Anderson Valley: The Good Stuff

There were wonderful Pinots everywhere you looked in Anderson Valley's 2016 Pinot Fest, but among my favorites were the ones from Handley Cellars as well as Panthea Cellars. The first - a classic. The second - a rising star.

Panthea, which is run by Kelly and Jessa Boss, had four wines from Filigreen Farms' Biodynamic vines: an orange Pinot Gris, the 2012 and 2013 Siren (these vintages were from Filigreen, but the Siren is not always sourced from this vineyard), and the 2013 Filigreen.

The 2013 Siren was my favorite - light on its feet and ethereal the way a Pinot Noir should be.

These are all small lot wines and they can be ordered directly from the winery. They were doing a pretty brisk business on Sunday selling the wine directly at the Boonville Hotel.

Kelly and Jessa Boss in the Panthea Cellars "tasting room" at the Boonville Hotel

A "find": the Siren grape source varies from year to year, but for two vintages it's all
Filigreen Farm, the local certified biodynamic vineyard

The Panthea tasting setup at the Boonville Inn

The 2012 Siren ($32), from Filigreen Farm fruit, was bigger, from a warmer vintage

Down the road, Handley served forth its lovely 2013 estate Chardonnay;
I was wowed by the 2013 Estate Pinot, an Anderson Valley classic