The Prince of Pinot, and other stuff

I finally got the opportunity to meet Rusty Gaffney, MD, aka “The Prince of Pinot” and creator of the Pinot Noir newsletter “Pinotphile” when I participated in the World of Pinot Noir event last week.  I have enjoyed reading his newsletter for quite some time.  It is well-written and entertaining and I find it particularly informative about what other winemakers are doing (I don’t get out much these days, so really don’t have much opportunity to find out for myself).  If you haven’t discovered this newsletter yet and love Pinot as much as I do, I would highly recommend it.  And, it just so happens that he wrote up a generous review of the wine we poured at the event—our 2005 Chula Vina Pinot Noir—click here to read what he says.

Now—Cima Collina available in many locations in Bay Area

Doug and I did a sales trip up to San Francisco yesterday and met with a few folks up there. We are now available at a number of online and brick-and-mortar sites in the area:

The Wine House, at 129 Carolina Street in SF, and also an online store.

The Jug Shop, Chuck Hayward has chosen to carry both our 2005 Chula Vina and Tondre Grapefield Pinot Noirs. 

Arlequin Wine Merchant, at 384 Hayes Street in Hayes Valley.  Ask Chris about our wine!

K&L Wine Merchants, in, I believe, all of their locations throughout California.

An Aside…..

We went to lunch at A16 in SF yesterday (wonderful lunch, by the way), and enjoyed the fact that they have, first of all, a tremendous by-the-glass list, and second of all, the current California by-the-glass wines are all made by female winemakers.  We happened to choose what turned out to be two astonishing white wines:  Viognier from Cold Heaven and a Malvasia from Palmina — both wineries I had never heard of before yesterday.  Both were the most well-crafted examples I’ve ever tasted from California….It is these kinds of inspriational and surprising experiences with wine that keep us all going and one of the main reasons I love this industry. Ooh La La!

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2 Responses to “The Prince of Pinot, and other stuff”

  1. Michael Donohue Says:

    I had the good fortune to dine at A16 with Doug & Annette on March 8 and to taste (just one sip!) of that exquisite Viognier. Bravissima My Tocai Friulano, on the other hand, just about defined innocuous or nondescript on nose, palate and finish…Annette’s 05 Chula Pinot was quite tight but invited immediate olfactory attention and offered beautiful red fruits and hints of Oriental spices. A very healthy crimson color, not one of those extracted, almost black Pinots. More old world than new, I said ( premier crus from Volnay, Pommard & Nuit St. Georges might do as well) and that I would be very happy, ecstatic in fact , to make such a wine. I recently had two Pinots in the >$50 category, one from Santa Lucia Highlands (light, bordering on insipid & I’m into elegance) and one from Sonoma Coast (very good, but very dark & extracted, not what I expect of Pinot). ‘The 05 Chula Vina absolutely rocks in terms of flavor & quality – that it is better priced is only a side benefit – I plan to see it again in the upcoming months and think it has a good 5-8 years ahead of it. A16, was good too!

  2. annette Says:

    Why thank you Michael! Such nice words. It was great lunching with you, and more ahead, I’m sure. Best, A.

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