Gary Farrell Pinot Noir Klopp Ranch Vineyard Russian River Valley 2022

The vineyard with the downhome name and devastatingly elegant personality: Klopp Ranch! It cascades across a slope in what Sonoma County winemakers call “the golden triangle” – the tiny subregion of Laguna Ridge. This narrow strip is blessed with excellent drainage thanks to sandy Goldridge soils, and a Goldilocks climate (even more so than nearby vaunted Green Valley, say true believers). Ted Klopp purchased the property in 1982 and quickly got help from the masters; under the guidance of Pinot priestess Merry Edwards herself, he procured budwood from Tom Dehlinger, a field selection from Joseph Swan, plus Pommard, as well as Dijon clones 115, 667, and 777. All that is to say, you would not normally be paying just $26.95 for this bottle.

The fruit is sought after by producers like Cobb, Talisman, MacRostie, and Merry Edwards of course. And after 40 years in the game, Gary Farrell still seems to get access to whatever grapes they yearn for.

In the glass, this 2022 is as singular as your foodie brother’s orange zest cranberry sauce – tangy, festive, deep, layered, irreplicable. Cardamom and Chinese five spice infuse a swirl of dark fruits, which are held in the savory thrall of tomato leaf and a dash of soy, making it more earthy and intriguing than many a cherrybomb Russian River Pinot. The luxurious oak gets a lovely lift from mint leaf – ooo… how about having this with lamb – and Wine Enthusiast noted “Grippy tannin and focused acid drive the palate, with flavors of baked nectarine, raspberry, and purple flowers that ebb and flow…” 93 points!