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Littorai

Readers will find a number of compelling Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in this wide range of wines from Littorai. Proprietor Ted Lemon is one of this country's iconic producers. In particular, his Pinots are super-impressive, transparent and bursting with crystalline energy. Long-time Littorai fans know Lemon spent two years as the winemaker at Domaine Roulot in the early 1980s and also worked at Domaine Dujac, both experiences that have clearly marked his style. The 2012 harvest started on September 7 at Hirsch end ended on October 5, when the Heinz Chardonnay was brought in. The Chardonnays spent about 12 months in oak followed by 4 months in steel, which is where they were when I tasted them. Bottling is scheduled for February 2014. The 2012 Pinots were vinified with some whole clusters, about 20-25% for the Cerise, Savoy and Mays Canyon, while the rest of the Pinots were done with just a dollop (0-5%) of stems. Most of the 2012 Pinots were still in barrel at the time of my January 2014 visit, although a few wines were in barrel. Native fermentations and moderate amounts of new oak (25-30%) are the norm. Most importantly of all, vineyards are farmed with meticulous attention to detail. Unfortunately I was not able to taste the 2012 Savoy, as it been racked just prior to my visit. I did have a chance to revisit the 2011s from bottle. The Chardonnays showed pretty much as I expected, but there was more variability with the Pinots. Some of the 2011 Pinots appear to still be tight post-bottling (The Haven), while others, the One Acre and Pivot appear to be maturing a little faster than I thought they would. On the other hand, the 2011 Hirsch has turned out even better than I had expected. The Littorai range encompasses first-rate vineyards in Anderson Valley, Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast, many of which are California's versions of Grand Crus. Readers who want to discover what the essence of terroir in California is should start here. In many, if not most, of these sites Ted Lemon makes the reference-point wine.

From Sonoma and Beyond: New Releases (Feb 2014) by Antonio Galloni

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2011 Pinot Noir Thieriot Vineyard Estate

Release Price: $75

Color: Red

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Littorai

2011 Pinot Noir Thieriot Vineyard Estate

2011 Chardonnay Thieriot Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir The Haven Vineyard Estate

2011 Pinot Noir The Pivot Estate Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir The Pivot Estate Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard

2012 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir Thieriot Vineyard Estate

2012 Chardonnay Thieriot Vineyard

2012 Chardonnay The Tributary Estate Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir One Acre

2012 Pinot Noir The Haven Vineyard Estate

2012 Pinot Noir Mays Canyon

2012 Pinot Noir Roman Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir Hirsch Vineyard

2011 Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir Mays Canyon

2011 Chardonnay Mays Canyon

2012 Chardonnay Mays Canyon

2011 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard

2012 Pinot Noir Platt Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard

2011 Pinot Noir Roman Vineyard

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