California makes great Pinot Noir, but I think Oregon would definitely be the better buy (especially if you want to save some $$$).
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I guess you are right-just very hard to find.
I did actually buy some Briceland PNs many BDs ago, and greatly enjoyed them.
Yes, I’ve had world-class Pinot from all of those, Switzerland, too. But, I’m talking about batting average, not individual producers. I value sites that speak to me and winemaking that allows that to show. I’d liken Oregon and Sonoma in that they have great sites and a lot of crappy ones, producers who make great wines outnumbered by mediocre ones. There’s no shortage of excellent Pinot out there, but a lot of superficial mediocrity gets high ratings. People who don’t like that need guidance. It’s sad when people write off California because some yak like James Laube led them to the wrong wines for their palate, and they think those are “the best” and don’t realize wines that would knock their socks off are out there.
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Josh,
The true beauty of Santa Barbara County is that it’s well suited for all of those varieties - and it has the ‘nooks and crannies’ that allow us to produce world class Pinot, Chardonnay, Rhone varieties, some of the best sauv blanc in the state and more.
I hope that you now understand why I am as ‘high’ on the region as I have been for 2 decades . . .
Cheers!
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Wow - going for the jugular 
I understand your sentiments, but to me, the same could be said about Santa Barbara County - both the Sta Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley are producing pinots as good as anyone else in the state, and at an ‘average’ quality that is higher than most.
I agree that many have fallen in love with the riper styles of pinots produced out of the Russian River and warmer parts of Sonoma, and I agree that places like the Santa Cruz Mtns benefit from things not getting overly ripe . . . but the same could be said down here for most vintages and most producers.
Cheers
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Really? Historically, I saw all these high-end OR PNs priced higher than almost anything out of CA. Now they seem neck and neck for the highly rated prestige wines that mostly come across as “trying too hard wines” to me. Generally, OR were around 20% higher. OR won hands-down on the high production quality daily drinker for a good price, though. Now, prices are so all-over-the-place. Good guidance to worth producers who aren’t tapped into a hype machine can get you an excellent (to YOUR palate) Pinot equivalent to another that’s 3 times the price.
Bien Nacido is amazing. I’d give SRH and SMV much better batting averages than Sonoma. But, the SCM in general, the distinctive subregions and even extreme soil differences within vineyards…where else do you have that? There’s regional expression that speaks to me and amazinging subregions that are very distinct. Two geologic plates, a sea mound and volcanic activity. Impactful native plants that aren’t monocropped out of existence. There are vineyards I love outside the region, but that’s spotty. This is where wines from rustic mom-and-pop producers are better than most no-expense-spared flashy Sonoma Pinot, to my taste.
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I don’t think that one can list the best California Pinots and NOT include:
Williams Selyem
Rochioli
Dehlinger
Granted I stopped buying them in the last 5 years because I have way too much in the cellar, but I feel strongly that these 3 merit inclusion in a top 10 list.
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Littorai has to be included near the very top!
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Useless reply.
Useless reply x2.
Here’s yet another one for you: you think spamming posts like these adds more value to the thread instead?
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Yes.
My pinot experience isn’t as deep as most here, so keep that in mind.
I tend to enjoy OR pinots more than CA versions in their youth, but after 10 yrs of bottle age I think CA pinots really hit their stride.
Many of the producers listed here by others I’ve found too austere and not approachable when I’ve had them (younger than 10 yrs…) so haven’t really known which ones I should invest in for 10+yr old bottles. Because my pinot volume is relatively low I keep myself happy with these favorites in the cellar:
Rochioli
Rivers Marie
Merry Edwards
Littorai
Brewer Clifton
Old Sanfords are often special.
Siduri Santa Rita Hills, I bought these semi-regularly back in the day (early 2010’s?) and still have a dozen or so left. Love drinking these now.
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Love to see Germany mentioned!
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I don’t drink enough to have a top 10 but here are some of my favorites in the lighter style
Whitcraft
Ceritas
Arnot-Roberts
Clos Saron
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My experience as well.
No way to create a definitive list, as tastes differ. Interesting the non-productive disputes that have already arisen within 30-40 posts.
Lots that I really enjoy have already been listed (Kutch especially - with the Falstaff being my favorite CA Pinot, and my favorite domestic Pinot in some vintages). Maybe I missed it, but Sandhi does some lovely things. Wish I had more cellar space for them.
Regionally I prefer Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Barbara County, and Sonoma Coast areas, so producers working there get most of my top spots. For some reason, Anderson Valley Pinots do not work for me. I’ve tried a ton, even from producers like Littorai, and they rarely make me happy.
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Pretty close to in order of preference:
Rivers-Marie
Hirsch
Rochioli
Ceritas
Marine Layer
Kanzler
Ferren
Kistler
Failla
Peay
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I totally agreed with you, definitive list is probably impossible to create, everyone has different taste, preferred style, and producers changes from time to time…
and imo, that is the beauty of this discussion, at least for me I am seeing some names that I never tried before and now I am curious and wish to see how some wine taste alike since they made to someone’s top 10… 
cheers!