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Cabot Vineyards, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir

Other, United States 2013 (750mL)
$32.00
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Cabot Vineyards, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir

It’s always refreshing to remember that wine in its most rudimentary form boils down to one thing: farming. And the more you consume wine, you’ll start realizing that your most memorable bottles come from authentic farmers—those who live for the land. That’s exactly what husband-wife team John and Kimberly Cabot embody.
Natural work in the vineyard isn’t a philosophy or a measure they follow: “We don’t advertise organic on our labels, it’s just a way of life for us,” John says. Their Anderson Valley Pinot is a pure expression of the grape from one of California’s coolest climates—comparable to that of Burgundy, but with brisk coastal air influences. Still, Cabot Vineyards is decidedly “New World.” It’s a ripe and layered wine, yes, but it showcases fruit purity and ultimate freshness without swaths of oak or extraction. For a hair over $30, you’re experiencing Anderson Valley Pinot at its highest level and I guarantee if this label was operating in Napa under different ownership, it would cost twice as much. Cabot Vineyards is a perfect blueprint of how New World Pinot Noir can be both simultaneously rich and refreshing. For Burgundy and California lovers, Cabot Vineyards is not to be missed—it’s a quintessential marriage of two renowned styles!
If you left San Francisco and drove north 2-3 hours, you’d enter Anderson Valley (Within larger Mendocino County). Anderson Valley is rural territory—a land of rolling hills and coastal fog. Citizens here won’t be changing their ways anytime soon: this is farmland at its most pure, with a more rustic, less-traveled feel than the valleys of Napa and Sonoma. It’s also colder up here—Anderson Valley is labeled as a “Region 1 growing area,” meaning it’s among the coolest viticulture climates. This key distinction lends to what I believe to be the missing ingredient for many California Pinot Noirs: a fresh rush of acidity that jumpstarts your palate.

John and Kimberly Cabot are in love with family, friends, and farming the landscape of Northern California. After graduating college on the wind worn coasts of Humboldt, they moved farther inland to start a life of farming organic produce—call it subsistence agriculture. The grew fruits and vegetables here for a decade, selling their unadulterated crops to various markets and retailers. During this time, they began not just drinking but respecting red wine, so in 1998 they combined their passions and began planting vines up in Orleans, a next-to-nothing town within Humboldt County (about a five hour drive north of Anderson Valley!). 

They have three small estate vineyards up here, which are the most northern—and coolest—grape-growing sites in all of California. After establishing themselves, the Cabots began seeking similar terroirs and landed in Anderson Valley, thus today’s wine was born. It was entirely sourced from the Dry Ranch Vineyard—just north of Boonville and ten miles from the Pacific Coast. After hand harvesting at the end of September 2013, the grapes were rushed to Cabot’s winery where they underwent a long fermentation via indigenous yeasts before being aged in neutral (3-5 years old) French oak for 22 months. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

In the glass, Cabot’s 2013 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir reveals a deep ruby leading out to light ruby reflections along the rim—the five years of age isn’t noticeable. This is a rather concentrated wine and it flirts with near-opacity, which hints at a serious palate. It doesn’t disappoint. Black cherry liqueur, black raspberry, oven-dried strawberry, anise, redcurrant, red and purple flowers, damp clay, and a slight hint of baking spice are present on both the nose and palate. You can expect a rich mouthfeel, and a wine that is lush, layered, and brimming with energy. Ripe fruits populate the finish and you’ll also notice lingering notes of delicate spice. There is a great deal of wine here so I recommend decanting for at least 30 minutes before pouring into large Burgundy stems around 60 degrees. With the richness of the wine and the beautiful interplay of fruit and spice, drink this next to a baked ham with a spiced cherry glaze for the ultimate pairing. Cheers!
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Country
United States
Region
Other
Sub-Region
United StatesAnderson Valley
Soil
Clay Loam
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
14.4
OAK
15% New French
TEMP.
60
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2023
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Baked Ham w/ Spiced Cherry Glaze

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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