Lafond Winery: Quiet stop, distinctive wines

When you belly up to a winery tasting bar and are joined by a vineyard owner, you know you’ve picked a good winery to visit.  And being able to find out just why “A Man of the Trade” chose to take the time to check out a particular winery is even more revealing.  This is just what happened at the Lafond Winery, in California’s Santa Rita Hills.

At first, it seemed that this guy was just looking to wet his whistle on the way back home to Paso Robles after a winemaker’s conference in Santa Barbara, but this was not the case.  He really wanted to make the stop because of all the good things he had heard about Lafond.

So why not go along for the ride?  So, following his lead, we went right to the reds, Pinots first.  But Lafond doesn’t just have a lot of Pinot blends, some are actually dedicated to particular clones of the Pinot Noir grape.

There are a lot of details surrounding this, but by listening to the experts and concentrating on the 777, Pommard, and Martin Ray clones, everyone was able to better understand why there is such mystique surrounding Pinot Noir.  Once you start blending clones, it gets crazy, so a Pinot winemaker has to know every nuance.

At the end of the Pinot tasting, most of our small group favored the Martin Ray clone’s deep almost spicy complex of red berries with a lasting finish sure to move into meaty pairing possibilities.  Thanks go to “Bob the Winemaker” for offering such good advice.  Lafond will always remain on the list as the perfect place to learn more about Pinot Noir in a quiet setting.

As for their Syrah, it was totally surprising to find such a big wine in Santa Rita Hills.  It was by far one of the most robust in an area known for Pinots and Chardonnays.  If you are looking for a Syrah with a distinctive dark fruit characteristic that brings out some toasty vanilla without a bite, theirs is one to try.  They also have a Syrah/Grenache blend that is even softer and is sure to pair with a variety of roasted poultry.

Lafond is a highly recommended “must stop” when visiting the Santa Rita hills (near Northern LA), especially if you like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah.  Their tasting flight is ready to oblige.