May 5, 2013
Cork Dork Etude: Inspired Wines of the Carneros the Gardener: Got Organic Grapes? Bravium: Relish the Acidity Rivers-Marie: 2010 & 2011 Reflect the Challenges of Farming on the Edge Dunstan Wines from Durell Vineyard Foursight Wines: Family Excels with Pinot COBB Wines: No Wine Before Its Time Sips of Pinot: Wines Tasted Recently Rosé and Chardonnay: Recently Sampled Wines Pinot Briefs
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Failla Wines
| Owner(s) | Ann-Maria Failla, Ehren Jordan |
| Web site | www.faillawines.com |
| Link to this site |
Ehren Jordan's biography reads like something out of a Ken Kersey novel. While a young adult studying art history and classic archeology at George Washington University, he took a part time job in a retail wine shop. The experience convinced him to flee to the West, eventually settling in Aspen, Colorado, where he skied, worked busing and waiting tables and eventually becoming a resident sommelier. Armed with the accumulated experience from his retail and restaurant exposure, he set his sites on the coastal region of California.
Arriving in the Napa Valley, he applied for a job as a part time tour guide at Joseph Phelps where he met Bruce Neyers, the Vice President of Phelps. Jordan quickly advanced within the company, and became the head of regional and national marketing, eventually hired to do cellar work and winemaking.
He then moved to Europe to work for Jon Luc Columbo in France's rhone Valley where he honed his Syrah-Grenache skills. After returning stateside, he renewed his association with Neyers, taking the winemaking job at Neyers in 1994 and then at Turley in 1996.
Failla (pronounced FAY-la) was originally founded as Failla Jordan in 1998, taking its name from the husband-and-wife team of winemaker Ehren Jordan and fellow debtor Anne-Marie Failla. That year the Estate vineyard on the Sonoma Coast was planted and together they began buying fruit for their first releases, the very Rhône-style ‘98 Alban Vineyard Viognier and ‘98 Que Syrah Syrah. Jordan also obtained Pinot Noir from Summa Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast years ago. After three vintages, legal issues over the use of the word Jordan (as in Jordan Winery) in the name forced them to continue the label as simply "Failla".
"Failla" debuted with a new Chuck House-designed label in the fall of 2002. The original label, designed by Anne-Marie's sister Marybeth, has been archived and the first three vintages will join either the pantheon of collectors' items or the fraternity of the oddities bin.
The lineup of wines (which includes Chardonnay and Syrah) are sold through a mailing list. The business address is 3530 Silverado Trail in St. Helena. 707-963-0530
Ehren spent several years looking for unique, cool-climate Pinot Noir sources. After tasting Marcassin's Pinot Noir from the Fort Ross-Seaview region of the Sonoma Coast, he bought 43 acres from a couple of pot farmers on what is known as the Gualala Ranch. The Failla Estate Vineyard consists of 11 acres of organically farmed Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah.
The portfolio has included Pinots from the Hirsch Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast (added in 2001) as well a Keefer Ranch in Green Valley. The 2005 vintage brought Pinot Noirs from Occidental Ridge on the Sonoma Coast, and Rancho Santa Rosa in the Santa Rita Hills north of Santa Barbara. 2006 included Appian Way Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley, as well as Peay Vineyards and Estate Pinot from the Sonoma Coast. In 2011, vineyard sources include Hudson Vineyard (Chardonnay), Haynes Vineyard (Chardonnay), Pearlessence Vineyard (Sonoma Coast), Whistler Vineyard (Sonoma Coast)
Articles About Failla Wines
Along The Pinot Trail: 2013 World of Pinot Noir (9.23 4/13/2013)
Blast from 2011 World of Pinot Noir (8.33 3/12/2011)
Celebrated Vineyards Focus Tasting (7.24 8/28/2009)
Embarrassment of Riches: California (9.1 1/11/2012)
Green Valley Pinot Noir: The Secret is a Three Letter Word (8.11 2/15/2010)
In Pursuit of Balance: A Discriminating Goal (9.20 2/26/2013)
Marcy Keefer & Craig Strehlow: Keefer Ranch (6.62 7/19/2008)
Pinot Briefs (9.21 3/23/2013)
Sips of California Pinot Noir: Recently Sampled Wines (9.23 4/13/2013)
The 9th Annual World of Pinot Noir (7.16 4/18/2009)
West Sonoma Coast Vintners (8.32 3/1/2011)
Reviewed Wines
2011 Failla Occidental Ridge Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $N/A.
·
Moderately light
reddish-purple color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with cherries and red rose petals. The flavor doesn’t match
the aroma, offering highly delicate red fruits backed by very lacy tannins. Shallow but pleasant. Decent.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2011 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $35.
·
Moderately light reddish-purple color in the
glass. Well-perfumed with fresh berry jam and spice. Middleweight flavors of black cherries and
black raspberries which show good ripeness, backed by suave tannins and zingy acidity. The finish
comes up a bit short. Not extraordinary, but a solid wine for the dinner table. Good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2011 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $46.
·
Medium reddish-purple color in
the glass. Shy aromas of red cherries and berries, oak, stem and balsam. Mid-weight flavors of red cherries
with a savory herb and smoky oak accent in the background. Soft in the mouth with gentle tannins and bright
acidity. Well-crafted, but doesn’t have the ripeness and stuffing I have come to expect from this stellar
vineyard. I do like it for its femininity. Good.
Reviewed April 13, 2013
ARTICLE »
2009 Failla Hirsch Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.9% alc..
Unreleased.
·
Delicious and seductive, this beautifully crafted wine has the whole
package of modest alcohol, bright and fresh berry aromas, discreetly
concentrated dark berry flavors, bright acidity, well-proportioned tannic
backbone, smooth mouth feel and lengthy aromatic intensity. Still very young,
but possesses a very bright future. One of the best Pinot Noirs I tasted over the
three days. Very good (+).
Reviewed March 12, 2011
ARTICLE »
2009 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $30.
·
Dark
reddish-purple color in the glass. Complex nose offering scents of
dark berries, brier, redwood, oak cask, bacon and rose petals. Fairly
intense array of dark red raspberry and red plum flavors with a savory
oak and floral undertone. Straightforward with a pleasingly rich mouth
feel. Good (+).
Reviewed January 11, 2012
ARTICLE »
2007 Failla Vivian Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., unreleased. Founded in 1998, Failla is
the project of winemaker Ehren Jordan and his wife Anne-Marie Failla. Jordan has a distinguished history of
winemaking at Neyers Vineyards and Turley Wine Cellars. His Pinot Noirs, which are sourced from prime
California coastal vineyards, have been superb of late.
·
The nose is light, airy and slightly grassy. Tasty and
intense boysenberry core with lively acidity on a lingering finish.
Reviewed April 18, 2009
ARTICLE »
2007 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $47.
·
The nose is dominated by
purple fruits, mushrooms, oak and brioche. On the palate, the flavors echo the aromas with added interest
offered by savory herbs. Smooth and full-bodied, even muscular, with silky tannins, good acidity and some
persistence on the fruity finish. Decent.
Reviewed February 15, 2010
ARTICLE »
2006 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $45.
·
Confected cherries, exotic
spices, and dried herbs fill the nose. Delicious and juicy black cherry flavor with a sidecar of anise
and savory herbs. Silky smooth and seamless with diaphanous tannins. A little bigger than the Keefer
Ranch label, but hard to choose between them.
Reviewed July 19, 2008
ARTICLE »
2011 Failla Occidental Ridge Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $N/A. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with cherries and red rose petals. The flavor doesn’t match the aroma, offering highly delicate red fruits backed by very lacy tannins. Shallow but pleasant. Decent. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2011 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $35. · Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Well-perfumed with fresh berry jam and spice. Middleweight flavors of black cherries and black raspberries which show good ripeness, backed by suave tannins and zingy acidity. The finish comes up a bit short. Not extraordinary, but a solid wine for the dinner table. Good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2011 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
13.5% alc., $46. · Medium reddish-purple color in the glass. Shy aromas of red cherries and berries, oak, stem and balsam. Mid-weight flavors of red cherries with a savory herb and smoky oak accent in the background. Soft in the mouth with gentle tannins and bright acidity. Well-crafted, but doesn’t have the ripeness and stuffing I have come to expect from this stellar vineyard. I do like it for its femininity. Good. Reviewed April 13, 2013 ARTICLE »
2009 Failla Hirsch Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.9% alc.. Unreleased. · Delicious and seductive, this beautifully crafted wine has the whole package of modest alcohol, bright and fresh berry aromas, discreetly concentrated dark berry flavors, bright acidity, well-proportioned tannic backbone, smooth mouth feel and lengthy aromatic intensity. Still very young, but possesses a very bright future. One of the best Pinot Noirs I tasted over the three days. Very good (+). Reviewed March 12, 2011 ARTICLE »
2009 Failla Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
13.9% alc., $30. · Dark reddish-purple color in the glass. Complex nose offering scents of dark berries, brier, redwood, oak cask, bacon and rose petals. Fairly intense array of dark red raspberry and red plum flavors with a savory oak and floral undertone. Straightforward with a pleasingly rich mouth feel. Good (+). Reviewed January 11, 2012 ARTICLE »
2007 Failla Vivian Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., unreleased. Founded in 1998, Failla is the project of winemaker Ehren Jordan and his wife Anne-Marie Failla. Jordan has a distinguished history of winemaking at Neyers Vineyards and Turley Wine Cellars. His Pinot Noirs, which are sourced from prime California coastal vineyards, have been superb of late. · The nose is light, airy and slightly grassy. Tasty and intense boysenberry core with lively acidity on a lingering finish. Reviewed April 18, 2009 ARTICLE »
2007 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $47. · The nose is dominated by purple fruits, mushrooms, oak and brioche. On the palate, the flavors echo the aromas with added interest offered by savory herbs. Smooth and full-bodied, even muscular, with silky tannins, good acidity and some persistence on the fruity finish. Decent. Reviewed February 15, 2010 ARTICLE »
2006 Failla Keefer Ranch Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
14.1% alc., $45. · Confected cherries, exotic spices, and dried herbs fill the nose. Delicious and juicy black cherry flavor with a sidecar of anise and savory herbs. Silky smooth and seamless with diaphanous tannins. A little bigger than the Keefer Ranch label, but hard to choose between them. Reviewed July 19, 2008 ARTICLE »
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