Description
Lussier, “Roma’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir
If Lussier was a growth stock, they’d be extremely high on our watch list because we haven’t been this feverish about a new domestic producer in years and the expeditious sellout of their debut release further raised our temperatures. Incredibly, they’ve already one-upped themselves with today’s even-rarer, longer-aged production from one of the most fascinating micro-terroirs in Northern California: Roma’s Vineyard, an organic, dry-farmed vineyard perched at the highest precipice in Anderson Valley.
Since Lussier was only able to acquire a tiny portion of the harvest, he ensured that it would be raised to perfection, without intervention. So, the whole-cluster grapes were left to ferment naturally before a lengthy aging regimen in four barrels and a subsequent bottling without fining/filtering. The grand total? Just 86 cases of pure, elegant, soul-lifting Pinot and we’re the proud owners of a fraction. We truly believe Lussier is poised to be a breakout player in the hyper-competitive world of California Pinot Noir, and today’s 2019 etches it deeply into stone.
From combat tours in the sweltering Middle East to touring cool-climate vineyards in Anderson Valley, it’s safe to say GW Lussier began a drastic career in 2015. Having left the military and returned to California, his first foray into wine was an internship with Palhmeyer, which then led to a gig with famed Williams Selyem. What do you do after working with some of the world’s greatest Pinot Noirs? Try your own hand, of course! So, Lussier looked north to Mendocino, specifically high-elevation sites in Anderson Valley, and released his first eponymous label in 2020.
If you remember our offering of Lussier’s “Côte de Boont” from earlier in the year, it hailed from two cool, breezy, organically farmed vineyards known as Roma and Golden Fleece. Today’s micro-bottling comes entirely from the former. Roma’s Vineyard sits on a ridge perched on the highest peak in the Anderson Valley AVA, 1,800 feet above sea level. Because of the elevation, the breeze, and the chillier temperatures, the organic, dry-farmed crop almost always enjoys the longest hangtime on the vine before a manual harvest. The small amount of Pommard-clone grapes that Lussier purchases from proprietors Dean and Suzi Carrell are treated like precious golden nuggets, and once they hit the cellar, excessive intervention is strictly forbidden. This 2019 fruit fermented 100% whole-cluster on native yeasts and aged for 16 months in four French barrels, one of which was new. As you probably guessed, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Give Lussier’s 2019 “Roma’s Vineyard” Pinot Noir a 45-minute decant, and it’ll start emitting gorgeously high-toned aromatics of wild strawberry, pomegranate, redcurrant, damp rose petal, goji berry, crushed rock, orange peel, mountain herbs, and whiffs of spiced plums. On the palate, this medium-bodied Pinot is lifted and perfumed (thanks to a cool, high-altitude origin) and its red-berry flavors so pure and poised (thanks to organic dry farming and minimal cellar intervention). It has a buoyant and constantly swirling core of crushed minerals and baking spice that integrate beautifully with the fine-grained tannins and lifted acidity at play. The finish is long and broad while expertly avoiding saturation and excess ripeness. It’s an absolute knockout. Serve around 60 degrees in your largest Burgundy stems and enjoy your bottles over the next 5-7 years. Cheers!
