Pinot Noir Maven

At a recent dinner party hosted at a beautiful loft in an old garment factory in downtown L.A., a bottle of Gary Farrell's 2007 Pinot Noir, Russian River Selection, by Alysian Wines was poured and passed around. With an annual production of 3500 cases, Farrell maintains a strong connection to his winemaker roots by producing smaller lots of Pinot Noir from designate vineyards in the Russian River Valley region of Sonoma County, including Healdsburg and Forestville. Following an evening full of “oohs” and “aahs” coming from all sides of the table, a Q-&-A with winemaker Gary Farrell, about his impressive endeavor, is featured below:

At the beginning of your career as a winemaker, while everyone else was interested in Cabs and Zins, you were all about Pinot Noir. Can you tell us a little more about how your love for Pinot Noir began and why it continues to be your primary wine of focus?

G.F.: "My passion for, and commitment to, Pinot Noir was born at a very specific place and time. I supported myself through college during the 1970’s working various jobs, including many within the wine industry. At the time, most wineries in Sonoma County were producing inexpensive, generic wines. A few, however, were experimenting with varietal wines - Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. My introduction and love for Pinot Noir came unexpectedly at Davis Bynum Winery in 1978 while racking a recently fermented tank of 1978 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir. I was overwhelmed by the seductive aromas and flavors and realized the untapped potential of Pinot Noir in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. My passion for this wine, both as a producer and a consumer, has only grown since this fall day in 1978."

What about the Russian River Valley area do you find to be ideal for winemaking, in particular for Pinot Noir grapes?

G.F.: "Always a difficult question. Clearly, much of the Russian River Valley is too warm for Pinot Noir. That said, Pinot Noir is often grown in areas I feel are too cool or foggy for consistent quality from vintage to vintage. What I like about the Russian River Valley is the contribution of complexity through diverse soils, vineyard orientations and micro-climates. Wines produced from this region, when made well from top vineyards, can be immensely seductive but in a very refined, elegant and stately way. In particular, my focus has been on an area of the Russian River Valley loosely defined as the Middle Reach. This is arguably the most decorated Pinot Noir wine growing region in the New World; as validated by the unrivaled success of regional wines produced by Rochioli, Swan, Farrell, Dehlinger and Williams Selyem."

Alysian Wines is a fairly new project of yours. Your aspirations have clearly proven to be intuitively creative, like the name of the winery, resulting in wines that carry not only a beautiful and distinctive name but approach and taste as well. Can you tell us a little more about the winery's mission.

G.F.: "As always, my mission has been, and remains to be, to produce the finest Pinot Noirs without compromise. With this new brand and its extremely limited production, I am able to immerse myself 100% into each and every wine-making task affecting the finished product. This hands-on approach to every step of the process becomes impossible at increased production levels."

What types of dishes would you recommend pairing the 2007 Pinot Noir, Russian River Selection, with?

G.F.: "Fresh salmon or grilled Ahi tuna would be wonderful!"

What are your favorite Sonoma County restaurants? Any absolute musts?

G.F.: "La Gare, Dry Creek Kitchen, John Ash and Santi. Don’t miss La Gare! Though it doesn’t get all the hype, it is a favorite among locals and an incredible value."

Alysian Wines, 707-431-4410; alysianwines.com.

Photo credit: Alysian Wines