Pinot’s New Wave

Profiles of nine cutting-edge California Pinot producers

Maxem’s Sam and Nancy Kaplan in one of their Anderson Valley vineyards in Sonoma, California
Sam and Nancy Kaplan have joined forces to produce some of Sonoma’s top 2022 Pinot Noirs from their Maxem label, named for their two children, Max and Emma. (Jak Wonderly)

The ongoing surge of California Pinot Noir as a category is being driven by a growing number of labels that focus on small-production, single-vineyard wines. The following profiles highlight nine of these cutting-edge producers, including some side projects from winemakers whose main jobs are at other wineries. Get to know them all, as well as their recent releases from 2021 and 2022!

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