While Kenny Likitprakong grew up in Sonoma with a constellation of winemaking and grape growing aunts and uncles, he always gravitated toward surfing, skateboarding, and literature. Fortunately for us, that all changed during Kenny's first trip to Europe in the 1990's. He returned home inspired, and soon enrolled in UC Davis' famed viticulture and enology degree program. Unlike most of his local winemaking peers in the early 2000's, Kenny was adamant about bottling wines that were moderate in alcohol, while balancing fruit driven, savory and mineral elements. Over the last decade and a half, Kenny has honed his craft in the cellar while also becoming a respected vineyard manager in Northern California. Today, he commands a dizzying and impressive array of small vineyard plots in Mendocino, Sonoma, and Santa Cruz counties, almost all dry farmed and organically grown. He bottles small lots under a variety of labels, but his Ghostwriter wines represent the pinnacle of his talents in the cellar and vines. This wine, the 2013 Ghostwriter Santa Cruz Pinot Noir, is both delicious and an extraordinary value. Grapes are hand harvested from mostly hillside vineyards (50% Upper Block Amaya Ridge, 29% Smith Road, 12% Aptos Creek, and 9% Belle Farms) just off the foggy Pacific Ocean coast close to the actual town of Santa Cruz.

These vineyards are farmed under Kenny’s full control who farms these sites completely organically. Most of the vines are not watered (dry farmed) causing them to struggle leading to lower yields and higher concentration in the fruit. Kenny destems most of the fruit leaving some whole grape clusters before fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel and gently pressing into neutral oak barrels where the wines will rest for about 18 months before bottling. The final product is impeccably balanced and is truly a standout among an ocean of Pinot Noir in the market.

The 2013 Ghostwriter Pinot Noir has a light garnet center with a touch of pink and light garnet highlights on the rim. The nose is poised and balanced with aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry and black cherry with secondary notes of wet roses, forest floor and black tea. As with all of Kenny’s wines, it has an incredible freshness: it is defined by a juicy, mouthwatering quality that I absolutely love and is hard to find in California wines. This wine will undoubtedly evolve for another 5-6 years and I anticipate its peak in about 3-4 years, although if kept in a dark cold cellar, I would not be surprised if this wine is incredible a decade from now. Ideally serve just above cellar temp, 55-60 degrees, in a large Burgundy stem and enjoy as the wine opens in the glass—it will begin to peak after about 30-40 minutes, so be patient.