Failla makes cool climate California wines from Cazadero estate vineyards and named Sonoma Coast sites.
The producer
Ehren Jordan and Anne Marie Failla launched Failla with a focus on cool climate wines. The California producer farms Cazadero Estate Vineyard, where Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are grown, and works with named Sonoma Coast sites including Hirsch, Occidental Ridge, Peay, Pearlessence, Whistler, Savoy and Platt for Pinot Noir. Failla pairs practicing biodynamic farming with minimalist, hands off winemaking, using egg shaped concrete fermenters and neutral oak so fruit and place take the lead.
Known for
Cool climate Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir
Notable facts
Failla's first vintage was released in 1998.
Cazadero Estate Vineyard covers eleven acres planted to Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Failla has eight Chardonnay bottlings and three Syrah bottlings.
Failla practices biodynamic farming.
The story
From Art History To Wine
At George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Ehren Jordan studied art history and took a job stocking shelves at a wine and spirits shop, mainly for the beer discounts. He returned to California in 1994, when Bruce Neyers tapped him as the founding winemaker at Neyers Vineyards. Jordan later took charge of winemaking at Turley Wine Cellars. In 2003, he sold his stake in Neyers to build a winery in St. Helena, where he had originally made the Failla wines. The Failla tasting room opened in 2010.
From the atlas
Failla
California producer working from Cazadero estate vineyards and named Sonoma Coast sites, with cool climate Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir.
At A Glance
Focus
Detail
Producer
Failla, California
Estate
Cazadero Estate Vineyard
Estate grapes
Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Range
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Trousseau, Gamay and Savagnin
Approach
Biodynamic farming with minimalist, hands off winemaking
The Producer
Ehren Jordan's first Syrah grapes were farmed and fermented while he worked for Jean Luc Colombo in Cornas in the early 1990s. A two year apprenticeship in the Rhône Valley followed, shaping his approach to farming and winemaking.
Failla combines hands on farming with minimalist, hands off winemaking. Jordan commonly uses egg shaped concrete fermenters and neutral oak so fruit and place remain prominent in the wines.
Place
Cazadero Estate Vineyard is planted to Syrah, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Failla also owns a plot on Olivet Road on the Sonoma side, adjacent to Olivet Vineyard, which has produced Chardonnay since 2013.
The vineyard names extend beyond the estate. Failla's Pinot Noir program includes Hirsch, Occidental Ridge, Peay, Pearlessence, Whistler, Savoy and Platt.
Story
Ehren Jordan and Anne Marie Failla launched their label in 1998 with a focus on cool climate wines. The first blocks of the Cazadero Estate Vineyard were planted that same year.
Jordan initially planted the Estate Vineyard to Chardonnay and Syrah, followed by Pinot Noir. The estate program therefore holds those three grapes at its centre, while the wider range moves into named vineyard bottlings and other varieties.
Wines
Failla's red wines include Lola Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ferrington Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Olivet Ranch Trousseau and Olivet Ranch Gamay. The white wines include Olivet Ranch Savagnin, Olivet Ranch Chardonnay, Fort Ross Seaview Chardonnay and Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Failla has eight Chardonnay bottlings and three Syrah bottlings.
Failla Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2020 is Chardonnay, with 60% of its fruit from Olivet Ranch holdings and individual vineyard sites. It fermented with naturally occurring yeast, 5% of the grapes fermented with skin contact, and the wine underwent malolactic fermentation. Its élevage used 25% concrete eggs, 25% neutral foudres, 25% older neutral 318 litre puncheons, 10% new French oak, 10% stainless steel and 5% amphorae. In the glass it shows green apple, lemon, a hint of butter, distinct salinity and flinty minerality.
Final Word
Failla's California range joins Cazadero estate vineyards, named Pinot Noir sites and a Rhône trained approach to farming and winemaking.