27 Jul Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Dinner at Panther Ridge Vineyard and Three Expressions of Pinot Noir

Located 1,000 feet up on Sonoma Mountain, Panther Ridge Vineyard sits above Sonoma Valley on the eastern edge of the Petaluma Gap. Looking out from the vineyard, it felt like we could almost see the ocean. The sun was shining and the temperatures were hot but the view was mesmerizing. I was there for a dinner with owner Suzanne Farver and winemakers Adrian Manspeaker and Gary Brooks who also make wine with Panther Ridge Vineyard fruit. Three Pinot Noirs from the same vineyard yet so different, paired with a delicious meal, and then with the most incredible views, this dinner at Panther Ridge Vineyard is the Please The Palate pick of the week.

Suzanne Farver and her husband purchased the property in 2013. When they bought the property, the hillside was covered by hay and thistle. But Suzanne had a plan and proceeded to plant 10,000 vines of Pinot Noir, for a total of 7 acres. The Pinot Noir clones planted are the Calera clone, which produces flowery, fruity wines, and Clone 115 which provides structure and depth. Three years later they harvested their first crop. The vineyard has been farmed without chemicals or pesticides since the beginning and was certified organic in 2019. Today they also follow biodynamic practices. It is a beautiful, healthy vineyard with cobbled rocks and gravel soils that we had the pleasure to walk through.

Suzanne sells 75% of her Pinot Noir, and two of the people who purchase the fruit are Adrian Manspeaker of Joseph Jewell Wines and Gary Brooks of Brooks Note Winery. Not only do Adrian and Gary both make Pinot Noir from Panther Ridge fruit, but Adrian makes the Panther Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noirs for Suzanne, and Gary makes Suzanne’s Rosé of Pinot Noir.

We sat down for a dinner catered by Preferred Sonoma Caterers and started with a glass of the 2023 Panther Ridge Rosé of Pinot Noir. It was paired with a salad of grilled summer peaches, arugula, and Brie. It was a perfect combination for a hot summer day!

Each course that followed the salad featured one of the three Pinot Noirs from Brooks Note, Panther Ridge, and Joseph Jewell. All three wines were made with fruit from Panther Ridge Vineyard.

The 2022 Brooks Note Panther Ridge Pinot Noir, a blend of the Calera and 115 clones, was paired with hot smoked salmon with citrus whipped mascarpone, rye crumbles, and fennel relish. Brooks used stem inclusion in his Pinot Noir which offers ripe red fruit aromas and lovely earth and savory notes. The Brooks Pinot Noir offered elegant freshness.

The 2021 Panther Ridge Pinot Noir was paired with braised pork ragu with pappardelle. The Panther Ridge Pinot Noir, also a blend of the Calera and 115 clones, was aged in 20% new French oak for 16 months. This Pinot Noir has notes of tart cherry, ripe red fruit, black tea, and spice. The Panther Ridge Pinot Noir is a more structured and richer Pinot Noir.

The 2021 Joseph Jewell Panther Ridge Pinot Noir, also a blend of Calera and 115 clones, was paired with 14-hour slow-braised beef short ribs with truffle demi-glace and parsnip mash. The Joseph Jewell Pinot Noir has notes of dark cherry, violets, orange peel, and wet stone. In comparison to the other two Pinot Noirs, this one is a more fruit and mineral-driven Pinot Noir.

It was really interesting to taste three Pinot Noirs from the same vineyard and yet each was so unique. And each wine was paired with the dish best suited for it.

As the sun set, the moon rose, the stars came out, and we enjoyed our final course, the 2021 Panther Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve with Dark Chocolate Pot au Creme and Vanilla Tuille. The Panther Ridge Reserve is a barrel-select bottling and while I would normally not recommend pairing Pinot Noir with chocolate, this pairing really worked. It was the perfect end to the evening.