Tasting Notes
"The wine is a blend of only 3 barrels: 1 from Laguna, 1 from Ron Rey, and 1 from Harmony Lane (the first two sites go into the Sonoma Coast appellation blend). It is on the juicier, slightly more opulent side but really ready-to-drink and playful."

The Appellation
This appellation is widely described as sprawling as it encompasses half or more of the county. Our fruit comes from two of the coolest, most coastal parts of this appellation: the low coast, west of Sebastopol on the edge of the Petaluma Gap; and the high coast, the first or second ridge inland from the ocean farther to the north. These sites are united by the direct influence of the Pacifics cool, marine air, delaying ripening well into October.

The Winery
Anthill Farms is an exciting project that focuses on producing exceptional Pinot Noir from a broad range of North Coast vineyards. The properties are managed with intensive and meticulous farming practices, with minimal ecological impact. As for winemaking, there are two unchanging goals: to make wines that express the growing site and the characteristics of the vintage above all else, and to make wines that, simply put, taste good. These goals require gentle handling from crushing to bottling, judicious use of oak, and, perhaps most importantly, leaving the wine alone as much as possible.

We didnt know whether the name was really great or really dumb, admits Anthill Farms Winery partner Webster Marquez. It came about because were all winemakers and people would see us all scrambling around trying to grab the same hose at once; they said it was like watching a bunch of ants. This trio of antsMarquez, Anthony Filiberti and David Lowmet while working at Sonomas Williams Selyem. Says Marquez, We realized that we have the same approach: using Pinot Noirthe most transparent grape in the worldto communicate the way vineyards from cooler areas create distinctive wines. The partners themselves farm many of the small plots where they buy their grapes, and the results of this labor of love are remarkably seductive wines that combine concentration and finesse. Now that the company has grown from producing 200 cases in 2004 to 1,800 this year, the trios work is becoming ever more demanding. Notes Marquez, Its a good thing were young and dont need much sleep. Food & Wine Magazines Most Promising New Winery 2009

Farming Practice:Practicing Biodynamic