TN: Failla PinotNoir SonomaCoast '14...(short/boring)

WINE TALK
1

Tried this Sat night:

  1. Failla PinotNoir SonomaCoast (13.9%; www.FaillaWines.com) Napa 2014: Med.dark color; strong black cherry/PN/licorice some earthy/dusty rather smokey slight floral/violets deep rather foresty/forest floor/loamy interesting nose; fairly tart deep/pungent/forest floor/mushroomy somewhat earthy/dusty rather black cherry/PN/plummy light floral/violets quite strctured flavor w/ some hard/wirey tannins; long tart/hard/structured rather forest floor/mushroomy/earthy/dusty some black cherry/dried cherries/PN bit toasty/oak/smokey finish w/ some hard/extracted tannins; lots of smokey/pungent/foresty character and a bit light on Pinot fruit; a rather tough/tight/closed/wirey/hard Pinot that needs 3-8 yrs of age.
    $37.25

A wee BloodyPulpit:

  1. I was a bit surprised as to how hard/tough this Pinot was on the palate. Offered up not a lot of pleasurable. But I suspect it will flesh out and become very good drinking down the road.
    The FaillaWnry is on the SilveradoTrail just South of Calistoga and East of StHelena. Not sure why the Cellared&Bttld/Napa address on the label unless this wine is being made in a leased facility.
    Tom
2

Did you PnP? Decant?

I know that Mr Failla was collaborating with some Napa operation(s) a minute ago, maybe that explains the label stating the Cellared&Bttld/Napa address…?

3

It was PnP when I took my TN, Drew. But I tried it several times over the course of the next day and it just lost fruit and
seemed to get harder & harder. But no decant or attempt to oxygenate it.
Tom

4

I’m not sure if I’m understanding your question right about the label having a Napa address… but I was just there for a tasting exactly a week ago. Just off Silverado Trail in St. Helena – as you mentioned! I was only inside their tasting room, but my understanding was that their caves and production facilities are there, too. Also – not all their fruit is Sonoma Coast (although most seem to be)… they have a Chardonnay that I tasted from Haynes Vineyard in Coombsville/Napa.

And FWIW, the 2014 Hirsch Pinot Noir was gorgeous – both on the nose and the palate.

5

Well, Alicia…always before, the Failla wines were labeled “Produced & Bttld by…StHelena”.
This is the first one I recall that was labeled “Cellared&Bttld by…Napa”. I’m guessing that
Ehren has reached capacity at his wnry and had to lease space for his SonomaCoast production wines.
He’s always produced a bit of wine from non-SonomaCoast fruit. PhoenixVnyd Syrah, HudsonVnyd Syrah… any number of wines.
Tom

6

ahh, ok. Thanks, Tom, for the clarification!

7

Tom, maybe your bottle had prematurely shut down for a 5-year nap?

8

I can’t quote the rules but wineries in Napa have to vinify at least 75% fruit that is grown Napa. He may have hit that ceiling and had to find space elsewhere.

9

Hmmmmm…good point, Nolan. I wasn’t aware of that rule. I’d guess that Ehren as never been at 75% Napa fruit in the history
of his wnry.
Tom

10

I was always curious about the situation at Failla, I don’t know the specifics there. They could be grandfathered into something or have a different type of permit.

11

Perhaps, Drew…all sorts of things are possible when a wine doesn’t perform like you expected.
I trust Ehren’s judgement on his own wines to believe he wouldn’t release it unless he thought it was ready to go.
Tom