Beverage of the Week (B.O.W)
in
BOW for the Week of: March 3 to March 9, 2009
Elkhorn Peak is the quintessential “boutique” winery creating a scant 1,500 cases of wine per year. They are Pinot Noir specialists growing seven different clones of the popular varietal in two estate vineyards managed by co-owner Ken Nerlove. Nerlove knows his vineyards and leaves the winemaking to the very capable hands of renowned winemaker Kent Rasmussen.
Elkhorn Peak takes its name from the Elkhorn Peak Mountain, the tallest peak in the Jamieson Canyon, which lies just behind their vineyards. The Fagan Vineyard, from which this great Pinot is born, was the first vineyard planted in this zone. The vineyard faces south with views of the San Pablo Bay and San Francisco Bay. The cool breezes and thick morning fog make this an ideal location for growing world-class Pinot Noir.
In the early years, the mid and late 1980s, Nerlove sold his grapes to a handful of local wineries. By 1992 he had determined that the best way forward was for Elkhorn Peak to make his own wines with Rasmussen. The results are splendid and speak for themselves.
Elkhorn Peak’s Pinot Noir may seem a bit foreign to many California Pinot Noir fans. The Elkhorn Peak Pinot prizes delicate aromatics and flavors with complex earth and spice notes. If you seek power and dense flavors, drink Syrah! BevX loves the balance and complexity of this “Fagan Creek” Pinot.
