2022 Anthill Farms - Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Baker Ranch Vineyard

The 2022 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir from Baker Ranch Vineyard embodies the distinct voice of Anderson Valley’s cool-climate terroir. Anthill Farms, a small, partner-run winery built by three former cellar hands, crafts vineyard-driven Pinot Noir that speaks clearly from bottling to bottling, rather than chasing a single-house style. This Baker Ranch fruit-driven bottling showcases that philosophy in a single-vineyard expression.

Baker Ranch sits deep in Anderson Valley near the town of Philo, sheltered among redwoods and Douglas fir just above Hendy Woods. The east-facing vineyard rests on shallow, slate-based soils with unusually high mineral content and a pH for California that leans toward the alkaline side. The vines are roughly twenty years old and are farmed without irrigation by the Baker family. Much of the planting is Swan clone, a heritage material said to have Burgundian origins, lending a defined sense of place to the wine.

Aromas unfold with rhubarb, juniper, cracked pepper, and tea leaves, gradually revealing the wine’s layered personality. On the palate, expect a concentrated, energetic profile with a crunchy acidity that keeps the wine buoyant and long on the finish. Chalky tannins provide texture, while citrus notes and a hint of floral perfume emerge as the wine opens in the glass.

With its vineyard-driven specificity and mineral-driven spine, this Pinot Noir from Baker Ranch offers a distinctive interpretation of Anderson Valley terroir—ripe enough to charm on release, yet structured enough to reward careful aging in a cool, dark cellar.

Suggested pairings: grilled quail, roasted root vegetables, or a nutty aged Gruyère.