By Bruce Neyers

Friday 19th December, 2025

The 2023 Pinot Noir ‘Placida Vineyard’ – An elusive dream

When I met Chuy Ordaz back in 2005, I liked him immediately. Tadeo and I visited with him at one of the rugged hillside vineyards he managed on the Sonoma County side of the Mayacamas Mountains. His face was tan and weathered – as expected for a man who had spent the past 50 years working outdoors. His handshake was firm, and his eyes were alert and friendly. Most striking was the way he moved around the hillside vineyards, taking long, sure strides with the agility of someone half his age. Initially we bought just Chardonnay grapes from Chuy, but it was only a matter of time before he proudly took us to see his Placida Vineyard – 20-acres of vines on the south-eastern lip of the Russian River. A one-acre section of the vineyard was propagated using budwood from the late Joe Swan’s vineyard, a property just a few miles down the road in Forestville. That plant material had a reputation for low-yielding vines that produced fruit of high quality and uncommon complexity. I knew Joe well, and while he seldom compared his Pinot Noir to red Burgundy, he comfortably served the two side by side. I always admired Swan Pinot Noir, as it was often the best example of wine made from that grape in California.

When Chuy offered to sell us some of his fruit, Tadeo and I were on board at once. We’ve been buying the entirety of the crop from the ‘Swan Parcel’ ever since. It’s a small block – barely one acre – and that warm spring afternoon when we first visited, I was particularly struck by the beauty of the vineyard. Chuy gave us a short but thorough tour, providing detailed information on the soil – Gold Ridge Clay-loam – the vine spacing – tight — his pruning techniques – complicated — and historic yields — low. It was exactly what we were hoping to find for our Neyers Winery Pinot Noir project. Our original enthusiasm has been confirmed repeatedly over the years, and I’ve grown increasingly impressed with the old-world characteristics of our Placida Vineyard Pinot Noir bottlings. In a cool growing season like the one we enjoyed in 2023, the vines take their time maturing the grapes – we harvested on October 9 — and we were rewarded with a wine of handsomely dark color, subtle yet exotic aromas of blackberries and plums, and complex spices — Cardamom, Nutmeg, and Allspice. Most attractive though, is the long, delicious finish that surrounds the wine, making it gratifying to drink. After 10 months of aging on the lees, we bottled 80 cases of our 2023 Pinot Noir ‘Placida Vineyard’ on August 19, 2024. The wine was neither fined nor filtered, and we captured all of the charm nature provided. Barbara frequently reminds me of the versatility of Pinot Noir, and she enjoys seeing me select a bottle because she knows that whatever she prepares, the wine we serve with it will be just fine.

Royal Corona Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked Rancho Gordo Royal Corona beans
• 1 can of whole tomatoes, 28 ounce can
• ½ onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 sticks Rancho Gordo Canela or Ceylon (soft) cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• Fresh lemon juice
• Italian parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. Remove any tough parts or skins of the canned tomatoes.
2. In a blender combine the tomatoes, onion, and juice from the tomatoes until smooth.
3. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and tomato mixture.
4. Add the oregano and the Rancho Gordo Canela or Ceylon cinnamon and bring to a simmer for approximately 15 minutes. The tomato sauce will begin to thicken.
5. Add the cooked beans and heat until the beans are warmed through.
6. Transfer to serving bowls and top each bowl with a few drops of lemon juice and chopped parsley.