Question for Randy C.

[Randy Caparoso]

Good gracious, Drew, you're on the Wine Board, and there's lots of other worthy opinions out there. Among the major magazines, I think Wine & Spirits and the Wine Spectator do a pretty good job of reporting on the better Pinots as well.

But since you ask, I do have my personal favorites, which I'll go down the line on with reasons:

1. Au Bon Climat (Central Coast) - their finest are the "Knox Alexander" and "Isabelle" cuvees, blended from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo vineyard sources, and to me these epitomize a grace and sensual texture (as opposed to pure power) almost always lacking in, say, most North Coastal California Pinot Noir.

2. Penner-Ash (Oregon) - Lynn Penner-Ash, who just stepped down as full-time winemaker for Rex Hill, practically crystallizes the delicate, finesseful, yet potentially deep style of Willamette Valley. While we're on the subject, the Rex Hill "Reserve" bottlings also reflect this great winemaker, and so shares the #2 spot on my list.

3. Ken Wright (Oregon) - Wright primarily does single vineyard bottlings (more than half a dozen each year), and they are masterpieces of the Oregon style (i.e. Pinot at its purest!).

4. Willamette Valley Vineyards (Oregon) - A year ago I would not have put this winery in my "Top 10," but today I do. Winemaker Joe Dobbes packs luscious fruit and sinewy textures together in his "Hoodview" and "Freedom Hill" bottlings.

5. Williams Selyem (Russian River Valley) - I would say that most California Pinot lovers put this producer at the top. Who am I to argue? They're still doing incredibly rich, plump, juicy wines, with compelling, lilting fragrances. Especially their "Rochioli River Block."

6. Chehalem (Oregon) - Often mentioned on this Web site. Among the "power" producers of Oregon, but always with velvet and finesse. Their "Rion Reserve" is their top-of-the-line.

7. Fiddlehead (Oregon & Santa Barbara) - Proprietor/winemaker/one-man-band Kathy Joseph has been at the top of her game in recent years. It's hard to beat her Willamette Valley as well as Santa Maria Valley cuvees for consistency of grace, silk and lacy perfume.

8. Flowers (Sonoma Coast) - Ultra-premium producer specializing in a California style (intense spice and berry fruit) packaged in deceptively light but lingering layers of flavor. Liquid seductions.

9. Archery Summit (Oregon) - Utterly delicious Willamette Valley cuvees. Usually lots of smoky oak, but it's primarily all about flavor and texture for this producer, and you'll almost always find lots of it in their various bottlings (I like their "Red Hills" estate).

10. Etude (Carneros) - After all these years, still the finest (my opinion, of course) producer on the Napa side of Carneros. Winemaker Tony Soter recently sold the label to Beringer-Blass, but for now is still guiding things along. Meticulously balanced wines with a signature "plush velvet" feel.

11. Beaux Freres (Oregon) - A deep, powerful Oregon style with a middle softness not usually found in, say, California. I like the Beaux Freres Pinots nice and young (3-6 years) while they're still effusively spiced, but you also have to allow for some tannic muscle (a good game bird should tame it).

12. Cristom (Oregon) - Winemaker Steve Doerner has been getting better and better every year since moving up from California (formerly the winemaker for for Calera) some 10 years ago. Generous oak and full structures mark his style, but always filled with plump, plummy, gripping Pinot fruit.

13. Costa de Oro (Central Coast) - Senselessly underrated winemaker/proprietor Gary Burk crafts marvelously lush, round, spicy Pinots in the same Santa Barbara compound that houses Au Bon Climat and Qupe.

14. Talley (San Luis Obispo) - Stupendously rich, juicy, smoky-spicy styles from a marvelous vineyard estate.

15. Domaine Alfred (San Luis Obispo) - A neighbor of Talley's, but more of the silken, finesse style. This, and the Flowers Pinots, are the closest thing to the Oregon style in California, which to mean means veddy, veddy good.

16. WillaKenzie (Oregon) - Can get a little big (for Oregon), but still wonderfully intense and spicy.

Hey, there's lots more out there. Ponzi, Westrey, Bethel Heights and Patti Green from Oregon certainly would be on some people's "Top 10" list, and I certainly wouldn't disagree. From California, Dehlinger (if you can find it), Hartford Court, and Merry Edwards are currently making modern legends. Iron Horse and De Loach are just now coming on strong, making North Coast California styles that are chock full of luscious, spicy fruit. I also love what Goldeneye (owned by Duckhorn) and Handley are doing in Mendocino -- crisp, scintillating Pinots of fine quality. I could go on and on, but one has to stop somewhere, after all!