Imagine tasting three wines made from the same grape variety, with the same winemaking methods, and by the same winemaker at the same winery. That’s a lot of “sames.” You would think the wines would look, smell, and taste pretty much—you guessed it—the same.

But why would a winery bottle three wines with different labels if they’re all so similar? Because there’s one important difference between them: the grapevines—all Pinot Noir but not the same (sorry for the repetition!).

During an online seminar and tasting with Chris Kajani, Bouchaine Vineyard’s skilled winemaker of nearly a decade, I tasted Pinot Noirs made from three clones: Swan, Pommard, and Calera. Each clone has unique traits that give the wine its distinct flavor. Tasting them was eye-opening. It helped me grasp the “how and why” of using clones in the vineyards.

We’re Not Talking ‘Dolly the Sheep’ Here

What does “clone” mean in wine? In viticulture, a clone is made by taking a cutting with buds from a grapevine (the “mother” plant) and planting it to grow a new vine, making a genetically identical copy.

Why make clones? Cloning high-quality vines preserves and passes on desirable traits such as disease resistance, flavor profiles, and growth habits in new plantings.

If the clone is genetically identical to its parent, how can the new vine produce a different style of wine? While clones start as genetic copies, slight variations can occur over time as they are cultivated in different environments. They are often identified and given names or numbers based on their specific traits. Wine producers can then select and plant different clones, resulting in different types of the same variety of wine. For example, some clones of Pinot Noir make bold and robust wines, while others are pale-colored with amazing floral aromas.

Bouchaine Vineyards

Bouchaine Vineyards is located in the Carneros AVA in southern Napa Valley. Its shallow clay loam soils are ideal for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The soils force the vines to dig deep for water, promoting depth and concentration as the roots struggle through ribbons of obsidian, quartz, clay, and volcanic deposits.

The vineyards overlook San Pablo Bay towards San Francisco, where fog, wind, and cold nighttime temperatures give the wines their distinctive regional character. The area is about 25 degrees cooler than the northern parts of Napa, making it perfect for growing Pinot Noir, which performs best in a cooler climate.

Kajani crafts five different single-clone bottlings, and she compares Pinot Noir clones to different types of tomatoes. “There’s a reason we all use heirlooms, Roma, cherry tomatoes, and more for different purposes when cooking—they each have distinct flavor profiles and characteristics, and the same is true for the amount of variation that can be found across clones of Pinot Noir.”

Kajani says she and her team started bottling the clonal wines separately to highlight the clones and show the best of the estate and of Carneros. “We are obsessed with these volcanic soils, says Kajani, “and certain parts of the vineyards really show the clonal differences in the wine. I think the clones all sing different songs and highlight the many wonderful things we love about Pinot Noir.”

Tasting Notes: Three 2021s, Three Unique Profiles

“The 2021 growing season will be remembered as a winemaker’s vintage. Not too cold, not too hot, not too wet, and no frost,” says Kajani. “We also lucked out with consistent weather throughout the summer, which gave us ideal ripening at an even pace. A little sun, a bit of water, and a lot of hard work in the vineyard allowed us to bring in a killer 2021 vintage!”

Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Swan Clone 2021 (SRP $65). Kajani refers to this wine as a “sommelier darling” since its freshness and zesty acidity perfectly match all kinds of food. Very light translucent ruby in color, with a perfumed nose of baking spices, fresh raspberry, strawberry, and pomegranate. On the palate, layered notes of ripe red berries and mild spice; very soft tannins, no noticeable oak, and a slightly bitter finish.

Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Pommard Clone 2021 ($65). The Pommard clone came to California from Burgundy in the 1940s and is planted in many areas of California and Oregon. Medium ruby in color, the darkest of the three wines; floral, ripe plum and blueberry aromatics with a velvety, silky feeling on the palate; juicy with ripe but prominent tannic structure; finishes with a refreshing lift.

Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Calera Clone 2021 ($90). “What I love about Calera is that it reminds me of going to breakfast in Oregon,” said Kajani, “where they have all kinds of berries that you don’t see anywhere else in the United States that are juicy and so delicious and have a little bit of exotic character.” She says the Calera Pinot Noir reminds her almost of a blend of the Swan and the Pommard with its high-toned, retronasal, super perfumy character on the nose, similar to Swan but with a much darker berry character. Indeed, I found the wine loaded with fruity red berries aromas, but with a hint of earthiness too. On the palate, silky soft tannins, refreshing acidity, ripe, fresh red berries, and a clean finish.