2003 Tandem Auction Block Pinot Noir

Tandem Vineyards was founded by Greg La Follette, a much-admired Napa Valley winemaker who learned his trade at Beaulieu Vineyards, Kendall-Jackson, Jarvis, Flowers and other Napa producers. Tandem was founded in 2001 to produce small-lot Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In 2009 La Follette took on a business partner and investor, vintner Pete Knight, and the estate was renamed La Follette. Greg continues as winemaker. The estate sources grapes from Mendocino, the Sonoma Coast, the Russian River Valley and the Sonoma Mountains. La Follette makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

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.