Standish

Day Ranch has been a mainstay Pinot Noir vineyard in Anderson Valley for years. In a welcome development, owners Miles and Valerie Oswald have engaged Josh Chandler, owner and winemaker at nearby Lazy Creek Winery, to vinify a few blocks of Day Ranch Pinot Noir. It’s now coming to market under the Standish Wine Company label. I included this wine twice in the same blind tasting, to make sure it had a good chance to show its stuff. And so it did.

One of the wine’s advantages is that it’s genetically a blend of the traditional (Martini clone) and the modern (Dijon 115 clone). The Martini’s heritage-rich personality comes out most in the aromas, which emphasize inviting raspberries and cherries anchored with moist earth and accented with savory herbs. After that, it’s mostly the brawny new French clone at work, delivering dark color, high ripeness, and intense concentration that effectively carry very high alcohol (nearly 16%). This is clearly a California cool-climate Pinot Noir, but I bet most winemakers in Burgundy would be happy to make a wine like this because the aromas, flavors and aftertaste are so genuine and consistent from sniff to finish. Only 350 cases, so don’t wait.

Reviewed May 17, 2007 by Thom Elkjer.