Wine of the week: Pampering Pinot Noir at Decoy

Dana Epperson has her sights set on grooming “charmers.”

The associate winemaker of Decoy is behind our wine-of-the-week winner - Decoy, 2013 Sonoma County Pinot Noir at $25.

What makes this pinot a standout is its sassy Bing cherry fruit, coupled with bright acid. It’s layered with notes of strawberry, mushroom and white pepper, and this pinot has good bones (structure). It’s a great find for the quality.

“I want our pinot noir to be elegant, charming and balanced,” Epperson said. “I also want to be true to the variety. I am not a fan of over-extracted and over-worked pinots.”

The key to making exceptional pinot noir, Epperson said, is to pamper it.

“We harvest by hand and do gentle punch-downs and minimal racking to preserve the beautiful fruit aromas and fine, silky tannins,” she said.

While pampering the grapes is crucial, great pinot also rides on the diversity of those grapes, Epperson explained.

“The diversity of our vineyards is a huge asset,” she said. “This pinot noir incorporates grapes from a few very distinct appellations, including Russian River Valley, Carneros and the Sonoma Coast. Each one brings something special to the blend … ”

What makes Epperson a good fit for making pinot noir is that she likes to test her mettle.

“It’s one of my favorite grapes to work with, probably because it can be the most challenging,” she said. “The picking decisions have to be just right, and the oak needs to be perfectly integrated so that it creates a bridge of structure under the fine tannins, while not overpowering the more delicate aromas. Making great pinot noir takes experience.”

Epperson was raised in Wine Country and the wine world beckoned her from an early age.

“I’m a third-generation Sonoman,” she said. “I grew up immersed in the wine community, and I did my first internship at Pacific Wine Partners while I was at Analy High School in Sebastopol. Making wine is something that I have wanted to do since I was a kid.”

Epperson graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in food science in 2006.

“After college, I jumped in feet-first with my boots in the dirt, working my way from the vineyards to the winery,” she said.

Before joining Decoy last year, Epperson worked at several wineries, including Ferrari-Carano in Healdsburg, Edna Valley Vineyard in San Luis Obispo and Artesa Vineyards & Winery in Napa.

“Beyond my vineyard roots, I would say that my strength is being easygoing and approachable,” Epperson said. “I believe in empowering my team. Having a strong, communicative and educated team makes better wines.”