2017 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Comptche Ridge Vineyard Mendocino County California 750 ml

Anthill Farms makes some of California’s best and most in-demand Pinot Noirs, hands down. So in-demand that much of their tiny production is typically siphoned off by Michelin-starred restaurants like The French Laundry, Quince, The Progress, and Spruce, bolstering their all-star status.

The Wall Street Journal went as far as naming Anthill “rock stars of Pinot Noir.” And the 2017 Comptche Ridge is like an all-access backstage pass to meet them, an intimate tour of raspberry, cherry, mandarin, and hibiscus aromatics, with a palate of fruit punch and hints of black tea. The type of vibrant and balanced wine that Pinot-heads would cut a blank check for—but that's not necessary here.

Anthill’s trio of Williams Selyem alums has exceeded the hype again with this lifted and energetic 2017 Comptche Ridge Pinot, which Vinous’ Antonio Galloni called “one of the most intriguing, layered Pinots” in the region and “one of my personal favorites in this range” in his 94-point review.

Wine Access member-favorite Anthill Farms has been compiling a mountain of critical praise since its founding in 2004. A frequent Anthill fan, Galloni called their wines “some of the most distinctive wines being made in California today,” while Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate ranks them among “the most transparent, graceful Pinots” in the state. 

Webster Marquez, Anthony Filiberti (an alum of Bergström and Hafner), and David Low met while working at Williams Selyem following years of cellar-rat apprenticeship around the country. They didn’t want to make Pinot that tasted like Burgundy, nor were they interested in the extremely ripe, heavy styles coming out of California. With their day jobs taking care of the bills, they focused on tiny-production, cool-climate Pinot expressive of meticulously-farmed vineyards.

Their winemaking prowess and nose-to-the-grindstone dedication translates to remarkable consistency, producing showstopping Pinots year after year. As Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s most influential Masters of Wine, said: “Whatever the vintage, I’d be confident in recommending virtually any Anderson Valley Pinot from Anthill Farms.”

Part of that success stems from their keen eye for fantastic vineyards, like the family-owned Comptche Ridge Vineyard. Just 12 miles from the Pacific and 857 feet above sea level, it’s a haunting, rustic Pinot wonderland, surrounded by Redwoods, Douglas Fir, and meandering creeks. Its cool temperatures and sandy-clay Franciscan soils give rise to delicate and fresh Pinot Noir. The site is dry-farmed, an environmentally-friendly practice that forces roots deeper in search of water, which means lower yields and distinct, concentrated, and focused grapes. 

Anthill Farms, the rock stars that they are, lead the pack when it comes to cool-climate, non-interventionist winemaking, producing a sophisticated elegance and structure that’s on full display in their 2017 Comptche Ridge Pinot Noir.