Press

How could one resist a wine district with its own dialect, Boontling, which, according to Wikipedia, is “now mostly spoken by ageing counter-culturists”? Its northern limit is known locally as “the deep end” and the district’s special, tiny, mint-scented flower, whose perfume some pick up in its wines, is called pennyroyal. But it wasn’t vocabulary that drew me to Anderson Valley in Mendocino County during a recent visit to northern California. It was the quality of its wines, especially its Pinot Noir. This grape is hugely fashionable in the US and trend-conscious producers have been seeking out the coolest (in both senses) California wine regions where it’s grown — from the Sonoma Coast in the north to Sta Rita Hills down south in Santa Barbara County. But Anderson Valley, while being decidedly cool — too cool to ripen grapes on some valley floor sites — makes wines that have fragrant charm, rather than austerity. And they can be quite reasonably priced.

Witching Stick is quintessential Anderson Valley: small, unassuming, slightly disheveled, but with disarmingly good wines. The little operation belongs to Van Williamson, a veteran winemaker who worked for many years at Edmeades winery, just across the street, now owned by Jackson Family Wines. Williamson is a talented winemaker, and although he specializes in Pinot Noir, he does beautiful things with Zinfandel, Syrah and Chardonnay too. Wedged between the post office and Lemon’s Market, Witching Stick’s tasting room is fairly bare-bones. Don’t expect vineyard-view patios or a dish of truffle-scented almonds. Rather, this is a place to get serious about wine with the person who made it. When you visit, you’ll likely be hosted by Williamson himself. If his dogs seem unfriendly at first, but don’t panic: They typically calm down after a minute or two. WHAT TO TRY: Williamson’s single-vineyard Pinots (all $48) represent a formidable set of Mendocino County sites: Cerise, Perli, Gianoli and — a personal favorite — Wiley, which produces a wine exploding with bright red fruit overlaid with delicate floral tones.

Witching Stick Gianoli Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013 ($48) Like Frost’s woods, this Pinot Noir from a Mendo Ridge Vineyard is lovely, dark, and deep—a bottle to linger over. Funky, mushroomy, and earthy, yet with loads of fruit, it’s like black cherry candy spilled in a barnyard. Trust us; it’s addictive.

Van Williamson, winemaker and owner of Witching Stick Wines, brought a wine produced with Pinot vines that had been grafted onto Zinfandel rootstock. He said he likes to see about 2 pounds of fruit to each vine, but he saw something more like 20 pounds per vine in what he described as the big vintage of 2016. While Williamson said some of the debate on crop level and row density in California is overrated, he was clear that he never wants to see his vines hang that much fruit again. The vintner also mentioned he thought a wine produced with machine-harvested grapes was a successful trial. He said the labor situation could become so severe that it may compel growers, even in Anderson Valley, to use more mechanical harvesters.

My other favorite Chardonnay (since you read about another at Handley Cellars) in Boonville is from The Witching Stick Tasting Room. I discovered this Chardonnay at The Bewildered Pig while I was there for dinner. It was so incredible. I visited the tasting room and fell in love. In sum, amazing wines, a super nice approachable winemaker, and a charming setting. What more do you need on a trip to visit Anderson Valley Wineries?

The Prince of Pinot was part of the Press Tasting of current Anderson Valley Pinot Noir releases during the 2016 Pinot Fest. Here’s what he had to say about our wine: 2013 Witching Stick Wiley Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 13.5% alc., $49. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Haunting aromas of cherry, clove and rose petal lead to a core of cherry and pomegranate fruits. Soft, sleek and balanced on the palate with a bright acid backbone and integrated tannins, finishing lithe and persistent. Very seductive juice. Score: 93

Only a few years ago, very few winemakers or wine drinkers considered Anderson Valley a producer of high quality wine (except, of course, those few winemakers long there, such as Navarro Vineyards & Winery, Roederer Estate, Handley Cellars and several other under-the-radar wineries that had been making great wine for years unbeknownst to any but their fans). Well, the money's been spent and the word is out on the street that Anderson Valley is a primo place for pinot noir, chardonnay and other cool-climate grapes.