Before you know it, Anderson Valley will be vying for pole position amongst California’s bluest of blue-chip Pinot Noirs. Then again, perhaps that day has already arrived. Just take a glance at the top producers already charging over $75: Rhys, Kosta Browne, Littorai, Williams Selyem, Radio-Coteau…I could rattle off more, but my point here is that Anderson Valley is making serious noise! And once you throw in micro-bottlers like Lussier, it becomes one of the most exciting, exponentially rising “growth stocks” to follow.

Newcomer Lussier crafts just a few hundred cases per year, and because we were among the very first to retail their wines, they’ve awarded us a tiny allocation of their 2020 “Golden Fleece.” This cherished single-vineyard bottling, sourced from old organic vines nearly 1,000 feet above the Pacific, is a Pinot Noir of remarkable clarity, perfume, and elegance. It’s a brilliant low-entry investment for anyone intending to savor the most exquisite Pinot Noirs of the world, and if quantities weren’t so limited our entire team would be snatching it up by the case. Unsurprisingly, however, just three barrels were produced so all purchases must be capped at six bottles.

From combat tours in the sweltering Middle East to touring cool-climate vineyards in Anderson Valley, it’s safe to say GW Lussier began a drastic career change in 2015. Having left the military and returned to California, his first foray into wine was an internship with Palhmeyer, which then led to a gig with famed Williams Selyem. What do you do after working with some of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs? Try your own hand, of course! So, Lussier looked north to Mendocino, specifically high-elevation sites in Anderson Valley, and released his first eponymous label in the 2019 vintage. This is now the third cuvée we’ve offered and we cannot get enough! 

If you remember our previous offering of Lussier’s “Côte de Boont,” it hailed from two organically farmed vineyards known as Roma and Golden Fleece. Today’s micro-bottling comes entirely from the latter which has a foundation of well-drained, sandstone-derived soils. This cool, steep, higher-elevation site has been lovingly farmed by Justin Miller—he’s spent all 40+ years of his life here—since taking over from his father, a pivotal founding figure in the creation of the Anderson Valley AVA. Today, Justin, his wife, and their small team farm and harvest Golden Fleece’s old vines by hand. 

The small amount of grapes Lussier purchased from Justin Miller in 2020 were treated like precious golden nuggets once arriving at the cellar. The fruit fermented spontaneously, 15% whole cluster, and the resulting wine matured quietly for 16 months in three barrels, one of which was new. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Even at this youthful stage, Lussier’s 2020 “Golden Fleece” is wildly delicious and approachable. In a Burgundy stem, this Pinot Noir reveals a dazzling translucent ruby with flashes of magenta and effuses gorgeous, high-toned aromatics. That judicious portion of new oak is fully integrated, too, enhancing the wild red-berry fruits with charming spice, kola nut, and clove. The pure fruits on the medium-bodied palate are presented in the form of wet strawberry, wild raspberry, candied cherry, and spiced plum, but lingering right behind is red tea, rhubarb, rose stem, and a smoky, woodsy savor. This is such a charming Pinot Noir, full of buoyancy and seamless textures that glide right into a soft yet complex finish. Enjoy your bottles now and over the next 3-5 years. Cheers!