Personal workspaceSonoma: coast and valleys

Sonoma: coast and valleys

My notes
Pinot NoirChardonnayZinfandelCabernet SauvignonSauvignon BlancSyrah

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Producers · 3

Essential references

Ridge Vineyards

Santa Cruz Mountains · Dry Creek Valley

  • « Monte Bello » gains with age: Fifth among the reds at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, « Monte Bello » 1971 came first when the same wines were retasted thirty years later in London and California. Three decades in the cellar revealed the longevity of this Santa Cruz Mountains wine.
  • The old zinfandel vines of Lytton Springs: At Lytton Springs in Dry Creek Valley, century-old zinfandel vines grow alongside petite sirah and carignan. Ridge maintains this heritage of mixed plantings: « Lytton Springs » remains a zinfandel-led blend, distinct from the cabernet wine of « Monte Bello ».
  • Two faces of Californian red: « Monte Bello » 2022: blackcurrant, blackberry and tobacco leaf, a generous palate, polished tannins and firm acidity. « Lytton Springs » 2023: raspberry, pepper and liquorice, then black cherry and plum; supple tannins and a long finish of black tea.
Pioneers and renewal

Williams Selyem

Sonoma · Russian River Valley

  • Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2023: Cherry, wild strawberry, anise and dried sage lead into citrus and tea nuances, velvety tannins and a long finish. The 2023 matures for eleven months in barrels, 41% new and 59% one year old. Williams Selyem gives a drinking window of 2026–2033.
  • An improvised beginning that drew attention: Burt Williams and Ed Selyem fermented their 1985 Rochioli Vineyard Pinot Noir in an old milk tank in a garage. Its red-wine grand prize at the 1987 California State Fair brought their work to wider attention.
  • Twenty-six cases reached Burgundy: Becky Wasserman visited with Michel Lafarge to taste the 1985 and 1986 wines. She asked for fifty cases for France; the twenty-six that remained went to Burgundy.
Essential references

Kistler Vineyards

Sonoma · Sonoma Mountain

  • The same lineage, different places: Since the mid-1980s, Kistler has planted the same chardonnay lineage in its different vineyards. Descended from Burgundian plants that passed through California, it is selected for its small berries and its ability to retain acidity as it ripens.
  • McCrea, the chardonnay of Sonoma Mountain: « McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay » comes from the eastern flank of Sonoma Mountain. By vinifying it separately, Kistler gives this place its own bottle: a way to discover what the vineyard contributes to the same variety.
  • Fragrance and tension: « McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay » 2023: pear, citrus blossom and grapefruit, with a touch of white pepper; a silky texture, substance and pronounced acidic tension, extended by a persistent finish.