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“Two Kings” Pinot Noir by Wonderland Project

California, United States 2016 (750mL)
$29.00
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“Two Kings” Pinot Noir by Wonderland Project

SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch embraces the spirit of Matt Ahern’s Wonderland Project, which is informed by his experiences as a sommelier and distributor sales rep. In the world of restaurants, price-to-quality rules, and it’s the guiding principle behind Ahern’s Wonderland wines.
I’ve often said that the by-the-glass list is a window into a restaurant’s soul. I realize that this is not exactly ‘engrave-on-your-tombstone’ material, but I do believe it—and I’m still shocked at how many restaurants get every aspect of the by-the-glass program all wrong, from pricing to temperature to the glassware itself. Last year, we offered ex-sommelier Matt Ahern’s “White Queen” Chardonnay, which he created with restaurant by-the-glass lists in mind. He (like me, apparently) saw a dearth of genuinely good wine in this category and sought to change that. When I was buying wine for restaurants, the most exciting discoveries were undoubtedly the wines that worked as “glass pours”—not just financially, but qualitatively. I wanted every single glass of wine poured in my restaurant to have as much thought behind it as every morsel of food. And what I appreciate about Ahern’s Wonderland Project is that it doesn’t treat inexpensive California Pinot Noir as some sort of bulk-wine ‘branding’ experiment but as something to be taken seriously. This 2016 “Two Kings” Pinot Noir is best described as a wine from someone who’s tasted a lot of wine and who still believes—despite all the evidence to the contrary—that inexpensive California Pinot Noir can have real character. If you’re looking to elevate the by-the-glass program in your home, this is a fantastic place to start!
Ahern’s vineyard sources for this over-achieving Pinot Noir are both on the “Sonoma side” of Carneros: The “Kiser-Sangiacomo” vineyard straddles the Carneros and Sonoma Coast AVAs, spanning 170 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Merlot planted in the characteristic silty loams of the region. Kiser-Sangiacomo fruit comprises 60% of the “Two Kings” blend, with the remainder hailing from another Sonoma-Carneros vineyard called “Sandman,” which is farmed by the Scribe winery. The wine was fermented on native yeasts in stainless steel, with about 15% of the must comprised of ‘whole clusters’ (i.e. grape bunches with their stems still attached), then aged seven months in French oak barrels, of which 20% were new.

As with his “White Queen” Chardonnay, Ahern delivers a Pinot Noir of balance and energy in the form of this 2016 “Two Kings.” In the glass, it’s a nearly opaque dark ruby with pink and garnet hues on the rim. The aromatics are a fruit-driven mix of black cherry, strawberry-rhubarb pie, damp violets, a hint of underbrush, and a hint of oak spice. On the palate it’s medium-plus in body, elegant and pure and full of energy—no sweetness or “cola” notes here, just bright, pure Pinot Noir goodness. It is ready to drink now: Serve it at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems alongside a nice crispy pork shoulder as in the attached recipe. This is a terrific “house wine” for those of you who have such things. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesSonoma-Carneros
Soil
Silty Clay-Loam
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
20% New French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now
Decanting
Optional
Pairing
Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder

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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