2006 Macphail Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

MacPhail Family Wines was started in 2002 by James MacPhail, a Bay Area native with a background in the hotel industry. His interest in wine led him to start making small amounts of wine from sourced Russian River and Sonoma grapes and in 2008 he opened his own winemaking facility in Healdsburg. MacPhail makes 5,000 cases of wine annually concentrating on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rose.

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.