2013 Handley Cellars Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 750 ml

A Pinot Pioneer Hits Its Peak

Twenty-five years ago, Anderson Valley was California’s best-kept secret. Even the most ardent Pinot Noir collectors refused to make the 100-mile drive from the Golden Gate Bridge to the sparsely populated hillsides above the small towns of Boonville, Philo, and Navarro in the northwestern quadrant of Mendocino County.

But after Sonoma’s greatest Pinot Noir-makers turned their attention to this unique spot — drawn by the cool microclimate, steady breezes off the Pacific, and high-elevation hillside plantings — that all began to shift. In the last decade, those same reluctant collectors, clad in Patagonia fleeces, began to flock to the chilly Sonoma coast to snap up tiny-production lots from the likes of Wells Guthrie at Copain, Matt Licklider and Kevin O’Connor at red-hot LIOCO, Eric Sussman at Radio-Coteau, Peter Knez at Knez Winery, and the Anthill Farms trio of Webster Marquez, Anthony Filiberti, and David Low.

Now, following 2013 — the vintage of our CAREERS in Anderson Valley — all bets are off.

A quick word of advice: If you’re a collector, do as we are doing. Lay down 2013s from the likes of Kistler, Dutton-Goldfield, Radio-Coteau, Morlet, Peter Michael, and Copain. All are can’t-miss purchases.

And if you’re a bargain-hunter? Bust open the piggy bank. Cash out the IRAs. Convince your kids that the education at state schools is every bit as good as the Ivies. Then treat yourself to every top-pedigree, under-$25 outlier you can stuff in the cellar — none as magnificent as the 2013 Handley Pinot Noir. Here’s why.

Barely a drop of rain fell in Anderson Valley during the summer months of 2013. Still, temperatures remained unusually mild, with the mercury rarely topping 80 degrees in the cooler microclimates. Nights were cool, keeping berries pert and acidity firm. At Handley Cellars, located on the chillier, northern side of the valley, vines were gently irrigated, mitigating the risk of hydric stress. When the call to harvest was made, natural sugar levels were exceptional. The black juice of the tiny berries was delicious, yet skins were thick and acids piercing.

One of the pioneering wineries of the Anderson Valley, Handley has been crafting its signature style of supremely balanced, fruit-driven Pinot Noirs since 1982, but NEVER has it turned out a high-toned gem like today’s 2013. “It was one of those vintages that makes a winemaker look good,” said Randy Schock, co-winemaker at Handley along with founder Milla Handley. “It was an early vintage, which meant that the fruit had all the time it needed to ripen on the vine. But because we’re located all the way up on the north side of the valley, acids remained firm, making for an incredibly balanced, fruit-forward wine.”

The flagship 2013 Handley Pinot Noir is culled from the estate vineyards just down the road from Roederer Estate and the steep hillsides of Handley’s RSM Vineyard, as well as William Selyem’s historic Ferrington Vineyard, which provides an added suppleness and spice. Vibrant ruby in the glass, the nose shows plush, ultra-sexy aromas of black raspberry preserves, dark cherry, and sweet spice. Cranberry, pomegranate, and candied cherry take center stage on the entry, accented by clove and cinnamon, all braced by textbook, cool-climate acidity. Long and plush on the finish, with all the natural opulence of the greatest vintage in 20 years.

At the original $32 release price, the 2013 Handley Pinot Noir would still be a steal. But, at $19 — the best price in the NATION — the 2013 falls into the category of MUST-case-buy. Just 900 bottles available, exclusively on WineAccess.