A “Cru” is a French term that describes “a vineyard or group of vineyards, especially one of recognized quality.” The term “Grand Cru,” which means “great growth,” is used for the highest classification for vineyards and wineries.
In Burgundy, France, which is 200 miles in length, there are 33 Grand Cru vineyards. When names such as La Romanée, La Tâche, Clos de Vougeot, Corton-Charlemagne, Montrachet, Romanée-Conti, and others are spoken, people sit up straight and eyebrows are raised.
There is prestige to wines that hold these names, and the Grand Cru title gives it even more power.
But what if we say Sanford & Benedict, Bien Nacido, Rosemary’s Vineyard, Pisoni, or Mount Eden? Or what about Hyde, Gaps’ Crown, Meredith Estate, Savoy, or Red Car?
Some of these vineyards are heritage sites. Many wines from these vineyards have received high ratings. Most of these vineyards sell fruit to other wineries that proudly display the vineyard on the label.
These are what Master Sommelier David Glancy of the San Francisco Wine School called “The New ‘Grand Cru’ of California.”
Of course, there is no such thing as a “Grand Cru” in California, but there are those who believe there should be.
The American Grand Cru Society, a non-profit organization that “seeks to empower wine consumers by recognizing America’s great vineyards,” has designated 200 vineyards in California that they deem are “Grand Cru” vineyards.
Glancy added that “if there can be thirty-three Grand Cru in Burgundy, which is much smaller than California, then why not two hundred Grand Cru in California?”
Traveling up the coast of California, here are ten Pinot Noir vineyards worthy of Grand Cru status:
CENTRAL COAST
SANFORD & BENEDICT, STA RITA HILLS
Sanford & Benedict was the vineyard that started the Sta. Rita Hills wine region.
It was planted in 1971 by Richard Sanford and Michael Benedict, who traveled the western coast of California in search of a coastal vineyard.
The east-to-west running valley, due to the transverse mountain range, the dry, cool climate, and the diverse soils, made it a perfect spot to plant Pinot Noir. The first commercial vintage was in 1976.
Sanford & Benedict Winery, 2019 Sanford Vineyard, Block 6 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills ($90) – Block 6 is a steep, rocky, north-facing slope. The wine is aged for 16 months in 28% new French oak. The result is a site-driven Pinot Noir with dark fruit and spice notes. The wine is seductive and elegant, as well as brooding and structured.
Click here to search for Sanford Pinot Noir
BIEN NACIDO ESTATE, SANTA MARIA VALLEY
Santa Maria is a compelling place to grow grapes due to the transverse valley that opens directly to the Pacific Ocean.
The morning marine layer pulls cold air in from the ocean, making Santa Maria one of the coldest AVAs in the country.
The Bien Nacido Vineyard, which means “well-born,” was originally part of a Spanish land grant in the 1800s. The property was a cattle ranch and sugar beet farm until the Miller family purchased the property in 1969 and planted vines.
The vineyard is 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean, and there are four different soil types across the 700-900 acres under vine.
Bien Nacido Estate Pinot Noir 2021, Santa Maria Valley ($90) – The Bien Nacido Estate Pinot Noir is a representation of the entire vineyard with grapes sourced from old vines (1973 and 1996), and young vines (2006), shale soils and sandy soils, and high blocks and low blocks on the hillsides.
The wine is aged for 16 months in 45% new French oak, resulting in a beautifully aromatic wine with notes of cherries, potpourri, black tea, spice, and the freshness of the cool ocean air.
Click here to shop for Bien Nacido Pinot Noir
ROSEMARY’S VINEYARD, TALLEY VINEYARDS, ARROYO GRANDE
Rosemary’s Vineyard is in the Arroyo Grande AVA, a sub-AVA of the San Luis Obispo County AVA, and sits less than seven miles from the Pacific Ocean.
It is the coolest site farmed by the Talley family, who started farming in Edna Valley in the 1970s.
Don and Rosemary Talley started growing grapes in 1982, and in 1987, they planted Rosemary’s Vineyard. A half-bowl that looks at the valley, the vines are all planted on hills.
Talley Vineyards 2021 Rosemary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande ($95)
In Rosemary’s Vineyard, the Pinot Noir is own-rooted and the original planting.
The wine is aged for 16 months in 35% new French oak, and there is no fining or filtering.
The lively wine has aromas of blackberry, violet, raspberry, and cloves but has a freshness on the palate with flavors of plum, slate, pomegranate, and blood orange.
Click here to shop Talley Vineyard's Pinot Noir. Here is what you should look for when buying wine online.
PISONI VINEYARD, SANTA LUCIA HIGHLANDS, MONTEREY
Located in the Santa Lucia Highland (SLH), Gary Pisoni was one of the first people to plant grapes in the rugged SLH hills in 1982.
Pisoni sold grapes until their first commercial vintage in 1998.
The sustainable vineyard is 36 acres on a 280-acre ranch. It sits at an elevation of 1300 feet and there is a heavy fog influence. It is cold, windy, foggy, and near the ocean, and the resulting wines are wines that reflect a sense of place.
A family business, Gary’s sons Mark and Jeff are the farmer and winemaker, respectively.
Pisoni 2021 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands ($110) – A barrel selection that includes grapes from some of the first vines planted, the wine is 40% whole cluster, 68% new French oak, and natively fermented with no filtering or fining.
A dark reddish-purple color, the wine has a fresh nose with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and herbs de Provence and has depth and richness on the palate.
MOUNT EDEN VINEYARDS, SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
The Santa Cruz County AVA was the first AVA defined by elevation.
This high-elevation AVA is cooled by the San Francisco Bay to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
Mount Eden Vineyards, sitting at 2000 feet, is on the east side of the Santa Cruz Mountain range.
The property was first purchased by Martin Rey in the 1940s and produced one of the first 100% varietal wines at the time. The property transitioned to Mount Eden Vineyard in 1971, and winemaker Jeffrey Patterson arrived in 1981.
Today, Jeffrey and his son Reid have majority ownership and farm 40 acres, including seven acres of the Mount Eden clone Pinot Noir, one of the oldest Pinot Noir clones in California.
Mount Eden Estate 2019 Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75) – Sourced from own-rooted original vines, the wine is 33% whole cluster and aged on the lees for 18 months in 75% new French oak with no fining or filtering.
The wine has a terroir character with aromas of rose petals, wild red fruit, and forest floor and an elegant, savory, menthol note on the finish.
Click Here to Shop for Mount Eden Estate Pinot Noir
NORTH COAST
HYDE ESTATE VINEYARDS, CARNEROS
Carneros, which is split between Napa and Sonoma, gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay, which sits south of Carneros. The Hyde Estate Vineyard was founded by Larry Hyde in 1979. At the time, there were only 12 people growing grapes in Carneros.
Today Hyde Vineyard is 200 acres with 35 acres of Pinot Noir. In 2009, after selling grapes for three decades, Hyde decided to launch his own small-lot production of Pinot Noir, and his son Christopher Hyde has been managing the vineyard since 2011.
Larry Hyde 2019 Pinot Noir, Los Carneros, Napa Valley ($85) – Aged for 11 months in 25% new French oak, the wine has elegant raspberry, cranberry, dried flower, and earth aromas. Tannins are soft with a juicy mid-palate and a mouthwatering finish.
Click Here to Shop for Larry Hyde Pinot Noir
THREE STICK’S GAP’S CROWN VINEYARD, PETALUMA GAP AVA
The Petaluma Gap has been an AVA for 20 years.
Purchased in 2012, Gap’s Crown is one of the six vineyards spread across Sonoma owned by Three Sticks Winery. Gap’s Crown is located a bit inland, but thanks to the Petaluma Gap, the gale-force winds from the Pacific Ocean rip through this colder climate site.
The fog and sea breezes create thickened grape skins and allow for a longer growing season to produce wines of great intensity.
Three Sticks 2021 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, Carneros ($75) – The 2021 Pinot Noir is a structured wine with blueberry, black cherry, and spice notes, lush, textured tannins, and fresh acidity.
Click Here to Shop for Three Sticks Pinot Noir
MEREDITH ESTATE VINEYARD, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Meredith Estate Vineyard, located in the Russian River Valley, was an abandoned apple orchard that Merry Edwards purchased in 1996.
In 1998 she planted the 24-acre site to Pinot Noir. Located on the southern edge of Russian River Valley in the Sebastopol Hills, the summer fog covers the vineyard until midday.
The 20 acres of Pinot Noir include five distinct clones to offer complexity to the wines.
Merry Edwards 2021 Meredith Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($65) – Destemmed and whole berry fermented, the wine was aged for nine months in 55% new French oak. With notes of dark fruits, such as cherries and currants, crushed violets, and aniseed, the wine has powerful tannins but a silky mouthfeel.
Click Here to Shop for Merry Edwards Pinot Noir
RED CAR ESTATE VINEYARD, FORT ROSS-SEAVIEW
Fort Ross Seaview AVA, located on the hills west of the Russian River Valley, is one of the westernmost AVAs in California. A rugged, rural, and inhospitable area marked by giant coastal redwoods, there are less than 500 acres planted out of more than 20,000.
Red Car Estate Vineyard sits 1000 feet above sea level. It sits above the fog layer and is 3.7 miles from the Pacific Ocean.
Red Car 2021 Estate Pinot Noir, Fort Ross–Seaview ($80) – Aged for 11 months in 10% new French oak, the wine has notes of forest fruit, pomegranate, cherry, and cloves, and on the palate, has mild tannins and a savory finish.
Click Here to Shop for Red Car Pinot Noir
SAVOY VINEYARD, ANDERSON VALLEY
The Anderson Valley is 15 miles long in the rolling hills of the coastal region of Mendocino County, the tipping point between California and the Pacific Northwest.
Wines are described as “California fruit with Oregon tension.” The 44-acre Savoy Vineyard, planted in 1991 by Richard Savoy, is located at the mid-point of Anderson Valley. The oceanic influences are felt here in the cooler end of the valley.
Walt Wines 2017 Pinot Noir, Savoy Vineyard, Anderson Valley ($80) - Walt Wines, which was established in 2010, began purchasing fruit from the Savoy Vineyard in 2011. Three clones are sourced from three hillside blocks and then aged for ten months in 40% new French oak. This delicate wine has layered aromas of lavender, blueberry, dark cherry, violets, and white pepper and a fresh, long finish.
Click Here to Shop for Walt Wines Pinot Noir
About the author:
Allison Levine is the owner of Please The Palate, a boutique marketing and event-planning agency. Allison is Level 3 WSET Certified from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust and is certified as an Italian Wine Specialist from the North American Sommelier Association. She also has a master’s degree in international communications with a focus on cross-cultural training from the American University School of International Service. Allison is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers and as a freelance writer, she contributes to numerous publications while eating and drinking her way around the world. She is also the host of the Wine Soundtrack podcast and co-host of the YouTube video series Crush On This. You can find additional content on her blog at Please The Palate; Instagram/Threads @plsthepalate; Facebook: Please The Palate
