2019 Greg La Follette GLF Pinot Noir North Coast 750 ml

Greg La Follette is the founding winemaker of Flowers—plus 13 other wineries—and his skills make him a Pinot Noir MASTER in California. A Yoda. An O.G. He is, in fact, the last apprentice of Napa Valley legend André Tchelistcheff, and his CV is beyond impressive.

There is not enough room here to list all of his accolades. What follows is the tip of the iceberg.

A former biochemist who was an early AIDS researcher at UCSF, he holds a master’s degree from UC Davis. He’s had a hand in designing and launching acclaimed wineries, including Flowers, Hartford Court, and La Crema. He’s also a longtime research viticulturist who has helped plant and tend countless vineyards, winning him an unmatched level of respect—as well as access to top sites.

The core of his GLF is in the Russian River Valley, primarily from vineyards like Hawk’s Roost Ranch, Hall Road, and Ektimo. Hawk’s Roost Ranch, which furnished 50% of the grapes for this wine, boasts the rare clone 123, aka Klevner Mariafeld, which originated in Switzerland and is noted for its deep color, intense perfume, and firm tannins. This wine was also whole-cluster fermented, giving it a beautiful spiciness that will only intensify with age.

Plush and buoyant, this Pinot shows class and pedigree at every turn. It's a bottle you'll want to pop open for your Pinot-hound friends every chance you get.