Some Anatum wine was left for me at the Good Times office on Dakota Street in downtown Santa Cruz. I contacted Chris Broaddus, owner and winemaker at Anatum, to thank him—only to find out he didn’t leave it. Probably an Anatum wine enthusiast out there wanted me to try Anatum’s Pinot Noir.
After chatting with Broaddus, I was all set to do a tasting of his wines at one of Shadowbrook’s Wine Wednesdays, but it was cancelled because of the shelter-in-place order. I’m looking forward to going to Anatum’s tasting room—when it’s open to the public again—to try the rest of their wines. They also make Chardonnay, Trousseau, and a pinkish-amber Pinot Gris that makes you think of Strawberry Fields Forever.
This estate 2017 Pinot Noir ($22) is from organically grown grapes individually tended to with the utmost care. “On the spectrum,” says Broaddus, “this Pinot Noir is on the bigger, bolder end.” Fruity flavors of plum, stone fruit, cigar, and berries, make this food-friendly Pinot Noir a tasty pairing with just about any food. A stir-fry I made with rice, bok choy and other veggies was a wonderful match-up with this bold and delicious Pinot.
Anatum Winery, 375 Falcon View Terrace, Watsonville. 831-430-6123. Anatumwines.com.
Wine for Father’s Day
Father’s Day is on June 21, so there’s plenty of time to get your pater some good local wine. Also, there are many wine-related events going on during the shelter-in-place order, including virtual tastings on Sundays. Visit the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association website for more info on this, and check out their new PremierPass wine-tasting experience as well.
Gift certificates for wine tastings make a great gift, and quite a few wineries are now doing their own merchandise. Stockwell Cellars has some cool swag like hoodies and T-shirts, and the winery owner of MJA Vineyards (Marin Artukovich) grows coffee in Kona, Hawaii, and sells it in his tasting room on the Westside. And who doesn’t love Champagne—aka sparkling wine! Head to Equinox Wines, also on the Westside—they make the best.
