2023 Drew Anderson Valley Pinot Noir - Clow Ridge Vineyard

ason and Molly Drew started Drew Estate Winery in 2000, planting vines as well as working with other vineyards in the cool-climate Mendocino Ridge and Anderson Valley appellations. We have carried many of Drew’s pinot noirs over the years, but the Clow Ridge Vineyard bottling is new for all of us, as it’s normally sold only to restaurants. Paul Marcus visited the winery last month, tasted the wine, loved it, and managed to secure a case for the store. You, our esteemed Emperor Club members, are the fortunate recipients of half of our allocation.

Clow Ridge Vineyard is in the northwestern end of Anderson Valley - the so-called “Deep End” - where fog from the Pacific Ocean lingers and the coastal climate lengthens the growing season. The vineyard ranges from 800 to 1000 feet in elevation; farming is organic. Fermentation included 15% whole clusters. The wine aged for 11 months in French oak barrels - 20% new and 80% neutral. 

The wine combines savory dark fruits, morel mushrooms, and dried red rose petals. There’s freshness and lift from the coastal, cool-climate site, with enough fruit and weight to make a generous yet nuanced whole. The wine is expansive on the palate, with a finish that lingers. Pour it into a Burgundy glass and enjoy it with any of your favorite pinot noir foods, including duck, cassoulet, and mushroom ravioli.