Hi,
Just want to know which 10 producers in CA made to everyone’s top 10. Purely curious and discussion for fun.
For me, not in order:
Can’t wait to see what everyone’s top 10 are
I don’t drink a ton of CA PN, but Briceland is one I go back to.
I would put Littorai over most of those.
Kutch needs to be on here.
I’ve completely stopped buying pinot from CA. The only ones I’ll ever consider again are Arcadian and Under the Wire sparklers. Oregon is better. Burgundy is better. Germany is better.
Not South Africa? 
I’d place Circ, Clarice, and Soliste on the list, but I mostly buy WV Pinots.
Arcadian and Briceland are, I think, no longer an option.
I’ve had some good pinot from New Zealand and South Africa, but not enough to quantitatively add them to the list. I do think Patagonia and South America are over rated. I really don’t like Sonoma or Anderson Valley pinot. I’ve tried too many.
SA was on your original list before you edited it. Hence the .
Honestly, Au Bon Climat and Arcadian are the only CA pinot I’ve enjoyed recently–which are both Santa Maria Valley/Santa Barbara area–which I really think is even better suited for syrah and Rhone varietals. If I want cola, Fentimans is cheaper.
First off, the best PN region outside of Burgundy is the Santa Cruz Mountains. There are plenty of excellent producers and sites in other parts of the state, in a sea of trying-too-hard, do-you-even-like-Pinot? bullshit. The garbage is what had been getting the highest ratings and attention and set the stereotype for California Pinot, but that’s changing.
In no particular order, off the top of my head:
Kutch
Mount Eden
Sante Arcangeli
Sandar & Hem
Madson
Neely
Rhys
McHenry
Scherrer
Sandler
Big Basin
Beauregard
Thomas Fogarty
I can name plenty more. Arcadian is done, but you can still find pretty easily.
For me, Kutch Falstaff is a thrilling version of Pinot Noir. I love that wine, and for me, is what CA Pinot Noir can be when the oak is gone, there is some whole cluster, and there is both fruit and acid. Beautiful wine, one that I still buy in quantity every release.
I rarely drink Cali Pinot, but there are some great wines, and the cooler regions deserve more love. I’ve really enjoyed these 2:
Hi Wes, I am hoping you are drinking PN more broadly. There are world class PN being made in Germany, Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Oregon and others. I am sure that Santa Cruz Mountain PN are very good but doubt that it the “best PN region outside Burgundy”.
Topic for a separate thread I guess
Cheers
Brodie
To the OP, those are terrific producers but I don’t think Calera belongs in that list. I’ve given Calera a fair shake over many years, and while they are often good and occasionally excellent, they aren’t in the top 10.
The problem I have with ranking CA pinot producers is that many have morphed over the two plus decades I’ve been trying them, with some even going through several changes in style. I don’t call it evolution because it’s not always a straight line towards better. That’s not a criticism, however, even though it more challenging trying to decide what to buy. I attribute the drift in vineyards and cellar practices to figuring out what works best among a huge number of variables.
Twenty years ago I was confident that the best PN outside of Burgundy came from the CA central coast, Santa Rita Hills in particular. I’d no longer say that at this time but I’d bet that it has the chance to reclaim the title, in my mind, after things play out after all the necessary development and optimization.
SCM is definitely my favorite AVA for PN in California.
Can you clarify on this? They did participate in the last Berserker Day.
Hey Steve,
Thank you for the comment, I’d love to see opinions against my list, which is always great!
I do think Calera before 2000 is fantastic, but in recent 20 years it has changed…guess things had gone differently since Josh stepped down. Is this something you experienced in common?
I have to admit I put Calera on the list as it was one of the first good PN I’ve tasted outside Burgundy… so it did earn an special spot in my heart…but you’re correct, it may not make the cut for the current situation…
I can’t say for sure if there was a change in Calera that correlated with Josh’s role. It seemed more likely to me that they were simply bypassed by others coming on the scene later. That’s not a criticism but just how it is and to be expected in a region that is developing.