Swan).

Couple of nit-picky notes…

  • Garys’ is s’ not 's
  • Sea Smoke is a single vineyard - Botella, Southing, and Ten are blends from that vineyard
  • Kutch no longer makes a Kanzler
  • Stanford & Benedict is SRH

Omissions

  • Koplen, RRV (Kosta Browne)
  • Bondi Home Ranch, RRV (Martinelli)
  • Seven Mules, RRV (Martinelli)
  • Zio Tony Ranch, RRV (Martinelli)

A couple we make that we really like as well…

  • Rancho Ontiveros, Santa Maria
  • Russell Family, Paso Robles
  • Aubaine, San Luis Obispo
  • Rancho La Vina, SRH

Olivet Grange?

Is Summa Sonoma Coast?

AVA?

AVA? Producers?

Mike - Summa is Sonoma Coast

I would add

Turner Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills (AP Vin)
Fairview Ranch, SLH (Eno Wines)

RRV

Olivet Grange, RRV (Inman)
Abbey-Harris, Anderson Valley (Anthill Farms)
Comptche Ridge, Mendocino (Anthill Farms)
Demuth, Anderson Valley (Anthill Farms)
Peters, Sonoma Coast (Anthill Farms)
Tina Marie, Green Valley (Anthill Farms)
Home, Santa Cruz (Rhys)
Horseshoe Ranch, Santa Cruz (Rhys)
Skyline, Santa Cruz (Rhys)
Willow Creek, Sonoma Coast (Rivers-Marie)
Elsbree, RRV (Papapietro Perry)

There are two L’s in McDougall
There’s no R in Benovia (that’s a typo in WA)

Regarding Rhys, you could add Home, Horseshoe and Skyline. Home and Family farm are not SCM, they are San Mateo County.

I doubt anyone else would vote for it, but the newly replanted La Cresta Vyd. (SCM) is the best Pinot site in the state.

Is this a Rhys vineyard?

Mike, maybe Poppy will chime in, but Botella, Southing and Ten are not vineyards. They all come from Seasmoke vineyard. Foxen is another example of pinot from the Seasmoke vineyard. I think the designations have to do with vine age rather than vineyard.

Kiser, anderson valley, copain
Marcassin, sonoma coast, Marcassin
a bunch of them, various, Kistler

I need more specifics

From Anderson Valley:
Cerise (Copain)

From SCM:
Rapley (Fogarty)

From Monterey County:
Silacci (Tantara)

From Marin:
Corda (Precedent)
Devil’s Gulch (Dutton Goldfield)

TTT

Great adds, keep 'em coming.

I like pretty much everything that Skewis puts out…it is my only producer that I buy pinot from.

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