Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with James MacPhailI had the pleasure to taste the Sequana Vineyards Pinot Noirs of James MacPhail on April 29 at Pearson’s in Washington DC.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir in the US has become synonymous with the relative cool climate grape growing regions of Oregon. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century. It's responsible for the great red wines from the Bourgogne, which includes Chambertin, Pommard, and Romanee-Conti, to name a few. In the Champagne region, Pinot Noir is one of the three grape varieties (along with Chardonnay and Meunier) allowed in the sparkling wine. Pinot Noir is also an important red grape in Germany. In northern Italy, Pinot Noir is known as Blauburgunder in some areas and Pinot Nero in others. Some of California's better Pinot Noir wines come from the State's cooler regions such as Carneros, the Russian River Valley and Santa Barbara.
Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow. It is a fickle grape that demands optimum growing conditions with warm days supported by cool evenings. As the German name – Spaetburgunder - implies, it ripens late (spät). Compared with those from California, in general, the Oregon Pinot Noirs are lighter in color, fruitier in the nose and cleaner on the palate.
Sequana Vineyards
Sequana Vineyards is owned by Donald Hess. James MacPhail is the winemaker behind Sequana Vineyards. It is named in honor of Sequana, the Franco-Roman goddess of the River Seine, which flows through the ancestral birthplace of Pinot Noir.
Picture: Goddess Sequana in the Bourgogne.Donald Hess
Donald Hess from Bern, Switzerland, started his astonishing journey of buying and establishing wineries around the globe in 1978, when he was in his early forties already. Over the past decades, he has bought or established several wineries all over the globe, in the US, in Argentina, in South Africa, in Australia and the US. He used to own wineries in Switzerland, which he sold.
He purchased his first Napa Valley vineyard in 1978 and soon after acquired the old Christian Brothers property on Mount Veeder, which is now the home of Hess Collection winery, as well as part of his collection of modern art.
Today, Hess Family Estates own six New World cellars and vineyards:
(1) Hess Collection winery on Mount Veeder, 2,000 feet above the Napa Valley
(2) Artezin Wines in Napa, which specializes in wine from the heritage grapes Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Carignan.
(3) Sequana Wines in Russian River, a venture into Pinot Noir.
(4) Glen Carlou Vineyards in South Africa. Located in South Africa's Paarl region, the Glen Carlou Winery is known for its Chardonnay and Bordeaux varietals.
(5) Bodega Colomé in Argentina, with presumably the highest vineyard in the world at 10,200 feet/3,111 meters above sea level in the northern part of the Calchaqui Valley. Bodega Colomé focuses on Argentina's two traditional varietals, Malbec and Torrontes.
(6) A major share (85 percent) in Peter Lehmann Wines, Australia. Founded in 1980 by the legendary Peter Lehmann and now managed by his son, Doug Lehmann, Peter Lehmann Wines is one of Australia's most respected wineries, located near Tanunda, in the heart of the Barossa Valley.
Donald Hess has many interests. One of them is art. His Napa Valley collection opened in 1989 in the original winery built in 1903. The Museum at the Glen Carlou Winery outside Paarl South Africa opened in 2006, and his latest passion in Bodega Colomé, not only has an art gallery but also has a stunning hotel.
James MacPhail
James MacPhail grew up just north of San Francisco in Marin County. He has earned a reputation for bringing out the best in single vineyard Pinot Noir. Beginning in the mid-1990s, he carefully designed his winemaking education by working with Pinot Noir leaders Merry Edwards and Gary Farrell. Today, James is dedicated exclusively to producing small lots of distinctive Pinot Noir. James enjoys industry-wide respect for his consistent track record in producing prized wines.
Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with James MacPhailIn 2002, James launched his own brand, MacPhail Family Wines, a small boutique winery concentrating on Pinot Noir. Absolute minimal intervention is the foundation of winemaking at MacPhail. James relies on native yeasts for fermentation. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally, without his introducing a culture. James uses traditional methods: pre-fermentation cold maceration, gentle punch downs by hand, barrel aging in French oak, no fining and no filtration. MacPhail winery is equipped with small fermenting vessels — stainless steel and French oak puncheons — that allow James to isolate exceptional fruit and produce small-batch wines.
In 2007, James accepted the leadership role in Sequana Vineyards.
What James Poured
SARMENTO VINEYARD
The Santa Lucia Highlands overlook Monterey County’s Salinas Valley. The southeast facing slopes benefit from morning sun, followed by afternoon sea breezes and moderate nighttime temperatures. Vines develop deep roots in the alluvial soils deposited over ancient marine terraces. This region, with its long growing season, allows Pinot Noir to flourish, producing wines characterized by flavors of wild cherry and earthiness.
Winery Notes: Pinot Noir specialist James MacPhail has complete control over the creation of Sequana’s single-vineyard wines. Grapes were hand-picked and hand-sorted, then cold-soaked prior to fermentation to maximize flavor and color extraction.
In small open-topped tanks, each block was fermented separately, using primarily native yeasts. Other lots were fermented with yeasts unique to each individual lot. Hand punch-downs extracted and elevated the Pinot Noir flavors and the wine was aged sur lie in French oak barrels for 11 months. Displaying the classic qualities of the Santa Lucia Highlands, this silky Pinot Noir has pretty floral and citrus aromas. Warm Asian spices accompany bright, lasting flavors of citrus, rose petal and cherry.”
PEARSON’S SALE PRICE . . . $29.99
DUTTON RANCH VINEYARD
One of the smallest appellations on the Sonoma Coast, Green Valley of Russian River Valley has a cool climate, a result of the fog that comes from the Pacific Ocean each evening. The cooler weather and welldrained Goldridge soils create an idyllic climate for growing Pinot Noir, yielding complex, elegant wines with well-balanced acidity. Pinot Noir achieves greatness here. The sustainably-farmed Dutton Family Ranch is located on gently sloping hillsides in the cool Green Valley of Russian River Valley. Three separate two-acre blocks are planted on well-drained Goldridge soils atop ancient sandstone marine terraces. The eight-year-old vines were planted with specifications on vine density, slope and direction, allowing exposure to both morning and afternoon sun. Four unique clones of Pinot Noir enhance the intrinsic complexity of this single-vineyard wine. The Dutton family has played a pivotal role in shaping the wine quality of the Russian River Valley.
Winery Notes: Pinot Noir specialist James MacPhail has complete control over the creation of Sequana’s single-vineyard wines. Grapes were hand-picked and hand-sorted, then cold-soaked prior to fermentation to maximize flavor and color extraction. In small open-topped tanks, each block was fermented separately, using primarily native yeasts. Other lots were fermented with yeasts unique to each individual lot. Hand punch-downs extracted and elevated the Pinot Noir flavors and the wine was aged sur lie in French oak barrels for 11 months. Inviting aromas of dark rose and lavender complement the wine’s plush, round texture. Full flavors of warm spice, cranberry and cherry last through the long, fruit-filled finish.
PEARSON’S SALE PRICE . . . $39.99
SUNDAWG RIDGE VINEYARD
One of the smallest appellations on the Sonoma coast, Green Valley of the Russian River Valley has a cool climate, a result of the fog that comes from the Pacific Ocean each evening. The cooler weather and well-drained Goldridge soils create an idyllic climate for growing Pinot Noir, yielding complex, elegant wines with well-balanced acidity. Pinot Noir achieves greatness here.
At 280 feet elevation, among rolling hills, old apple orchards and chestnut groves, the Sundawg Ridge Vineyard sits above the fog many mornings. This 6.9-acre, sustainably farmed vineyard was planted by the Kensler Family in 1999 and benefits from exceptional exposure, temperate microclimate and mineral rich Goldridge soils.
Winery Notes: Pinot Noir specialist James MacPhail has complete control over the creation of Sequana’s single vineyard wines. Grapes were hand-picked and hand-sorted, then cold-soaked prior to fermentation to maximize flavor and color extraction.
In small open-topped tanks, each block was fermented separately, using primarily native yeast. Other lots were fermented with yeast strains unique to each individual lot. Hand punch-downs extracted and elevated the Pinot Noir flavors and the wine was aged sur lie in French oak barrels for 11 months. James MacPhail focuses on gentle and traditional winemaking techniques.
Sundawg Ridge produces wines with a wide spectrum of rich aromas and flavors: wild berry, Bing cherry, cranberry, sweet spice and earthiness. This medium-bodied, layered wine has soft tannins, bright acidity and a lingering finish.
PEARSON’S SALE PRICE . . . $49.99
Pearson's
www.pearonswine.com
Sequana Vineyards
www.sequanavineyards.com
Hess Family Estates
www.hess-family.com
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