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Suelo Farmers, “Deer Meadows Vineyard” Pinot Noir

California, United States 2014 (750mL)
$28.00
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Suelo Farmers, “Deer Meadows Vineyard” Pinot Noir

Well-sourced, naturally made California Pinot Noir for less than $30 is not something you see very often. I’m not talking about the commodity brands you see in the supermarket (even there it’s still difficult to dip under $30). I’m speaking of a sustainably farmed, handmade, vineyard-designate Pinot Noir produced in small quantities.
When the price of today’s 2014 Pinot Noir from Suelo Farmers was revealed to us, we immediately set about finding a place for it on the offer schedule. When it comes to balance, perfume, and true “cool climate” character in California, the northerly Anderson Valley, in Mendocino County, is perhaps the surest bet. Both Pinot Noir and Syrah find some of their most ethereal, “old world” expressions up here, which is precisely what attracted us to Suelo’s “Deer Meadows Vineyard” bottling. The Deer Meadows site (also a source of fruit for Waits-Mast Cellars, among others) was a great find for Suelo partners Eric Prahl and Matt Osgood, and they’ve made the most of it. This is finely detailed, floral Pinot Noir that brings top-tier Chambolle-Musigny to mind; its velvety texture, rose-scented perfume, and refreshing acidity lift this wine well past its humble price point. I would not hesitate to put it up against other wines from the region costing twice as much—if you like “pretty” Pinot Noir (and who doesn’t?), this bottle is for you.
Prahl and Osgood met in 2008 while working harvest at Rhys Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains (not a bad place to learn about Pinot Noir). Prahl stayed on at Rhys as the assistant winemaker, while Osgood moved north to the Sonoma Coast to head up viticulture and grower relations for Flowers (another iconic Pinot Noir property). The pair reunited to create Suelo (Spanish for “soil”) and have focused their attention on remote, cool-climate vineyard sites in Mendocino and Sonoma.

Situated at 1,600 feet elevation, the Deer Meadows Vineyard spans about 10 acres in the hills above Boonville, at the eastern end of the Anderson Valley. The aspect is northwest, lending some extra length to the growing season, and the site is farmed organically by owner Rich Savoy. Eric and Matt hand-harvested the grapes and utilized about 40% whole grape clusters, a practice which lends some spice and grip to the wine’s texture while also helping moderate alcohols (this bottling is a relatively gentle 13.5%). The wine was aged 11 months in neutral oak barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered.

This 2014 is bright, fragrant, balanced Pinot Noir—no syrupy extract here, but rather a well-modulated mix of sweet and savory elements. In the glass it’s a light garnet red moving to pink at the rim, with an expressive nose of bing cherry, cranberry, raspberry, rose petals, and some bass notes of turned earth, wild herbs, and underbrush. Medium-bodied and brisk, with a long and aromatic finish, this is what some would call a “feminine” style of Pinot Noir, but there’s enough structure here for a few years of aging as well. Some California Pinots in this weight class kind of drop off on the finish, leaving you with a sweet candied cherry taste in your mouth. Not this one: It has great follow through and a dry, mineral component to the finish. No need for major decanting here, simply pull the cork about 20 minutes before serving in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees (or cooler; in fact, this would make a refreshing and delicious option for beach drinking later this year). The attached pork tenderloin recipes should showcase it nicely in any case. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
California
Sub-Region
United StatesAnderson Valley
Soil
Shale & Sandstone
Farming
Organic
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
Used French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2020
Decanting
Optional
Pairing
Pork Tenderloin w/ Apples

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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