2010 Failla Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch

The 2010 Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch stands apart from the rest of the Failla Pinots, as it is the only wine made from Russian River fruit. Juicy dark berries, sweet spices and flowers all fuse together in a round, supple Pinot with plenty of near-term appeal. As good as the Keefer Ranch is, it can’t match the sheer pedigree of Ehren Jordan’s wines from the Sonoma Coast. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Ehren Jordan is one of those people who are maddeningly talented at many things. Jordan recently left his post at Turley, where he spent nearly 20 years making a dizzying array of superb Zinfandels. At Failla, which Jordan owns with his wife Anne-Marie, the focus is on cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinots, rendered in a range that approximates Turley when it comes to the number of different bottlings. Did I mention Jordan is versed in the classics and is also a licensed pilot? Jordan wants to spend more time at Failla, and I believe it, given the breadth of this range. Frankly, I can’t imagine how Ehren took care of similarly large portfolios at both Turley and Failla while maintaining a sense of sanity. It will be interesting to see how things develop at Failla. The wines are already stellar, as I hope these notes amply demonstrate. Simply put, Failla is a reference point winery for the Sonoma Coast. This is as good as it gets. Tel. (707) 963-0530

Good deep red-ruby. Plum, red cherry and earth on the nuanced nose. Silky and savory, with a sappy cranberry quality lifting the raspberry, blackberry and game flavors. Lovely fruit intensity and muscle here. The persistent finish features smooth tannins. Just a bit of whole-cluster vinification for this cuvee.