The Rhône meets the Central Coast
While the Edna Valley's Pinot Noirs are a shared success story, interest in the area's Rhône varietals can largely be attributed to the success of boutique winemaker John Alban.
"I started a winery because I fell in love with Viognier," says Alban, who, when he planted his first 30 acres of the grape in 1993, practically doubled the worldwide acreage of the almost-forgotten varietal. Alban's Viognier, as well as his Syrahs, have gained international attention ever since critic Robert M. Parker Jr. wrote a few years ago that the wines are "a reference point for what Rhône varietals can achieve in California."
Though the quality of Edna Valley wines has matched and sometimes exceeded those of the Napa or Russian River Valleys, the crowds have not. "We're sort of a mellow appellation, reminiscent of the Napa Valley 30 years ago," says Baileyana's winemaker, Christian Roguenant. Tasting rooms like the historic schoolhouse used by Baileyana might have only one or two couples leisurely tasting wines. Drive the two-lane roads midweek, and you'll pass only a few other cars. As Speizer puts it, "The Edna Valley is all about the wine. When you're in the tasting room, you're 25 feet away from the vineyard, and there's a good chance you're actually going to meet the winemaker or owner."
And his chickens.
