2005 Baldacci Family Vineyards Elizabeth Pinot Noir

Baldacci Family Vineyards was founded in the 1990s by Thomas and Brenda Baldacci. Thomas was president of a Bay Area family real estate development company. A love of fine wine and the Napa Valley prompted the couple to buy land in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley and today they own 45 acres of vineyards in Stags Leap, Carneros and Calistoga. Michael Baldacci, one of the Baldacci’s four sons, is company president. Winemaker is Rolando Herrera, whose first winery job was at at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Baldacci makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and a red blend.

Carneros AVA, also known as Los Carneros, is at the southern end of the Napa and Sonoma Valleys at the top of the San Francisco Bay. The 8,000 vineyard acres are mostly planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both of which thrive in the district’s cool, marine climate. Carneros became an AVA in 1983 and it has attracted foreign wine companies along with local producers. It has been especially appealing to European producers of sparkling wines including the giant Spanish cava producers Codorniu and Frexinet, and the French Champagne house Taittinger. Codorniu in Carneros is called Artesa, and Frexinet’s Carneros brand is Gloria Ferrer. Taittinger calls its Carneros winery Domaine Carneros. The European producers also make still wines in Carneros.

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.