Failla Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2023
Founded in 1998 by Ehren Jordan and Anne-Marie Failla, Failla Wines has earned recognition as a benchmark producer of cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from California's most distinctive coastal vineyards. Jordan's winemaking philosophy was shaped by two formative years working with renowned oenologist Jean-Luc Colombo in the northern Rhône Valley during the early 1990s, followed by nearly two decades as winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars. Named 2008 Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, Jordan established Failla's eleven-acre Estate Vineyard in Cazadero, perched at elevations between 1,000 and 1,400 feet and just 2.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The winery's approach emphasizes low-intervention winemaking with egg-shaped concrete fermenters and neutral oak to allow fruit and terroir to take center stage, producing wines that capture the essence of California's coolest growing regions.
- WINEMAKER: Ehren Jordan
- FARMING: Practicing Organic (Estate Vineyard is organically dry-farmed)
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Noir
- TERROIR: The 2023 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from multiple vineyard sites across the appellation, with approximately 60% estate-grown fruit from the Olivet Ranch vineyard in the Russian River Valley and 40% from other single-vineyard sources including Lola, Bohan, Placida, and Floodgate. Primary sourcing comes from the renowned Keefer Ranch in Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, planted on well-drained Goldridge loam soils. The Sonoma Coast AVA stretches from San Pablo Bay to the Mendocino County border, characterized by cool Pacific Ocean influence, persistent fog intrusion, and substantial rainfall. Vineyards are typically planted at higher elevations above the fog line, where large diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights allow grapes to develop balanced acidity and complex flavor profiles. The region's diverse soils range from sandy clay loam derived from ancient seabeds to gravelly soils weathered from sandstone and shale, contributing to the wines' distinctive minerality and elegance.
- VINIFICATION: Fermented with native yeasts using 30-40% whole cluster inclusion (the long, steady 2023 growing season allowed for increased whole cluster use). Full malolactic fermentation completed.
- AGING: Aged for 8 months in French oak barrels, 15% new, with the majority aged in neutral oak to preserve aromatic lift and finesse. Unfined and unfiltered.
- TASTING NOTES: Vibrant red cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate aromas layered with rose petal, sandalwood, black licorice, and cloves. The palate shows fresh, juicy tart red fruit with cinnamon, cracked black pepper, damson plum, and blood orange notes that sparkle with savory and rose hip details. Fleshy and bold yet maintaining light-bodied elegance, the wine displays soft tannins, bright acidity, and coastal salinity. Gentle savory grip from whole cluster fermentation adds structural complexity. The finish reveals light-handed echoes of sandalwood and sous-bois with lingering earthiness.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Grilled lamb chops, roasted chicken, duck breast with cherry reduction, wild mushroom risotto, pork tenderloin, tomato-based pasta dishes.
- SCORES: VINOUS 92 points, JAMES SUCKLING 90 points, WINE SPECTATOR 91 points
Failla Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2023
Founded in 1998 by Ehren Jordan and Anne-Marie Failla, Failla Wines has earned recognition as a benchmark producer of cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from California's most distinctive coastal vineyards. Jordan's winemaking philosophy was shaped by two formative years working with renowned oenologist Jean-Luc Colombo in the northern Rhône Valley during the early 1990s, followed by nearly two decades as winemaker for Turley Wine Cellars. Named 2008 Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle, Jordan established Failla's eleven-acre Estate Vineyard in Cazadero, perched at elevations between 1,000 and 1,400 feet and just 2.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean. The winery's approach emphasizes low-intervention winemaking with egg-shaped concrete fermenters and neutral oak to allow fruit and terroir to take center stage, producing wines that capture the essence of California's coolest growing regions.
- WINEMAKER: Ehren Jordan
- FARMING: Practicing Organic (Estate Vineyard is organically dry-farmed)
- VARIETY: 100% Pinot Noir
- TERROIR: The 2023 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is sourced from multiple vineyard sites across the appellation, with approximately 60% estate-grown fruit from the Olivet Ranch vineyard in the Russian River Valley and 40% from other single-vineyard sources including Lola, Bohan, Placida, and Floodgate. Primary sourcing comes from the renowned Keefer Ranch in Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, planted on well-drained Goldridge loam soils. The Sonoma Coast AVA stretches from San Pablo Bay to the Mendocino County border, characterized by cool Pacific Ocean influence, persistent fog intrusion, and substantial rainfall. Vineyards are typically planted at higher elevations above the fog line, where large diurnal temperature swings between warm days and cool nights allow grapes to develop balanced acidity and complex flavor profiles. The region's diverse soils range from sandy clay loam derived from ancient seabeds to gravelly soils weathered from sandstone and shale, contributing to the wines' distinctive minerality and elegance.
- VINIFICATION: Fermented with native yeasts using 30-40% whole cluster inclusion (the long, steady 2023 growing season allowed for increased whole cluster use). Full malolactic fermentation completed.
- AGING: Aged for 8 months in French oak barrels, 15% new, with the majority aged in neutral oak to preserve aromatic lift and finesse. Unfined and unfiltered.
- TASTING NOTES: Vibrant red cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate aromas layered with rose petal, sandalwood, black licorice, and cloves. The palate shows fresh, juicy tart red fruit with cinnamon, cracked black pepper, damson plum, and blood orange notes that sparkle with savory and rose hip details. Fleshy and bold yet maintaining light-bodied elegance, the wine displays soft tannins, bright acidity, and coastal salinity. Gentle savory grip from whole cluster fermentation adds structural complexity. The finish reveals light-handed echoes of sandalwood and sous-bois with lingering earthiness.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Grilled lamb chops, roasted chicken, duck breast with cherry reduction, wild mushroom risotto, pork tenderloin, tomato-based pasta dishes.
- SCORES: VINOUS 92 points, JAMES SUCKLING 90 points, WINE SPECTATOR 91 points