FEL Wines Savoy Vineyard Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2022

FEL is one of those under-the-radar industry secrets we’re hesitant to share too loudly and proudly – the winemaking and sourcing are impeccable, and the prices? Even better. Case in point: When you get 3 bottles of this single-vineyard beauty, it’s yours for UNDER $30 a bottle!

FEL Wines is a side project of Yountville’s prized Cliff Lede Vineyards, with wines made in tribute to Cliff’s mom, a brilliant gardener and home winemaker named Florence Elsie Lede (peep the gorgeous floral label, also designed in her honor). It was founded in 2011 and produces generous, terroir-centric wines out of Anderson Valley.

This 2022 Pinot Noir comes from Savoy Vineyard in the northeastern side of Anderson Valley, near the town of Philo. This is a site primed for Pinot perfection – the climate, the soils, the positioning... it all comes together to grow world-class Pinot Noir grapes with great power and expressiveness. It’s a favorite site for top-notch producers like Williams Selyem – whose own 2022 vintage from the same site goes for upwards of $200 a bottle and scored 97 points from James Suckling. FEL winemakers Ryan Hodgins and Sarah Green pull so much character from the 2022 fruit into the bottle, creating something bright and persistent, with a refreshing balance.

There’s dense, dark cherry fruit, earthy finesse, and layered complexity that knows no bounds. The palate unveils dried red fruits and roses, along with spiced oak and hints of pretty hibiscus. It’s medium in body, with loads of character and a mineral-laced, almost minty finish that pulls you in for more. This is unendingly delightful, so powerful, and yet somehow delicately layered and exquisitely balanced. The winery sent us the last of the vintage – which they sold for $80, but you can find exclusively here for under $30 when you order 3 or more (free shipping, too)! We genuinely love when values like this come around, because it certainly doesn’t happen every day. Grab a few while they last!

PAIRING IDEAS: Nothing I love more than a simple and quick yet delicious dinner with an amazing wine. Get out the old sheet pan for this one, and throw on some sliced chicken sausage, red onion, bell peppers, and halved baby potatoes with a drizzle of good olive oil and your favorite seasonings; roast at 400 for 20 minutes. So satisfying yet ridiculously easy.