15 Apr Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Ancient Oak 2024 Pinot Meunier, Van der Kamp Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain

When planning salmon for dinner, Pinot Noir is a classic pairing. But another grape that works beautifully with salmon is Pinot Meunier, a grape I enjoy every time I come across a new bottling to try. The Ancient Oak 2024 Pinot Meunier from Van der Kamp Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain was no exception, making it the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

About Ancient Oak

Ancient Oak is a family-run winery founded by Ken and Melissa Moholt-Siebert. Their first wine, produced in 2006, came from Siebert Ranch in the Russian River Valley, a vineyard with deep family roots. What began as a small project making a few hundred cases has gradually grown while maintaining a hands-on, small-lot approach. The winery focuses on native fermentations, manual punchdowns, and careful barrel selection to highlight the individuality of each vineyard source. In 2014, winemaker Greg La Follette joined the team, bringing decades of experience with cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The winery faced a significant challenge in 2017 when the Tubbs Fire destroyed the Siebert Ranch vineyard. Since then, the family has been rebuilding and replanting, continuing their commitment to crafting thoughtful, site-driven wines sourced from both estate fruit and carefully chosen family-farmed vineyards. The fruit for this wine comes from the organically farmed Van der Kamp Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain, home to one of the oldest plantings of Pinot Meunier in California. The vines were planted in 1952 and sit at 1,500 feet elevation on the north-facing bench of the mountain. The vineyard’s soils – thin topsoil mixed with loam, volcanic material, and decomposed riverbed – help produce wines with structure and complexity while maintaining freshness from the cool, elevated site.

Tasting Notes

Pinot Meunier is most widely known as one of the three primary grapes used in Champagne, alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While it plays a major role in sparkling wine production, it is rarely bottled on its own as a still red wine. And, in California, Pinot Meunier remains extremely rare, accounting for less than one percent of vineyard plantings. The grape’s name comes from the French word for “miller,” referencing the fine white hairs on the underside of its leaves that resemble flour.

The Ancient Oak 2024 Pinot Meunier shows bright red fruit aromas of strawberry, raspberry, and cherry, with subtle floral and savory notes. On the palate, it is light on its feet yet structured, with lively acidity and a clean finish.

Food Pairing

The Ancient Oak Pinot Meunier is an excellent partner for baked salmon with garlic butter and sautéed mushrooms and shallots. The wine’s acidity balanced the richness of the salmon, while its bright red fruit and subtle earthiness complemented the mushrooms beautifully.

Where To Purchase

The 2024 Ancient Oak Pinot Meunier, Van der Kamp Vineyard retails for $50. To purchase a bottle, contact Melissa at Ancient Oak.