Dirt Rich

Some people are rich rich. Others are rich in a different sense. And a select few are what we might call "dirt rich". Owners or stewards of land that offers something unique .

Entry No. 033, "Dirt Rich" pays homage to one of the most legendary vineyard managers who lived. A name that carries profound reverence and respect, built upon a legacy of nurturing special vineyards throughout Sonoma that few can match.

While we don't have the "cru" status vineyards of Burgundy, some places do carry the same sort of hallowed ground respect and reverence.  There's a fair argument this small vineyard in Sebastapol could be on the short list.

And then some producers carry that hallowed ground into bottle. This also comes from one such name.

Name your top three most ICONIC Pinot producers in Sonoma and I'd wager this is at the top of most of those lists. You all know the name. Along with Williams Selyem and Kosta Browne they have single handedly elevated Pinot to new heights. Theirs goes for $85+ (often soaring well over $100) and ours fetches less than half that asking price.

The previous vintage of this same release earned two 96 and 98 points from some of the most respected critics. If that matters. And while I'll never pretend to say this is the "exact" same wine that's coming when they do drop the 2025 - there's always some nuances from the time it goes from barrel to bottle - it's probably pretty darn close. When we first tasted it, there was nothing it really needed.

Stacked, jacked and packed style of Pinot built from the Calera clone, grown from a single vineyard planted in 2001, and every vintage it offers up one of the most muscular releases from this producer. Rippling with sweet ripe strawberry and morello cherries, laced with vanilla and subtle five spice and wet clay, and carried by soft gentle tannins. It's a hedonistic style, yes, but if that's your jam you can't find much better.

Only our third Pinot, and the previous two were certainly not slept on. I expect this one, with its short supply, will be a favorite. The clock is ticking...

— The Scribe