2014 Nicholas Allen Wines Carte Blanche Sun Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir

Nicholas Allen Wines is a California producer with deep roots in Bordeaux. The estate founder is Nicholas Allen, and in 1935 his great grandfather, Clarence Dillon, purchased the legendary Château Haut-Brion. Fifty years later the Dillon family company also acquired Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Allen grew up appreciating fine wine and in 2007 he started Nicholas Allen Wines & Carte Blanche, a limited-production estate for luxury wines inspired by traditional French winemaking. Luc Morlet was Allen’s founding winemaker. In 2014 Helen Keplinger took over as winemaker. Nicholas Allen makes red and white wines with grapes sourced from exceptional Napa and Sonoma vineyards. Reviewers have described Carte Blanche wines as “totally striking…rich, voluptuous…opulent.”

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.