[We’ll be running our contributors’ picks for the best wine performances for 2009 on a dialy basis through the end of the year, so stay tuned. Michael Franz]
My selection for “Wine Producer of the Year” is Littorai Wines, located in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley. Its new winery is situated between Sebastopol and Freestone in western Sonoma, near the coast.
The winemaker-owner, Ted Lemon, had impressive credentials before
he opened Littorai in 1993. Lemon was the first American to become a winemaker in Burgundy! In fact I find his Pinot Noirs to be the closest in style to red Burgundy, although Ted doesn’t like the comparison. “I make California Pinot Noirs in the style I like to drink them,” asserts Lemon.
I have tasted just about every major Pinot Noir in California during the past two years, while doing research for California Wine for Dummies. After first tasting a Littorai Pinot Noir in a New York restaurant, I made it my business to visit Littorai in the spring of this year. I was truly enchanted by Littorai’s 2007 Pinot Noirs: they are pure, vibrant, and lively, the kind of Pinot Noirs a Burgundian would make in California. They are NOT overripe, jammy, too high in alcohol, overly oaked, or heavy–the characteristics too many California Pinots share.
Littorai’s Pinot Noirs really sing, but most need two or three years to develop. Its 2005 Pinot Noirs were excellent, 2006s almost as good, and the 2007s might be Littorai’s best yet. Littorai is currently selling nine Pinot Noirs, most of which are single-vineyard 2007s. Littorai also has four superb Chardonnays available, but the Pinot Noirs are the stars. My personal favorites are the 2007 Littorai Hirsch Vineyard and 2007 Littorai Summa Vineyard, both located on the true Sonoma Coast.
You will not find Littorai in your local wine shop. You can buy the wines directly from the winery, online. If you prefer to try them first, check out the list of restaurants across the country that carry Littorai; the winery’s website provides that information for you.
Wine of the Year, 2009
My wine of the year is Champagne Henriot Blanc Souverain NV (average retail price, about $55). I put Henriot’s Blanc Souverain –soon to be re-named Blanc de Blancs –in a tie with Henriot’s magnificent 1996 Brut, which retails in the very reasonable $60 to $70 range.
For me, this is the year for Champagne Henriot. It has never been better. I love the style of this house; its Champagnes are very dry, vibrant, elegant, and complex. They are perfect apéritif Champagnes, especially the Blanc Souverain, which is the best Blanc de Blancs for the money available today, in my opinion. The Henriot 1996 Brut, on the other hand, reflects the power of this vintage. It has the amazing combination of the 1996 vintage: perfect ripeness combined with lively acidity. I would hold on to the 1996 Henriot for another five to seven years before drinking it; it really needs time to mature.
By the way, I had a preview tasting of Henriot’s soon-to-be released 1996 prestige cuvée, its Cuvée des Enhanteleurs. Oh, my goodness, what an explosive Champagne! It just bowled me over. If it were available this year, it would have been my wine of the year. It will be released in Spring, 2010. Look for it!
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