As far as California wines go, Pinot Noir is most notably at home in the Sonoma Coast where, even with its varying microclimates, produces Pinots that garner descriptors such as “plush,” “cherry-driven,” “light and bright.” But, alas, we are not in Sonoma any longer, my Totos. We’ve traversed the terrains of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Kenwood Vineyards Six Ridges line is named after the mountain ridges that border the Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley and Sonoma Coast. I had the opportunity to taste and talk with Kenwood Vineyards winemaker Pat Henderson about the Six Ridges Pinot Noir. Here are our collective tasting notes.
This is my ode to The Simple Life. Not just the wine, but the message it presents: wine does not have to be complex or expensive to be enjoyable. Sometimes it’s about popping the cork at the end of a long hard day and sharing a glass with the one you love over a mid-week meal while binge-watching Netflix.
I was so overtly impressed with Landmark Vineyards Overlook Chardonnay, I was thrilled to find their Pinot Noir amongst the wines at Safeway. I’ve always had a fondness for Pinot Noir — it’s lackadaisical, easy drinking on the palate despite the high-maintenance, somewhat fiddle-y nature of the delicate grape. Like a ballet dancer that makes dance moves look so effortless when, in fact, every muscle in her body is working overtime. So I already have an appreciation for winemakers who work with Pinot. But what I particularly love about Landmark is that, even with their, shall we say, average-consumer-grade wines, they put in the time and effort to hand harvest, hand sort, and barrel age until native yeast takes effect during fermentation. And it’s that time and effort that raise their wines’ taste, texture, and overall quality, making a wine that’s not just fun and easy to drink, but a true testament to the craft of winemaking and to the joy of wine appreciation.
