2011 Eric Kent Wine Cellars Small Town Pinot Noir

Eric Kent Wine Cellars was founded by Kent Humphrey, a self-described “hyper-enthusiastic wine geek” who left careers in academia and advertising to start a wine venture with his wife, Colleen Teitgen. Humphrey sources grapes from Sonoma County and focuses on Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Eric Kent hires artists to make distinctive labels for each wine, and the result is that the labels are different from vintage to vintage and wine to wine.

Sonoma County is not an AVA, but it is a commonly used informal designation for wines made outside of more specific AVAs within Sonoma, which is a large wine producing region just west of Napa Valley. Though Sonoma is often overshadowed by its glamorous neighbor Napa Valley, it has a long history of wine production. The area specialized in jug wine until the mid-20th century, when Sonoma producers took a cue from Napa and started improving quality. Unlike Napa, where Cabernet Sauvignon is king, Sonoma specialized in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, though excellent Cabs are produced too. There are at present 16 AVAs within Sonoma County, and, like much of the West Coast of the United States, new AVAs are created in Sonoma County with regularity. Some Sonoma appellations, such as the Russian River Valley, are renowned for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

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.