Brogan Cellars

Owner(s)	Margi Wierenga
Web site	www.brogancellars.com

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It's nothing fancy - a bare bones, makeshift winery arranged under a carport roof in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley. You will find there's a sense of déjà vu at Brogan Cellars, and for a good reason. Besides sharing father Burt Williams' hearty laugh and passion for Pinot Noir, she has pursued a similar course in her winemaking career.

Margi was a teenager when her father, Burt Williams, started making the first Williams Selyem wines in a bathtub in a basement beneath their garage in the late 1970s. For several years she worked as a volunteer at her father's winery housed in a garage in Fulton before taking a paid position in 1993 at the Westside Road facility. In between, she worked in different capacities at Hop Kiln Winery. In 1998, she decided to follow in her father's footsteps and start her own winery.

Brogan Cellars, named after Margaret's ("Margi's") paternal grandmother, had all the earmarks of a mom and pop operation. "It was a bootstrap business run on a lean $75,000 start up budget," she says. Her husband, Mike, who owns a refrigeration company, is a handyman who rigged up her winemaking equipment. They use small old dairy vats for fermenters and purchased most of the other equipment, including a tiny crusher. The barrel-aging room, office and tasting area are in a tight, 800 square-foot converted garage that Wierenga was happy to call home until 2002, when additional space was obtained in Hopland, 30 miles north of Healdsburg.

In 2004, Margi and Mike's son James joined Brogan, adding a third generation to the family business. And customers, too, become family at Brogan. During the harvest, many still volunteer to help with the crush.

Margi crafts age worthy Pinot Noirs from premium vineyards in the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley (her father's Morning Dew Ranch). At times she produces other varietals as well. Most of the wine (less than 2,000 cases annually) is sold to an eager mailing list. Tasting by appointment. 707-473-0211.

Articles About Brogan Cellars

Anderson Noir Valley Pinot (Pt I) (7.18 5/26/2009)
Buena Tierra Vineyard (7.3 10/1/2008)
Pinot Briefs (8.3 10/15/2009)
Pinot Noirs from Producers Outside the Anderson Valley that Source Grapes from within the Anderson Valley (6.60 6/9/2008)
Pinots from the Edge (6.57 4/7/2008)
Small Sips of Russian River Valley Pinot (7.9 1/1/2009)
Small Sips of the Russian River Valley (6.63 8/4/2008)
Some Other Enjoyable Sonoma Coast Pinots (6.14 1/29/2007)
Tasting of Anderson Valley Pinot Noirs (6.28 6/3/2007)
Well-Bred Pinots Tasted Recently (6.24 4/30/2007)

Reviewed Wines

2007 Brogan Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.1% alc., $40. · Deep, richly perfumed nose featuring black raspberries and Asian spice. Satisfying cherry and berry fruit, subtly oaked and spiced, with a moderate tannic backbone. Light and silky in the mouth. Not as rich on the palate as the nose would suggest but a good drink. A Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Sonoma Harvest Fair Wine Competition. Reviewed January 1, 2009 ARTICLE »

2007 Brogan Cellars Morning Dew Ranch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

13.6% alc., $50. · The most restrained nose in the lineup showing less fruitiness and more stem, oak char and good barnyard. A solid berry fruit core peeks out and there is good balancing t n’ a, but this wine is tight. There is enough charm to indicate good things are ahead, but I wouldn’t even think about popping the cork on this one for another few years. Reviewed May 26, 2009 ARTICLE »

2006 Brogan Cellars Morning Dew Ranch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., $45. · Shy aromas of cherry syrup, grass and barnyard. Dark red earthy fruits Good acid spine. Not showing particularly well right now but Margi’s wines need some time to develop. Be patient. Reviewed June 9, 2008 ARTICLE »

2006 Brogan Cellars Morning Dew Ranch Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

14.4% alc., $45. Aged 11 months in 50% new French oak barrels. · High-toned nose showing aromas of deep red Pinot fruits, leather hide, seasoned oak and a touch of grass. Vibrant and vigorous strawberry, raspberry, cranberry and pomegranate fruits which taste like the best fruit punch you have ever had. Plenty of vim and vigor due to lively acidity, well-integrated tannins, a sense of delicacy and a finish that keeps on delivering for over 30 seconds. Uncle! Reviewed May 26, 2009 ARTICLE »

2006 Brogan Cellars Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.8% alc., $45. · Medium-dark reddish-purple color. Complex and interesting nose which changes in the glass. It begins with black cherry, plum, and a hint of oak spice and adds grilled meat scents over time. Blacker fruits, including black raspberry and some raisin are dominant. Finishes clean with a citrus-laden finish. With time in the glass, more oak peeks out. Reviewed August 4, 2008 ARTICLE »

2006 Brogan Cellars Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., $45. · Light reddish-purple in color. Some grassy and barnyard accents to the red fruit. Tasty red cherry flavors with the grassy theme carrying through to the finish. Light and more feminine than many Brogan Pinot Noirs, it is well-balanced and easy to drink. Not winemaker Margi’s best wine, but still quite decent. Reviewed April 7, 2008 ARTICLE »

2005 Brogan Cellars My Father’s Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

13.0% alc., 150 cases, $60. Aged in 50% new French oak barrels for 15 months. · The nose will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand erect. Oodles of black cherries, berry pie, sage, Moroccan spice, and violets. Wow! A richly flavored wine brimming with black raspberries with a hint of citrus peel in the background (think lemon custard with raspberries). Even some spearmint flavor shows up. A very interesting wine which still has enough structure to go the distance. Reviewed May 26, 2009 ARTICLE »

2005 Brogan My Father’s Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

13.0% alc., 150 cases, $60. · This is a dark wine brimming with sweet ripe red fruits probably from whole cluster influence. It is juicy, vivid and alive with great richness of flavor. The finish is clean and sports an interesting hint of pink grapefruit. Website: www.brogancellars.com. Reviewed June 3, 2007 ARTICLE »

2004 Brogan Cellars Anderson Valley Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., 100 cases, $40. The first wine from Burt Williams’ vineyard. · The nose is a knockout featuring heady fresh berries, black cherries, spices and a hint of oak. Literally intoxicating. Luscious dark fruits with a dusting of oak char. Plenty of body and weight but supported beautifully by balancing sandy tannins and acidity. A marvelous wine that is drinking at its peak. Reviewed May 26, 2009 ARTICLE »

2004 Brogan Cellars Summa Vineyard Young Vine Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

14.1% alc., $60. · This baby is a deep dark purple color. The aromas of toasty oak and plump dark cherries waft in the glass. The body of the wine is rich and offers dark black cherries, earth and sage. The smooth finish is outrageous. This is a big wine that is beautifully composed and complete in every way. Delightful! Reviewed January 29, 2007 ARTICLE »

2004 Brogan Cellars Summa Vineyard Young Vines Sonoma Coast

14.1% alc., $60. · This is a deep dark purple Pinot Noir that draws you in with a sumptuous dark cherry and toasty oak aromas. The lush fruit fills the mouth and the outrageous finish is brimming with dark cherries and spice. This is a brilliantly crafted and regal wine. Reviewed April 30, 2007 ARTICLE »

2004 Brogan Cellars Buena Tierra Vineyard Helio Doro Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.8% alc., 220 cases, $75. Aged in 75% new French oak, unfined and unfiltered. · Demure scents of Bing cherry, toast and a touch of barnyard. Immensely satisfying wild red berry and red cherry flavors wrapped in baking spices and chicory. Delicate and bright with a suave texture, slippery tannins and a flashy aromatic lift on the finish. This is drinking beautifully now and is definitely “sex in a glass.” Reviewed October 1, 2008 ARTICLE »

2003 Brogan Cellars Buena Tierra Vineyard Helio Doro Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.1% alc, $75. Aged 15 months, unfined and unfiltered. · Shy nose of black cherries, black rasberries and baking spice. Delicious black cherry and blackberry core with chocolate accents and a citric note on the clean finish. The powerful black raspberry scent carries a finish that lasts at least half a minute. Reviewed October 1, 2008 ARTICLE »

2002 Brogan Cellars Buena Tierra Vineyard Helio Doro Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

14.2% alc., $75. Aged 11 months in 75% new French oak. · Dark earth-kissed cherry and berry aromas are echoed in the flavors. The ripest, thickest and most brooding of the Brogan wines sampled. A touch dry and rough with a slight citric tang on the finish. Reviewed October 1, 2008 ARTICLE »

2001 Brogan Cellars Buena Tierra Vineyard Helio Doro Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

13.5% alc., $75. Aged 14 months in 50% new French oak. · Very enticing aromas of black cherries, oak, mocha, sage and spearmint. Bright and sweet black cherry flavors with a little plum, cola and earth notes. Fairly dense and structured with a silky texture and a dry finish. Lip-smacking good. At its peak now, but will hold a few more years. Reviewed October 1, 2008 ARTICLE »