2013 Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir Fiddlestix 750 ml

17 Vintages Later, A Late Master Sommelier’s Dream Lives On

When Michael Bonaccorsi, the 20th American to earn the prestigious Master Sommelier title, died suddenly of a heart attack in early 2004, it sent shockwaves through L.A.’s tight-knit restaurant and wine community. The 43-year-old Bonaccorsi had risen to fame and a rare affection managing Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills.

Five years earlier, the dream had just begun. Michael and his wife, Jenne Lee, had launched the Bonaccorsi Wine Company, sourcing grapes from prime vineyards throughout Santa Barbara County. A grief-stricken friend told the Los Angeles Times obituary writer of a pivotal moment captured on film from the first World of Pinot Noir tasting in 2001: A nervous Michael pouring for Aubert de Villaine, the legendary managing director at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the greatest winery in the world. “I captured a photograph of Aubert sipping,” the friend said, “and the expression on Aubert’s face said it all — he was giving Michael a thumbs-up with his eyes.”

Over the next couple of years, Bonaccorsi wines garnered critical acclaim, laying the groundwork for Michael’s legacy. After her husband’s tragic passing, Jenne vowed to keep Michael’s dream alive, and to carry the torch.

By 2006, Wine Spectator ranked Bonaccorsi among the world’s “Magnificent 30” Pinot Noir producers. A decade later, if there’s any doubt about Jenne’s success, just look at the recent praise heaped on her in issue #226 of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: “All of these latest releases from Jenne Bonaccorsi are noteworthy, and she makes a very classic, savory and complex style of Pinot Noir that will appeal to Burg lovers more than those craving huge Cali fruit.” The Wine Advocate called Bonaccorsi’s 2013s “outstanding,” especially the 93-point 2013 Fiddlestix Pinot Noir.

Burgundy lovers know that the greatest Pinot Noir in the world, of course, is grown on the calcareous slopes in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. After Burgundy, two small quadrants on the California coast are the next best thing — Sonoma Coast and Sta. Rita Hills, set on the Santa Barbara coastline. Both are greatly influenced by morning fog as thick as pea soup. In the latter, far more extreme setting, where the mountains run east-west in lieu of north-south, a thick fog coats the Sta. Rita Hills every morning.

Ten miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Fiddlestix Vineyard is across the road from the Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, just south of the Santa Ynez River and below Sea Smoke. Here in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, 40-degree diurnal temperature shifts occur on summer days, even if daytime highs rarely exceed 80. The growing season — one of the longest in the New World — often stretches from late March to mid-October!

There is little doubt that “Fiddlestix” has become a clear signifier of quality on a wine label — as renowned as Sanford & Benedict, drawing the likes of Arcadian, Dragonette Cellars, Hitching Post, and Rusack to purchase fruit. The mineral-rich, well-draining soils yield pristine, richly concentrated, BB-sized berries year after year. The mix of Pommard, Dijon, and Swan clones lends a distinctly savory, structured, and sleek tannic profile to the resulting wines.

We were floored by the sheer Burgundian sophistication of the 2013 Bonaccorsi “Fiddlestix” Pinot Noir, which earned matching 93-point scores from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and Antonio Galloni’s Vinous. Dark ruby color. Nose of perfectly ripened red & black berries, baking spices and cola. Firmly structured palate with a sappy, fleshy texture.  The balance is a standout here and this was our favorite wine from the entire Bonaccorsi lineup. Many, many years ahead of it. Drink now - 2035.

Superb at the $50 release price. From Jenne Lee Bonaccorsi to the WineAccess membership, especially the red Burgundy lovers and collectors among us. Just $44.99 today, and the legacy of America’s 20th Master Sommelier lives on.