It’s these heritage clones: 2A/ Wädenswil, Calera, Pommard, Martini, Mount Eden, and Swan that fascinate true Pinot lovers, as they’ve wealthy tales to inform.
By Laura Ness
Pinot Noir within the mainstream market is made primarily from Dijon Clones 114, 115, 667 and 777, with the occasional 113, 943 and 828 thrown in for good measure. They’re broadly planted as a result of they ripen pretty constantly, even in coastal climes, set fairly effectively, are disease-resistant and ship gobs of fruit.
Originating from France, the “Dijons” have been developed to switch diseased vines there, however instantly discovered takers in Oregon. They actually got here into vogue after the arrival of “Pinot mania,” because of a man named Miles (in a film known as Sideways). These clones du jour quickly outpaced and, in lots of circumstances, displaced the outdated “heritage” clones of the previous.
Thankfully, some winemakers love range, even when it goes hand-in-hand with adversity — and actually, when does it not?
First discovery, first steps
It’s these heritage clones: 2A/ Wädenswil, Calera, Pommard, Martini, Mount Eden, and Swan that fascinate true Pinot lovers, as they’ve wealthy tales to inform. Just like the Dijon clones, they’ve all been heat-treated for illness removing and authorized by Basis Plant Providers at UC Davis.
There are additionally picks that haven’t been thus licensed, together with David Bruce, Chalone, Coury, Pisoni, Rochioli and Wente. Not like the numbered clones, these are named for individuals and locations, including to their lore.
Scattered from the furnace-like Chalone AVA in California’s Gabilan Mountains to the unlikely banks of the Eel River within the state’s Humboldt County, we tracked down a few of the winemakers who covet these “oddballs.” These artists make the form of Pinot Noir that makes you set your glass down in amazement earlier than you’ve even tasted it.
When the aromas defy description and have you ever looking for a thesaurus, you’ve hit the jackpot.
That is exactly what occurred once I sniffed the 2018 Moreover Starbridge Winery Pinot Noir, constituted of the Summa clone. This wine began me on a journey to be taught extra about these oddball clones.
Summa vibes
In line with Rusty Gaffney of PinotFile, Burt Williams of Williams-Selyem, who made Pinot Noir from the Summa Winery from 1988 till 1997 (together with the primary California Pinot Noir to promote for $100 per bottle in 1991), believes the Summa clone is derived from the Swan clone. Williams feels this clone, grown at that Western Sonoma County web site (from which Starbridge was later derived), made a few of the highest Williams-Selyem Pinot Noirs.
Thomas Rivers Brown of Rivers Marie Vineyards in Calistoga, Calif., who’s owned Summa Winery since 2010, admits he’s run out of issues to say concerning the wines from this clone. With its nose-tingling aromas of windswept coastal hillside, unique spices, otherworldly fragrance and racy pink fruits, the 2018 Moreover wine scored 98 factors on the 2022 Sundown Wine Competitors.
Pisoni, Coury Pommard and Calera
Winemaker Adam Lee prizes the Pisoni choice, which was delivered to america by the erascible Gary Pisoni, allegedly smuggled by customs in his underwear. Lee sources it from each Garys’ Winery and Rosella’s Winery (each in California’s Santa Lucia Highlands AVA) for his Clarice Wine Firm choices. He will get the identical clone from the close by Soberanes Winery for his Beau Marchais Wines. He says, “[Pisoni fruit] produces very darkish, wealthy, concentrated wines — which is a bit stunning, on condition that the cluster itself is pretty large and the berries decently sized.”
He additionally favors the Coury Choice Pommard, which he labored with in Oregon for a few years. (Earlier than the arrival of Dijons, Pommard and Wadenswil have been the unique Pinot clones planted in Oregon.) “Coury Pommard clusters have been smaller and it ripened fairly late, though which may even have been as a result of I labored with own-rooted vines,” says Lee.
Invoice Brosseau of Testarossa Vineyard in Los Gatos, Calif., additionally makes ample use of the Pisoni clone planted at all of the vineyards within the Gary Franscioni and Pisoni portfolio. He additionally will get Calera fruit from Physician’s Winery to make the preferred of all of the Pinot Noirs Testarossa produces. “Calera at Physician’s is a really low-yielding clone, as a result of a excessive diploma of shatter,” he says. However the ensuing wine presents “very concentrated aromas in addition to palate depth, with notes of sage and darkish fruit profiles.”
The Calera clone got here from Josh Jensen’s Winery in San Benito County (Calif.). Rumor has it Jensen suitcased it in from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vineyards in Burgundy. From the Sanford & Benedict winery, Brousseau sources the Archery Summit 1 clone, which he says may really be 828 Dijon due to its very upright development sample. “Medium to semi- large berry dimension, with very juicy flavors and silky tannins, and darkish fruits equivalent to boysenberry and blackberry,” he describes.
122 Vosne-Romanée, 123 and Jardini
At Fogstone Winery, one other monopole for Testarossa, Brosseau planted the 122 Vosne-Romanée clone, 123 and Jardini. “122 Vosne-Romanée is a brand new clonal choice,” he says. “Regular development behavior and common fruit set, maybe barely smaller cluster dimension than most clones. It presents pink fruit profile and earth tones, with reasonable depth within the palate.”
He provides 123 is similar to UC Davis clone 23 (actually, it’s a cleaned up model of 23, which originated in Switzerland and have become often known as the Mariafeld clone). This fruit presents “very lengthy clusters and chewy tannins. It appears harking back to Syrah-cluster morphology: darkish colour and darkish flavors together with floral notes. I discover it very distinctive and completely different from most clones.”
Requested concerning the Jardini choice, Brosseau says, “Supposedly, this can be a suitcase choice from a grower in Monterey County. It has good tannin construction and depth, much like the Pommard clone: pink fruit profile and regular cluster morphology and development behavior.”
Lester Winery in Corralitos can also be rising the 122 Vosne-Romanée clone. Winemaker John Benedetti notes, ”It will get actually lignified at low sugars, which is nice for wines with stem inclusion.” He plans to make a particular mix this yr, with this and 2A. They’ll name it “Francisco,” in honor of his pal, the late Frank Cates, who was GM at Cinnabar Vineyard and helped set up Lester Household wines.
Mount Eden, Merry Edwards and extra
The Mount Eden clone is among the oldest in California, introduced from Burgundy to Saratoga by Paul Masson, who established what’s immediately known as The Mountain Vineyard. Melville Vineyard in Santa Rita Hills depends on heritage clones, together with Mount Eden, for its deep, darkish bass notes and talent to face by itself. (Sidenote: Merry Edwards, who labored at Mount Eden Vineyards for 3 vintages, had some cuttings heat-treated at UC Davis in 1975 that turned Clone 37, the “Merry Edwards” clone.) Melville has that, plus Jackson and Swan, which assist lend Melville Pinot Noirs unimaginable depth, but supple grace.
Jim Schultze of Windy Oaks in Corralitos is aware of he’s making liquid historical past when he crushes Chalone clone Pinot Noir from the Rodnick Winery, which is a part of the unique winery that Dick Graff planted at Chalone. With its excessive daytime warmth, you wouldn’t assume the realm a match for Pinot Noir. However, Schultze says, “It’s very chilly at night time, and the Pinot appears to reply to this. The ensuing wines are extremely fragrant, typically displaying potpourri, conifer and sandalwood on the nostril. Very distinctive on the palate, with pink berries, herbs and tangerine peel, with spherical mouthfeel and vigorous again palate and end.” Now that doesn’t sound prefer it comes from a desert, does it?
On the alternative facet of the Salinas Valley from Chalone, you’ll discover Escolle Winery, residence to Caraccioli Wines in Santa Lucia Highlands, producing a few of the New World’s most constantly putting sparklings. Though he has an infinite checklist of Pinot clones to select from (courtesy of late consulting winemaker, Michel Salgues, who was skilled in Champagne), Scott Caraccioli prefers to make use of Pinot Noir clone 236, initially imported by Roederer from Chouilly, France, for his totally completely pink and poised rosé: “It holds acid and pH like there’s no tomorrow.”
The last word Martini
Probably the most intriguing of all of the oldies is the Martini clone, aka Clone 13, sourced from the Inglenook Winery in Rutherford, Calif., and planted by Louis M. Martini on the Stanly Ranch in Napa Carneros. It’s identified for its vivid pink fruits, together with strawberry and raspberry.
When winemaker Adrian Manspeaker of Joseph Jewell Wines (Healdsburg, Calif.), despatched out impartial barrel samples for a Zoom tasting earlier this yr, you might simply spy the Martini bottles, with their nearly magenta transparency. The Dijons have been darkish and brooding.
Manspeaker, who seems to be a devotee of this clone, sources Martini fruit from a number of winery websites together with Starscape (previously Floodgate, one of many oldest vineyards within the Russian River Valley, and, in Humboldt County, from Alderpoint, Elk Prairie and Phelps.
Elk Prairie is own-rooted and, of the three, essentially the most racy and distinctive. Whereas all confirmed brilliant apple and pink cherry, wine from Elk Prairie was a marvel of spiced crabapple, Alpine strawberry, rhubarb and a mouthwatering core of tangerine, with a end of cinnamon. It’s the place Manspeaker first found and fell in love with this clone in 2008. “We are inclined to see longer hangtime with this explicit clone,” he says.
“The ensuing wines I’ve constituted of Martini clones are at all times brilliant with contemporary pink cherries, orange rind and minerality. I like minerality in Pinot Noir and that’s why I gravitate to this clone.”
Manspeaker additionally calls out the Asian spice, depth and magnificence of the Phelps, and the focus and magnificence from the 50-year-old Starscape vines. Though a lot of that winery has been replanted to Dijons (usual story), that low-yielding block of Martini stays. However in the end, it’s Elk Prairie that defines the contemporary red-fruited vibrancy he associates with the Martini clone. “I think about the Martini clone in Elk Prairie as my base for what the Martini clone ought to style like. This wine tends to trip that line of magnificence and the beast.”
As with all nice wines, I encourage you to take a journey of discovery and pattern these oddballs. I believe you’ll be pleasantly stunned. Cheers!
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Laura Ness
Laura Ness is an avid wine journalist, storyteller and wine columnist (Edible:Monterey, Los Gatos Journal San Jose Mercury Information, The Livermore Unbiased), and a very long time contributor to Wine Business Community. Generally known as “HerVineNess,” she judges wine competitions all through California and has a corkscrew in each purse. Nevertheless, she needs that each one wineries would undertake screwcaps!
