United States · California

Littorai

Littorai Wines, founded by Ted and Heidi Lemon in 1993 on the extreme Sonoma and Mendocino coasts, is recognized as one of California's most rigorous and intellectually serious Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers. Ted Lemon, who trained at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy and was later winemaker at Domaine Guy Roulot, applies Burgundian principles—biodynamic viticulture, whole-cluster fermentation, indigenous yeasts, and minimal SO2—to a roster of single-vineyard California coastal sites. The portfolio includes Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, and Fort Ross-Seaview AVA vineyards. Savoy Vineyard and The Haven are benchmark sites; Charles Ranch from the Mendocino Ridge adds high-altitude complexity. At auction, 808 lots average $87 per bottle reaching $523—modest pricing reflecting Littorai's cult-without-scarcity positioning: critical acclaim from Burgundy-focused buyers who prefer the $80–120 range over speculative $500+ bottles. The 2014 vintage is the top auction year. Ted Lemon's insistence on single-vineyard transparency and biodynamic farming has made Littorai a reference point for thoughtful California Pinot production.