Alquimista Cellars – Transformative Wines from Magical Vineyards
You might not yet know the name Alquimista Cellars – but you probably know one half of the winemaking team behind it – Greg La Follette. One of the most respected winemakers and vineyard stewards in all of the wine world, Greg has launched numerous brands (La Crema, Hartford Court, Flowers, to name a few) and has been instrumental in cultivating the incredible success of Pinot Noir in Northern California. You may not readily know the other half of the winemaking team, but Patrick Dillon’s path to Alquimista – while Magellan-like in its navigation – makes complete sense as you come to comprehend his and Greg’s cooperative bond. From the U.S. Army, to a crab boat on the Bering Sea, to Pulitzer Prize winning journalism, writing, authoring, and being a VP in the tech industry – it’s no wonder he and Greg – who is himself a biochemist, seminarian, accomplished AIDS researcher, and a bagpipe player – are the pair of Alchemists leading this magnificent winemaking venture.
Yes, their credentials are very impressive, but the wines they’re crafting at Alquimista are truly transformational. Drinking these wines I felt myself born again into the world of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And I really want to focus this conversation on the wines, because if you’re reading this and wondering if these descriptions are too good to be true, I can only say that the alchemy is real and I implore you to purchase even just a few of them and let your taste buds thank me later (more on how to buy – with a discount! – at the end of this post). So, without further ado, let’s explore some of this dazzling portfolio that’s sourced from what I’d consider to be some of the best Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in Northern California.
2016 Haiku Chardonnay – a redolent nose of Chablis, this wine comes from the Haiku vineyard which sits at the mouth of the Russian River in Mendocino. Lemon zest, lemon curd, and graham cracker on the bouquet are lifted on the palate by a subtle pineapple and apricot core that has crisp acidity and a touch of mineral. Stunning to think this is from Northern California.
2017 Mes Filles Chardonnay – the opposite end of the location spectrum from the Haiku, Mes Filles is located at the southwestern-most part of the RRV. The bouquet is much more warm spice driven and met with hints of earth and stones while the palate offers notes of walnut, almond, and ripe red anjous pears. Obvious to the experienced palate that this is from the RRV, but it is not overdone, and not at all the popcorn you think you’re going to get.
2017 Manchester Ridge Chardonnay – a hard wine to describe (in the best way); it’s hard to place provenance as you might think Old World if tasted blind. Gardenia, jasmine, and freesia flowers open gently to a hint of sea spray and a very subtle hint of lightly toasted white bread. Grilled yellow stone fruit and vanilla bean (read: not vanillin from oak) with balanced acid. Insane wine from an incredible vineyard. This wine is worth every dollar.
2016 Confluence Pinot Noir Cuvée – this wine shows off each of the three vineyards used to blend it in a very unique way. Armstrong Redwood forest floor, juniper, pepper, and blueberries on the bouquet, driven home by a supple, indulgent, dark berry core with a long finish that is redolent of Russian River stone beaches.
2016 Convergence Pinot Noir Cuvée – this wine is absolutely stunning. Similar to the Confluence, you quickly are able to smell and sip through the incredible layers presented by a blend of Mendocino vineyards – perhaps much easier than the Confluence. This is a master class in winemaking, especially when it comes to blending a cuvée. The eucalyptus trees from the Oppenlander vineyard are certainly there, and the wet Mendocino deep-end soil is obvious. Gorgeous notes of red, blue and black berries intertwining through a red peppercorn and mineral body. If you buy no other wine, this is it.
2017 Mes Filles Pinot Noir – recalling how strikingly good the Chardonnay is from this site, the Pinot Noir is just as enchanting. A bit of a powerhouse, this is more of a masculine, somewhat muscular wine – not in alcohol – but in concentration of dark fruits and earthy, woody, and dark spice components. I wouldn’t complain if this was also made as a cologne (just in case the alchemists want another challenge). This is a Pinot Noir I will show off to my friends who proudly claim they only drink Cabernet. I paired this with a perfectly pepper crusted duck breast and I was not at all mad about it.
2017 Van der Kamp Pinot Meunier – for something extra fun and out-of-the-ordinary, these alchemists took a grape that’s traditionally the lesser used of the three noble Champagne grapes, and is rarely done as a single varietal still wine, and decided they would make the best one I’ve ever had. When I think of how this is used in Champagne, I think that this must be how it’s meant to taste as a still wine, especially when pressed whole cluster – sweet red cherries, red zinger tea, burnt orange peel, sugar dusted canapés. A wildly impressive and fanciful wine – serve it with a slight chill as an evening aperitif and watch your guests, wine lovers or otherwise, freak and geek out.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I’ve got a discount code for you (you made it this far, you deserve a little treat) that’s available to use for the month of September 2020. Head on over to the wine store at Alquimista Cellars and use the code “KACEY” at checkout for 20% off all of the current release wine for your wine cellar filling adventures (*a note that I’m not being compensated for this – I’m simply that excited by this project and these wines). One other thing I love about this project is their use of local artists to express each unique label – a really cool way to bring added inspiration to and from these wines. I can’t stress enough that if you’re a wine aficionado, or someone just looking for stellar wines that truly represent Northern California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (and Pinot Meunier!) in the ways that only wine whispering alchemists can do – Alquimista is an absolute must for your cellar. Huge thanks to Lisa and Kevin from AC for introducing me to these wines!
