Dorothy “Dottie” Gaiter & John Brecher
June 2024
simply good grapes, simply made
Simply good grapes, simply made. That’s the second most common cliché among wineries these days about how they make awesome wines, and we’ve found it to be untrue much of the time. Too often there’s too much of a heavy hand, even in expensive wines. That especially bothers us when it comes to Pinot Noir, which should be ephemeral and speak in a quiet voice. So we were delighted to taste this Voon Wines ‘Nada from Sta. Rita Hills ($58, sent by the winery). “It looks, smells and tastes like honest Pinot Noir,” we wrote. “Good aromatic fruit, beautifully balanced in the mouth, with a long, somewhat luxurious finish. This did not have any of the ‘too big Pinot Noir’ stuff. Just good, ripe fruit.” It was excellent with roast pork. — Dottie & John
Wine enthusiast
may 2024
Voon 2021 sta. rita Hills pinot noir & 2022 Sta. rita hills Chardonnay both rated 94 points by wine enthusiast
94 pts
Superb
A great achievement
Crunchy aromas of raspberry and cranberry excite the nose on this bottling, which also shows sagebrush and light incense touches. The palate is zesty with an acidity that lingers long, lifting the orange peel and pomegranate flavors. — Matt Kettmann
This bottling is a collaboration between San Francisco tech industry veteran Evan Anderson and Santa Barbara County winemaker Jessica Gasca. It offers delicate but highly engaging aromas of honeysuckle, cake batter, lemongrass and mint on the nose. The palate is grippy with chalky overtones that wrap around the lime peel and zesty herb flavors. — Matt Kettmann
FORBES
FEBRUARY 2024
These Are Some Of The Best Pinot Noirs—That Aren’t Burgundies
Here is a group of very well made Pinots, none that you would mistake for another.
“VOON Sta Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2021 ($68). Located in the cooler terroir of the Sta Rita Hills, Voon was founded during the pandemic by Evan Anderson as a small-production winery. Winemaker Jessica Gasca believes in low intervention in making Pinot with intensified flavors in the grape. So, you get a fruit-driven wine with a silky texture, ready to drink now. There is also a 2022 available at $68. (By the way, the abbreviation “Sta Hills” is used due to a protest by a Chilean winemaker who in that country’s Santa Rita region.)”
— John Mariani
wine industry network
JANUARY 2024
Introducing VOON Wines
LGBT-Owned San Francisco-Based Wine Label Focuses on Small Production, Low Intervention Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
“With the release of its debut vintage in 2023, VOON is a new, LGBT-owned wine label focusing on low-intervention, small-production wines and a whimsical aesthetic. Founded in San Francisco by Evan Anderson, the label’s inaugural Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are farmed organically in the cool-climate Sta. Rita Hills of California’s Central Coast, known for world-class, balanced and expressive wines…
…
VOON’s long-term vision involves introducing wine drinkers to the unsung heroes of grapes and regions often overlooked in the mainstream. In 2024, VOON will unveil a special edition Pinot Noir, a Grüner Veltliner, and a single vineyard Grenache, all grown in the Sta. Rita Hills, showcasing the label’s commitment to exploration and discovery.”
food & wine
JANUARY 2024
VOON’s founder Evan Anderson was quoted in January 2024 in an article in Food & Wine on Pinot Noir and Merlot
What Is the Difference Between Merlot and Pinot Noir?
These two popular red wines are far from interchangeable — here's how to know which one to order.
“Pinot Noir is notorious for being particularly difficult to find the perfect balance, both in the vineyard and the winery,” explained Evan Anderson, founder of VOON Wines in the Sta. Rita Hills. “The grapes have thin skins and ripen early, meaning that they’re particularly susceptible to pests and diseases, and can be harmed by early frosts, so they need to be managed very thoughtfully, particularly in organic vineyards like the ones that go into VOON.”
The timing of harvest is of paramount importance, he added, since “picking just a day too early or a day too late can make a significant difference in the final wine. If a vintage is too warm, or you let the Pinot Noir grapes hang on the vine too long, you can get that ‘extracted’ flavor in the wine – too much jammy fruit character flavor…Balance is critical in making all wines, [but] with Pinot Noir, it can be trickier than with other grapes to achieve a balance of acidity, tannin, alcohol, and complexity of flavor because the grapes are so sensitive.”
— Brian Freedman