Uncorked: Stancliff making a mark in Petaluma Gap

Geographic variety has provided Erica Stancliff with a wide selection of choices.

The winemaker at Pfendler Vineyards in California’s Petaluma Gap AVA, Stancliff has three distinct estate vineyards from which she’s made a pair of exciting wines. Pinot noir and chardonnay have thrived in the Petaluma Gap, which has only been an AVA since December 2017, and the tension between the fruit, earth and acidity in the wines is as striking as the area’s foggy mornings, sunny afternoons and windy evenings.

“I think the differences in the soils, wind and fog exposure and the elevations are incredibly essential to our ability to create wines that are elegant yet complex, delicate yet vibrant,” said Stancliff, who also is the president of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance.

While the Petaluma Gap is not as recognized as established cool-climate sites throughout the state, it has made its mark in a short time. It has differentiated itself from the Sonoma Coast, Sta. Rita Hills and Carneros, as the wind comes from the Pacific Ocean and heads toward the San Pueblo Bay. The surrounding hills run east and west, and serve as a wind tunnel.

Because it’s always frigid, air with origins over the Pacific Ocean slows the AVA’s growing season compared to its neighbors. On April 15, the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast had 8 inches of growth on Petaluma Gap vineyards. Mix in a cold wind and morning fog, and the growing season starts slowly and lasts longer, which Stancliff said is “magic for a winemaker because it really lets the flavors develop (in the grapes).”

The Pfendler Vineyards Pinot Noir 2019 ($55) was grown in Halgren Vineyard, 2,200 feet above sea level on the western slopes of Sonoma Mountain. Aspect ratio to the sun helps ripen the fruit as the wind-whipped vineyard sits above the fog line.

There are raspberry, cherry and pomegranate flavors with a velvety mouthfeel. The wine had a number of characteristics that added to its depth: brooding, acidic, playful and textural. As a winemaker, Stancliff is a self-professed minimalist.

“With high-quality fruit, all I do is add a little yeast, make sure it’s happy, and let it roll,” Stancliff said.

She wants to be as hands-off as possible, yet she still studies the pinot noir from other regions as a reference point for the work she does in the vineyard and cellar.

“Pinot has such a broad stroke of what it can be,” Stancliff said. “There’s such a stylistic color palette when it comes to making pinot noir. Being able to see similar nuances is fun, as a winemaker drawn into learning more about other AVAs.”

For the Pfendler Chardonnay 2019 ($45), Stancliff has access to all three vineyards, and the wine had green apple, honeysuckle, white flower blossom, marzipan, fresh lemon squeeze and lemon zest. The mouthfeel was both creamy and zesty. It was a tension, or as she called it, a “volume in the mid-palate,” that forced you to tune in to what was going on through the entire tasting experience.

“Chardonnay has a huge, broad spectrum,” Stancliff said. “If someone tells me they don’t like it, I say, ‘Hold on, there’s a million styles out there that should be tried.’”

Even if she hit a number of those styles with the Pfendler Chardonnay, the result is what proprietor Kimberly Pfendler has come to expect.

The two met at the 2018 Sonoma County Barrel Auction, and found a kinship in their palates. Stancliff was the vice president of the PGWA, at the time, and made wine for her family’s Trombetta Family Wines. When asked what stood out about Stancliff as a winemaker, Pfendler had a one-word answer.

“Everything,” said Pfendler, whose first career was as a Hollywood producer. “I know that I can completely trust her to make the most of our fruit while honoring the focus of the label, and I love the professionalism and energy she brings to the project. She impresses me constantly. She is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the Petaluma Gap AVA, and she is strong in her role as the PGWA president. We also have a natural, easy communication, and working with her has been both positive and fun. I hope that we can work together for many more years.”

With Pfendler’s Pullis Vineyard scheduled for a replant, the future could see the production of a sparkling wine.

“We are looking at doing some bubbles,” Stancliff said. “Especially with the wind and elevation. We have the right weather for it, and I love acid-driven bubbles. I was just talking about how fun that would be with Kimberly. But, we are also going to take a look at what else we can do. I love the site because it has so much versatility in what we can do.”

Tasting notes

Jansz Sparkling Rosé ($27): Flavors of ripe red apple, sweet cherry, hints of buttery brioche bun and a creamy mid-palate. Gold bar-colored, just faint hints of pinks. From Tasmania and awesome.

The Paring Syrah 2016 ($28): Garam masala, cardamom and red meat on the nose. Blackberry compote flavors with hints of anise in the mid-palate. Silky texture. Jonata’s second label.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.