When it comes to Easkoot, there’s always a looming “if” involved: These tremendous Pinot Noirs of single-vineyard, cool-climate origin have kindled major excitement over the last decade—if you can find a bottle, that is. To make matters more complicated, “Can you get more Easkoot?” has become a recurring question in our inbox over the past two years. The problem is, there’s hardly any produced no matter the cuvée, so this high-demand, low-quantity producer has created quite the dilemma. That, of course, didn’t keep us from calling/emailing for more, and while most of our entreaties went unfulfilled, we did eventually land an elusive whale: today’s smoking 2016 “Chileno Valley Vineyard.” 

The previous release clocked in at 250 cases—this one? A paltry 166. They’re going the wrong way! It’s not every day you can find a single-origin Pinot Noir of this extraordinarily high caliber and minuscule production, but today is that day; really, any day Easkoot is available for purchase. We urge you to hoard all you can because each deeply satisfying bottle oozes class and complexity. This doesn’t just compete with the sky-high standards of Burgundy—it’s cool-climate Pinot at its highest, most profound level!

Captain Alfred Derby Easkoot. What a name, what a pioneer. It was this man who was christened as Marin County’s first land surveyor in the 1800s, and today’s eponymous label is a deferential nod. Easkoot Cellars’ inaugural vintage came in 2009 and over the past decade, the sole focus has been on seeking out prime vineyards along the coast and crafting small-batch, parcel-designated wines. “Chileno Valley Vineyard” is a premium 34-acre site planted in 1991 and currently farmed by dyed-in-the-wool farmer Mark Pasternak. Nestled deep in the hills of Marin County and wedged between the Pacific Ocean and San Pablo Bay, this is a cool, late-ripening site that produces structured and beautifully balanced Pinot Noirs. You won’t find overly ripe, high alcohol wines here—and that’s especially true for a minimalist producer like Easkoot. After a meticulous harvest, the grapes ferment, 20% whole cluster, on indigenous yeasts before a lengthy barrel (10% new oak) and bottle aging regimen.