2022 Littorai Pinot Noir One Acre

The 2022 Littorai Pinot Noir One Acre captures the purity and finesse that have made Littorai one of California’s most admired Pinot Noir specialists. Sourced from a single, meticulously farmed site, this wine offers a focused, terroir-driven expression of Sonoma County Pinot. Crafted in small quantities, it combines elegance, aromatic complexity and a beautiful sense of place that will appeal to both collectors and serious Pinot Noir enthusiasts. One Acre stands out for its precision and balance: it’s simultaneously vibrant and delicate, with an artisanal, hands-on approach guiding every step from vineyard to bottle. Littorai has been at the forefront of site-specific, Burgundian-inspired winemaking in coastal California since the 1990s, and this cuvée reflects that long-standing commitment to sustainable farming and minimal-intervention winemaking.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 One Acre Pinot Noir shows a translucent ruby to garnet hue, with a luminous clarity that hints at its finesse-driven style. The nose opens with high-toned red fruits—wild strawberry, raspberry and pomegranate—layered with rose petals, blood orange zest and subtle notes of forest floor, Asian spice and a whisper of fine oak. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied, silky and finely etched, with a core of vibrant red berry fruit framed by lively acidity and ultra-refined tannins. Hints of tart cherry, cranberry, orange peel, black tea and savory herbs add complexity as it unfolds in the glass, leading to a long, lifted finish that remains fresh and precise rather than heavy. While already approachable in its youth, this 2022 Pinot Noir has the structure and balance to evolve gracefully over the next 7–10 years, gaining further nuance and tertiary complexity with proper cellaring.

Production
One Acre is sourced from a small, carefully tended Pinot Noir parcel in Sonoma County, where cool coastal influences and well-drained soils help produce wines with tension, depth and aromatic detail. Littorai farms its vineyards using organic and biodynamic principles, encouraging biodiversity and soil health to let the site speak clearly through the fruit. Grapes are harvested by hand at optimal ripeness, then sorted meticulously to ensure only pristine clusters make it into the fermenters. Vinification is deliberately gentle: partial whole-cluster use may be employed depending on vintage conditions, fermentations rely mainly on native yeasts, and extraction is kept subtle to preserve finesse and fragrance. The wine is aged in French oak barrels (a modest proportion new) to add texture and complexity without overwhelming the purity of the Pinot fruit, and is bottled with minimal intervention to maintain vibrancy and authenticity.

Food & Serving
This refined Pinot Noir is highly versatile at the table. It shines with roasted poultry (especially duck or herb-roasted chicken), grilled salmon, seared tuna, pork tenderloin, mushroom risotto, and dishes featuring earthy ingredients like morels, truffles or root vegetables. It also pairs beautifully with soft, bloomy-rind cheeses such as Brie or Camembert and mild, washed-rind styles. For optimal enjoyment, serve at 14–16°C (57–61°F). Decanting for 30–45 minutes can help the aromas open up in its youth, though a gentle pour into large Burgundy stems and some time in the glass will also allow this wine to reveal its layers.

Producer
Founded by winemaker Ted Lemon, Littorai has been a benchmark name in coastal California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since the early 1990s. After training and working in Burgundy, including at renowned domaines, Lemon returned to the United States with a clear vision: to craft site-specific, age-worthy wines from the best cool-climate vineyards along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. Littorai was an early pioneer of sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming in the region, emphasizing low-input viticulture and restrained, terroir-focused winemaking. Today, the estate is widely regarded as one of the most important producers in Sonoma County, with a track record of critical acclaim and a loyal following among collectors who prize finesse, balance and authenticity in California Pinot Noir.