COLOUR
Red
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2017
GRAPE
Pinot Noir
PRODUCER
Littorai
REGION
California
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Medium
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Medium - High
Finish
Medium - Long
Intensity
Mid - Pronounced
Tannins
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
Littorai Wines, founded in 1993 by Ted and Heidi Lemon, is a benchmark producer of biodynamic Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in California. Ted Lemon, who trained in Burgundy and was the first American hired as an estate winemaker there, focuses on expressing the unique terroirs of the true Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley. The Savoy Vineyard, situated in the cooler northern end of Anderson Valley near Philo, was planted in 1991. It is widely recognized as one of the region's premier sites, featuring complex clay loam soils over sandstone and a climate heavily influenced by Pacific fog, which yields wines of exceptional elegance and longevity.
ALCOHOL
13.2%
AVG. PRICE
€85
STYLE
Classic
VEGAN
YES
SULPHITES
When to drink
Now or Later
Ideal temperature
14-16°C
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Founder Ted Lemon was the first American ever hired as an estate winemaker in Burgundy, at Domaine Roulot in Meursault.
Fact 02
Savoy Vineyard is widely considered a 'grand cru' site of the Anderson Valley, featuring a diverse mix of Pinot Noir clones.
Fact 03
Littorai practices strict biodynamic farming, treating the vineyards as self-sustaining living organisms.
FOOD PAIRING
Read more
WINE MAKING PROCESS
Winemaker Ted Lemon employs traditional, low-intervention Burgundian techniques. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted. Fermentation occurs in small, open-top fermenters using native yeasts. The 2017 vintage utilized a portion of whole clusters (typically around 15-25% depending on the block) to add structural complexity and aromatic lift. The wine was aged for approximately 16 months in French oak barrels, of which only about 25% were new, ensuring the oak integrates seamlessly without overpowering the delicate fruit. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
