Anthill Farms’ Coastal California Pinot: In-Stock at Sharp Pricing
We have a phenomenal selection of Anthill Farms wines right now at incredible prices. Having worked very closely with the winery for many years, we were able to negotiate some excellent deals on the last few cases of the 2022 vintage before the new 2023 releases hit the market. And, we’re passing those savings on to you! It’s a fantastic chance to get your hands on these stunning single vineyard releases at a huge saving!
Anthill Farms launched over 20 years ago when three friends (Webster Marquez, Anthony Filiberti, and David Low) met while working in the hallowed cellars of Williams-Selyem winery. Driven by a passion to produce pure, elegant, terroir-driven wines reflective of the Northern California coast, they bootstrapped their way from 200 total cases in 2004 to become one of the most sought-after and respected producers among a new school of wineries reinvigorating the wines of the region. Winemaker/Partner Anthony Filiberti has been the winemaker at several incredible places along the way including Knez (Anderson Valley) and Hirsch (West Sonoma Coast). His wines are faithful to the wild, remote, and heavily coastal-influenced sites with which they work. Each vineyard-designate bottling has a resoundingly different voice showing its sense of place and season. Yet despite their individuality (which I admire greatly) there’s also a through line of brightness, aromatic lift, and precise ripeness to the wines that tie them together. Anthony does a wonderful job of skillfully getting out of the way so the wines can express themselves without too much, or too little, winemaking artifact. He deftly applies enough care and attention to keep the wines pure, precise, and polished, without anything doing anything too heavy handed that could detract or mask the expression of the site.
2022 Anthill Farms "Campbell Ranch" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $29.95 (Elsewhere $50) A stunning, brisk, salty, racy expression of Chardonnay, like a cold wind whipping off the white capped ocean in Spring. I love the tension and energy in this wine. Fruit comes from a vineyard near the town of Annapolis, just south of the Sonoma/Mendocino border. The vines, planted in 1999 to Wente selection, sit at 750 ft elevation, right on the fog line, and in one of the coldest places in the country to grow grapes. Native fermented and aged in 500L puncheons, just 20% new. Focused, bright, nervy Chardonnay with incredible length and mouth watering acidity.
2022 Anthill Farms "Campbell Ranch" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.95 (Elsewhere $60) Also hailing from the intensely ocean-influenced Campbell Ranch, this Pinot Noir is a wildly aromatic, red fruited, crunchy expression of the grape. The very long hang time, in this extremely moderate climate, means wonderful flavor development but without high alcohol or loss of acidity. The sandy goldridge soils give a shimming, crystalline feel to the wine. Not lean and mean, but focused and vibrant for sure. Love this wine.
2022 Anthill Farms "Comptche Ridge Vineyard" Mendocino Pinot Noir $29.95 (Elsewhere $60) From the coastal mountains of the northwest Sonoma Coast we delve inland and further north to Comptche Ridge vineyard deep in the forested wilderness of Mendocino. This small, remote vineyard is completely surrounded by redwoods and Douglas fir. The soils here are Franciscan shale and fine sandy loam. Farmed without irrigation, the mature vines here are predominantly Swan clone, a selection reputedly smuggled in from Burgundy by the late Joseph Swan. This heritage vine material and the vineyards' heavily forest influenced terroir makes for one of the more unique and complex expressions of Pinot Noir you’ll find anywhere. There’s a tangible forest floor and undergrowth element to this wine that tends to be a little darker and more brooding than the West Sonoma Coast bottlings. Powerfully structured, with brambly fruits, this is serious Pinot Noir.
2022 Anthill Farms "Baker Ranch" Anderson Valley Pinot Noir $29.95 (Elsewhere $60) A small but mighty vineyard just outside the town of Philo in the deep end of Anderson Valley. The vines here tended by the Baker Family grow facing east and in unusual slate soils. The afternoon sun is heavily shaded by the surrounding forest and 2,500ft mountains immediately to the west. This allows for a slow and steady ripening and layer, deep, and sumptuous Pinot Noir. The savory, Alpine herb and earthiness of the wine is nicely balanced by black raspberry and spiced citrus peel.
2022 Anthill Farms "Jack Hill Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.95 (Elsewhere $60) I think this part of the coast is one of the most exciting places to grow world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Jack Hill Vineyard sits just a few miles inland of Bodega Bay. The site is very cool with temperatures rarely exceeding 75F. Even in the middle of summer daytime highs are typically in the mid-60s. At 500 ft elevation, this site also gets significant fog especially during the early growing season. The site is planted to mostly Calera Clone Pinot on goldridge soil. Tiny clusters of fruit make for a potently perfumed, flavorful Pinot Noir. Anthony also used 80% whole-cluster here adding a wonderful exotic spice note to the wild berry fruits. Just 150 total cases were made.
2022 Anthill Farms "Holder Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.95 (Elsewhere $60) Holder is a tiny vineyard close to the famed Heintz Vineyard in between the towns of Graton and Occidental. At 900 ft elevation this site sees less fog, but is still heavily influenced by the cool winds coming off the pacific. The vines are Dijon clones 115, 777, and 667 grown in moondust-like powdery goldridge soil. This wine has a lovely softness and silky texture. Quite red fruited with some brambly tones, sandalwood, hints of dusty earth. Often the Anthill wines like 30 minutes in a glass of decanter to open up, but this wine seemed to spring from the glass right away, delicious!