Who makes it
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.
Where it grows
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.
What they make
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.