Although we haven't yet submitted our wines to the big critics for review, I'm awfully humbled by the nice things some other folks have been saying:
Pinot Report Reviews '09 Couloir Wines Monument Tree Vineyard, Anderson Valley
"Outstanding" & "Smart Buy" "Medium-deep ruby color; deep, spicy aromas with dusty cherry notes; rich, ripe, bright cherry flavors with some spice and herbal notes; sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Bright, spicy Pinot that's drinking well right now. Delicious on its own. 143 cases made."
Pinot Report Reviews '09 Chileno Valley Vineyard, Marin County
"Silky and bright..." "Medium ruby color, complex spicy cherry and herbal aromas; rich, ripe bright cherry and spice flavors; some sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Silky, bright Pinot with really nice flavor. 100 cases made."
Pinot Report Reviews '09 Oppenlander Vineyard, Mendocino County
"Deep and complex..." "Deep ruby color; deep, complex dusty cherry and berry aromas with some forest floor notes; complex, deep cherry and berry flavors; earthy notes; some tannin and toasty oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Deep and complex, this Pinor calls for a nice cassoulet or braised beef. 118 cases made."
Pinot Report Reviews '09 Straight Line Pinot Noir, Mendocino County
"Bright and Delicious" "Medium ruby color; bright cherry cola and spice aromas; ripe, rich, bright, cherry fruit with spice and cola notes; silky texture; sweet oak; good structure and balance; long finish. Bright and delicious Pinot that drinks perfectly well by itself. 660 cases made."
Pinot Report Reviews '09 Roma's Vineyard, Anderson Valley
"Subtle and Elegant..." "Medium ruby color, very subtle cherry and spice aromas; lighter bodied, subtle stewed cherry and spice flavors; silky texture, elegant; good structure and balance; long finish. Lighter bodied Pinot with subtle and elegant flavors. 150 cases made."
#1 Wine Pick of the Year for 2011 - WestToast.com
"While attending the Taste of Mendocino event (which would easily earn my pick for best event of 2011), I came across Jon Grant, winemaker for Couloir Wines. The twitter world was blowing up at this event, talking about the Pinot Noir, with one in particular, the 2009 Oppenlander Vineyard Pinot Noir. When I first met Jon he was going on about the passion he has for wine and how he wants the story to be apparent when you open his wine. When you try the Oppenlander Pinot you will see Jon was right on the money."
The Wall Street Journal Blog - A Foodies Guide
"One of my favorites in the group: the 2009 Straight Line Tempranillo – a California easy-to-drink take on a classic Spanish varietal."
California Pinots at Their Finest - 7x7 Magazine by Jordan MacKay
Eric Asimov, the New York Times' wine writer, has a great article in this week's NYT dining section about the changing style of California Pinot Noir. Asimov declares that he favors a lighter, more subtle, food-friendly style of Pinot and I whole-heartedly concur. And... I'd like to add a couple of names to Eric's NYT list. These are lower-alcohol, food friendly, nuanced California Pinots at their finest. They make you want food, which in my opinion, is one of the primary responsibilities of any wine. Check 'em out: Couloir Wines
Marin County Wine Celebration - Grape Nutz Blog
A newcomer to the Marin tasting, Jon Grant’s Couloir Pinot was one of the standouts of the event.
Taste of Mendocino at Fort Mason - WestToast Blog
The final highlight of the day came from Couloir & Straight Line Wines. Proving the power of social media, I stopped by this table because I noticed several other wine bloggers commenting on the Pinot Noir. As I approached, winemaker Jon Grant was chatting it up with some other visitors and as I started to listen in I got the feeling that this guy was saying everything we love at WestToast. Jon believes in front loading the work to produce the best grapes he can and then let them go to work to produce great wine.
A low interference approach to wine making, Jon believes in letting the terroir come through in his wines. Jon produces both the Couloir and the Straight Line labels, with Straight Line being great quality and great value wines. Straight Line is the “work horse” for Jon so that he can also produce exceptional single vineyard Couloir wines.
I know there is a lot of doubt that California can stand up against Oregon Pinot, and I’ll be the first to admit that I love me some Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. But let me tell you, Jon is making some remarkable, lower alcohol Pinot Noir that tells a story about a place and time.
Mendocino Pinots - Serious Eats Blog
Highly Recommended. 2009 Couloir Oppenlander Pinot Noir has tart cherry and brambly blackberry flavors keep the full-bodied Couloir 2009 Oppenlander Vineyard Pinot dynamic; there's a push and pull between this wine's richness and it's bright acids. Hints of hibiscus tea, leather, orange peel, dark earth, blackberry jam, and black pepper come together in this mouthfilling wine. Smooth and luscious.
These Winemakers Love Wine, Not Meat - San Francisco Gate
Winemaker Jon Grant stopped eating red meat at age 12 and went vegan 15 years ago. None of which stops him from turning out reds...
Uncovering Treasures From Beyond the Golden Gate Standouts from Marin Celebration - JJ Buckley A Blog
Tasting through the pinots that were recently poured at the Seventh Annual Marin County Wine Celebration in Larkspur was a revelation. It had been about three years since I last had a chance to immerse myself in the wines from this emerging appellation. And while some of my past impressions were reconfirmed, at the same time, I gained a few fascinating insights that bode well for the region’s future: See 2009 Couloir Chileno Valley Pinot Noir...
