USA — wine

Anderson Valley

California's northernmost and most distinctive cool-climate wine region in Mendocino County, where the Anderson Valley's deep canyon channels Pacific fog and cool air from the coast. Famous for Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, and Alsatian varieties that thrive in conditions utterly unlike the rest of California. Also the source of premium sparkling wine base wines for Roederer Estate.

Year Rating Notes
2022 Outstanding Anderson Valley vintage; Pinot Noir of extraordinary elegance and Gewürztraminer of Alsatian aromatic intensity.
2021 Classic cool-climate vintage; La Fog creep produced wines of haunting mineral freshness.
2020 Challenging smoke-taint year for some; estates with better site exposure produced excellent wines.
2019 Finest Anderson Valley vintage in a decade; Littorai and Navarro produced benchmark Pinot Noir and Gewürztraminer.
2018 Benchmark year; Roederer Estate L'Ermitage became the highest-rated California sparkling wine of the vintage.