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High up in the mountains above Booneville in the Anderson Valley, The One Acre vineyard provided the fruit for Ted and Heidi Lemon’s very first California Pinot back in 1993. This windy site, which is farmed using organic and biodynamic methods, still produces some of the richest, most seductive and complex wines in the Littorai portfolio. In 2016, they purchased the vineyard (and even expanded its size to 3.5 acres) to ensure access to these fine grapes. According to the winery, the 2020 “is an unusually fresh and vibrant version of One Acre with finely etched notes of red and black fruits, quince, alpine strawberries, red licorice, rose petal, black tea, cinnamon, white pepper, and candlewax. The palate begins with a delightfully supple entry, then very good density and concentration with a lovely cut of acidity which underlines the bright fruit tones. Assertive tannins and a long, pure finish ensure that this wine will show beautifully at a relatively young age.”
Ted Lemon is a winegrower, not a winemaker. Winegrowing implies that careful and conscientious farming is the primary step in crafting wines that express their terroir. Littorai was founded in 1993 after Ted and Heidi Lemon took an epic wine tasting tour from Walla Walla, Washington, to Santa Barbara in search of a spot that would yield great Pinot Noir. They became convinced that Northern California coast offered the best potential. Littorai’s wines have since become the benchmark for a new style of California Pinot Noir that strives to be a “wine of place.” These wines are lighter in color and alcohol and less extravagant and ripe, but strikingly fresh, pure, and vibrant – aromatic and flavorful without being weighty or opulent. Burgundy was an early influence on Lemon. He studied enology at the Université de Dijon, apprenticed at several Burgundy houses and was appointed head of Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault – all by the age of 25! But though Burgundy has been a model for Littorai, it was never a template. Instead, he lets the terroir of his vineyards suggest how best to cultivate them and craft their wines. These vineyards are located along the littoral, the coastal edge of California, on rugged hillsides in the Anderson Valley (Mendocino County) and along the Sonoma Coast. Here ocean fogs bless the vines with an extended growing season, but more importantly, the soils are so diverse (as a result of the area’s turbulent geology) that even nearby vineyards can produce wines of different aroma, flavor and ageability. Littorai focuses on single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but also makes two appellation bottlings with those barrels or vineyard lots that do not meet the highest standards. Littorai owns just one estate vineyard (The Pivot, near Sebastopol), but sources the rest via “by the acre” contracts or long term leases that allow Lemon to plant and work the vineyards as he pleases, even if the yields are tiny. A firm believer in biodynamie, the estate operates an integrated farm, with vineyards, pastures, and woodland combined into one holistic unit, but even the non-estate vineyards are farmed organically without any fertilizers beyond vineyard compost. Winemaking involves fermenting the Pinot Noir with some amount of whole clusters in traditional open-top fermenters with natural yeasts and without (or with very little) sulphur or other additives. The wines age in (partially new) French oak for up to 16 months. If rich, mouth-coating, opulent black fruit is what you expect in a California Pinot Noir, Littorai’s wines may provoke a surprise. Prepare for floral and red fruit aromas, vibrant flavors, fresh acidity and a tannic structure that will allow the wines to develop and blossom over the years.
| Country | USA |
| Region | California |
| Appellation(s) | Anderson Valley (Mendocino) |
| Winery | Littorai |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Color | Red |
| Varietal(s) | Pinot Noir |
| Closure | Cork |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Bottle Size | 8.5 x 29.5 |
| Case Size | 35.0 x 27.0 x 30.5 |
| Alcohol | 12.4% |
| Product Code | LT20OAP |
| UPC | NONE |
Aromas of boysenberry and strawberries with notes of red licorice, tea, and spice lead to a supple and concentrated palate that balances fine-grained, mouth-coating tannins with intense acidity.
Fermented on native yeasts (no whole clusters) in stainless steel. The wine aged for 16 months in French oak (25% new).