At a roughly 900 foot elevation near Philo, Roland and Barbara Wentzel’s 10-acre vineyard is organically farmed within a expansive 300+ acre forested property. The Wentzels live mostly off the land with lush vegetable and herb gardens, fruit trees, sheep, ducks, chickens and more. It is an idyllic, welcoming haven tucked away in the hillsides of Anderson Valley and Roland and Barbara are passionate caretakers of the land.

The particular plot of land that we get our fruit from is called “the clos,” as it is a fenced-in block situated up the hill. It’s a tiny block – less than an acre – that consists of vines transplanted three years ago from a lower block that had poorly drained soil that promoted excessive vine vigor. The block has a north-south rows with a west orientation, terraced up a steep hillside, so the grapes benefit from the long afternoon sunlight, tempered by cool offshore breezes.

The clos at Wentzel Vineyard has Dijon clones 114, 115, 667 and 777 – all within a block that is less than an acre. While these different clones may ripen at different times, the block is so small, that it is picked at the same time. This means you may get a mixture of under-ripe, ripe and over-ripe grapes. In the end, it can serve to balance out the wine in the winemaking process.

Recent reviews:

93 pts: Wine Enthusiast (November, 2013), "This lovely Pinot Noir has an appealing baked crust quality with structured, firm tannins and ripe cherry goodness all around. From the steep, 900-foot-elevation Wentzel Vineyard, it exudes robust fruit flavor and layers of just-right spice.  — V.B."

89 pts., PinotFile (July, 2013): "Shy aromas of black fruits and oak. A full-bodied, concentrated blast of blackberry and cassis flavors hit the mid palate and carry over to the modestly long finish. This is a big wine that is somewhat rugged and shoulders plenty of dry tannin. Should benefit from time in the cellar to allow the aromas to arrive and the tannins to integrate."
88 pts., Wine Spectator (April, 2013): "Marked by fresh, snappy, vibrant raspberry and red berry fruit, this boasts touches of spice and mint, ending with a clean finish and grippy tannins."