There's no shortage of great Pinot Noir in the world.

Obviously it all starts with Burgundy. But, equally, there are a lot more countries and regions getting their due now too.

Everywhere from New Zealand and Australia to Germany, South Africa – and the US, especially Oregon's Willamette Valley and Sonoma in California.

And as Burgundy is increasingly out of reach for most wine drinkers, these other sources of high-quality Pinot are really coming into their own.

There are exciting things happening all around, but I want to focus in particular on Sonoma.

And what I can tell you is that Sonoma not only delivers excellent Pinots but does so in a range of styles.

While this caters for many palates, it also makes Sonoma difficult to understand. But that’s precisely its appeal.

That Sonoma is large is hardly breaking news. Less obvious is how much more clearly its differences have come into focus over the past two decades, as a growing number of the county’s producers have become a lot more invested in showing just how little sense a one-size-fits-all idea of Pinot Noir makes at this scale.

Shifting styles

There has been a gradual move away from making wines that follow imported styles to a commitment to sustainable farming suited to each site.

In the cellar, there’s often a more deliberate touch, less interventionist in some cases.

The idea is not terribly complicated: a healthy, expressive vineyard plus less new oak and other manipulations means winemakers can be a lot more confident in letting the wines reflect where they come from.

Ensuring fruit is not picked overripe, and the increased use of whole bunches in fermentations to enhance freshness has also been a turning point.

Within the 19 AVAs of Sonoma, you’ll see anything from cold and fog-bound coastal vineyards to dramatic high-elevation mountain sites, warm inland pockets, windy corridors, and a remarkable variety of soils and geologic formations.

There are differences so nuanced they can sometimes be noticed just a mile apart by producers sharing the same fence line.

Which might explain the growing thirst for vineyard-designated Sonoma Pinot bottlings.

In the glass, Sonoma Pinot serves a palate looking for saline, savoury, and almost electrically tense wines, as well as generous, plush, and fruit-forward ones, through to darker and more structured versions, and a lot more in between.

Cast assumptions aside

In any case, long-held assumptions about what Sonoma Pinot Noir should taste like are worth revisiting, as the wine styles and identities are as diverse as the county is large.

That seems to serve an eclectic market quite well, with consumers always on the hunt for different things, making Pinot a ‘democratic’ grape in Sonoma.

The same region that produces wines to make collectors queue for allocations each season, also produces bottles that are just easy and delicious.

'West Sonoma Coast producers tend to draw wine collectors and more intellectually curious drinkers,' says Alex Sarovich, sommelier and wine educator.

'When it’s juicy, fruit-driven, and not overly tannic, Pinot Noir is a really good grape for easing people into the drier styles of wine,' she adds.

Trying to make a list in this context feels daunting. The wines selected here are excellent – among the best Sonoma has to offer right now – but they are not the full picture.

No list of 10 bottles could hope to capture a region this large, but together they offer a glimpse into what makes Sonoma such a compelling place to explore through Pinot Noir: a collection of exciting and often contrasting expressions.

10 Sonoma Pinot Noirs

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Sonoma County is huge - more than 4,000km2, stretching from the Pacific coast to the mountains. It’s twice the size of its next-door neighbour Napa Valley, and larger than the state of Rhode Island.

You would think that such a wide geographical range would translate into diversity in its wines. And it does.

Yet the conversation about Chardonnay here keeps recycling the same two talking points: the buttery-oaky California stereotype and austere, overly restrained wines.

Ironically, given this duopoly of opinion, Chardonnay is considered by winemakers to be a ‘blank canvas’ – malleable enough to be shaped in the cellar, but capable of deeply expressing terroir.

A Chardonnay that tastes saline and sharp on the West Sonoma Coast turns richer and rounder 15km inland in Russian River.

Mountain sites add structure due to the elevation and tension from rocky soils, while wines from San Pablo Bay-cooled Los Carneros tend toward softer textures and freshness.

With more than 20 sub-appellations in the county, that’s not even close to the full picture.

Listening to the terroir

But expressing such a range hasn’t always been the focus. ‘There’s been a shift in the last 10 years,’ says Kristina Shideler, winemaker at Stonestreet Wines in Healdsburg.

The change isn’t just technical – less oak, lower alcohol, more restraint – it’s philosophical.

‘There is now a willingness among Sonoma County producers to let their sites dictate the style,’ says Jasmine Hirsch of Hirsch Vineyards.

This meaningful change has brought a sharper focus on single vineyards, the incredible diversity of the region’s soils and farming practices that are more attuned to the land.

‘We have more soil types than all of France, plus an extreme variety of microclimates,’ says Hirsch.

Has the message broken through? ‘I still hear people say, “I don’t like California Chardonnay, but I like yours”,’ Hirsch admits.

Even if some of the stigma lingers, Sonoma’s diversity has never been clearer. And the wines have never tasted better.

Shideler is confident: ‘Get over everything that you think about Sonoma Chardonnay. We’re in a new wave.’

Sonoma Chardonnay: 20 top picks to explore today

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Clive Pursehouse speaks for the Willamette Valley in Oregon

As cool-climate Pinot Noir regions go, I think the Willamette Valley in Oregon is without peer in the United States.

I love the wines of the West Sonoma Coast, with their freshness and lift, but the classical elegance of the Willamette, marked by its unmistakable forest floor character and sweet, fresh red fruit, swings it for me.

The Willamette Valley has become a New World answer for lovers of classic Burgundy.

The biggest stigma that the Willamette Valley faces is that it’s not in California. As more than 80% of the country’s wine comes from the Golden State, people often have a hard time imagining American fine wine coming from anywhere else.

While Burgundy aficionados love the region’s Pinot Noirs, the average American wine consumer is still unaware of the Willamette Valley, considering this well-established region, with more than 700 wineries, a sort of ‘Wild West’ outpost.

Despite this, the region that was pioneered in the early 1970s has risen in just 50 years to be recognised as one of the world’s premium Pinot Noir-producing appellations.

American upstarts such as Adelsheim, Coury, Lett and Ponzi have been followed there by French names like Drouhin, Jadot and Lafon.

Unlike the West Sonoma Coast, which I do love for its beautiful wines, the Willamette isn’t a sub-appellation and has a singular identity, known for crafting elegant Pinot Noirs with fresh fruit and a deep, evocative ‘underbrush’ aspect, all while allowing for 11 nested AVAs within it to offer a diversity of expression.

You can’t see the ocean from any of the Willamette Valley’s vineyards – it sits about 65km west as the crow flies – but its maritime influence has a constant impact on the wines of the region.

Earthy richness

The cooling power of the Pacific makes the Willamette Valley the exceptional cool-climate region it is.

As the temperature rises in the valley during the warm summer months, cold air from the Pacific rushes into the Willamette through a gap in the Coast Range, cooling the region in the late-afternoon heat.

The latitude of the Willamette Valley, much farther north than Northern California, also means it has a shorter growing season and lower UV intensity.

The signature of Oregon Pinot Noir for me is the rich, Pacific Northwest forest floor, whether it’s turned soils, undergrowth or mushrooms: what the French call sous bois – the deep evergreen forests blanketed with ferns.

This provides a sense of depth and umami richness that frames the fleshy, bright berry fruits – be they strawberries, raspberries or riper Oregon blackberries – finishing with a saline character deriving from the region’s temperate Mediterranean and maritime climate, crisp and balanced acidity and often a flinty minerality.

Taken together, these elements create an elegance evocative of the Pinot Noirs of Burgundy.

However, in my view, the calibre of the wines, particularly for the price, exceeds what’s available in both Burgundy and the West Sonoma Coast.

Ana Carolina Quintela speaks for the West Sonoma Coast

American wine is no longer aspirational – let’s agree on this much before anything.

Pinot Noir, especially, has been thriving across different regions in the country, comfortably so.

Inevitably, at this point. The only interesting question isn’t whether the US can make great Pinot Noir, but where it speaks most compellingly.

More often than not, the answer circles back to the same two regions: Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the West Sonoma Coast of California.

While these two regions are often grouped together as cool-climate Pinot territory, in practice the resemblance only goes so far.

For me, the California coastal wines pull ahead, and the West Sonoma Coast’s biggest trump card is the Pacific ocean.

The ocean isn’t just a backdrop. The marine fog layer rolling in and out of the vineyards, spilling through winding roads, isn’t a special effect. The sudden rise in elevation isn’t scenery. The wind isn’t occasional, either.

Put it all together and those elements shape the wines that carry that imprint of salinity, etched acidity and a lift that goes beyond freshness.

It reads as energy. I’m comfortable calling it power.

Not ripeness, not weight, not authoritarian force. I mean the power of carrying a unique identity with confidence and a touch of defiance.

A power that doesn’t just sit on top of the wine, but holds it up from underneath. Pinot Noir is, by nature, an elegant grape, but elegance doesn’t have to be polite or appear fragile.

On the West Sonoma Coast, Pinot is elegant and unapologetically powerful.

A sense of scale

Part of what makes the West Sonoma Coast so compelling is also what makes it challenging for consumers to understand. This isn’t a region you cross through casually.

Vineyards are few and far between, because the land resists them with its steep ridges, isolated pockets, thick redwood forests and roads that remind you, pretty quickly, of how demanding it is to grow wine there.

There is a sense of scale: nature, larger than life, that shows in the glass.

I think it’s also fair to say that the Willamette Valley benefits from a built-in point of comparison to Burgundy.

Its geographic position (about 45°N latitude, compared to West Sonoma Coast’s 38.3°N) and climate make that parallel feel intuitive, and over time it has helped give the region a clear, legible identity, especially among collectors.

The West Sonoma Coast hasn’t had the same luxury.

As a younger AVA (American Viticultural Area – it was given TTB approval in May 2022), it has spent years labouring under the generic weight of ‘California Pinot’, or fighting for the visibility it deserves, which says more about how the two regions are framed than about the wines themselves.

I do love many of the wines from the Willamette Valley, but its more inland geography does leave it facing greater pressure as warming trends become harder to ignore.

And the longer you spend thinking about climate change, the more the coast starts to feel like insurance.

If great cool-climate Pinots are the ones that can keep their edge and balance, the appeal of places where the ocean still has a clear say feels obvious.

More top US Pinot Noir? For many more recommendations of top-quality Pinot Noirs from around the US, including Oregon and Sonoma, head to Decanter Premium

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• Pinot Noir: 20 top-scoring wines to try
• Rethinking ripeness in Napa Valley: A fresh perspective on the region’s evolution

Napa & Sonoma

Napa and its neighbouring Sonoma County continue to shine brightly, as winemakers representing the next generation, and a fresh voice, sidle up next to established producers who’ve been making wines of renown for what seems like decades.

Our Sonoma correspondent Ana Carolina Quintela picked the one white in this year’s Wines of the Year selection – Poet & Prophet’s beguiling Ghost Cat Chardonnay from the intense mountain terroir in Alexander Valley’s eastern highlands.

And Quintela’s other selection is this year’s only 100-point wine, a Pinot Noir from Occidental – the lone producer who was in our WotY selection last year, too. The tiny berries and low yields harvested from this near-coastal vineyard site have crafted a wine of intensity.

Cabernet is king in Napa Valley, yet our Napa correspondent Jonathan Cristaldi’s top wine from 2025 is a Syrah: the Colgin Cellars IX Estate from the remarkable 2021 vintage. There’s an elegance to this bottling, offering floral and citrus tones like the classic Syrahs of the northern Rhône.

Napa’s Cathiard Vineyard, at St Helena, produced Cristaldi’s top-scoring Cabernet Sauvignon: from 45-year-old vines, the 2022 is a complete package. And from a high-elevation site on Howell Mountain comes Pilcrow’s Granite Lake.

Rather than the inky black fruit and dark chocolate you might expect, this Cabernet Sauvignon is a red-fruited surprise, with blood orange and grapefruit elements mingling with forest and mineral tones.

A throwback, says Cristaldi, to a classic age in Napa Valley.

Greater North America

Decanter’s US team tasted nearly 4,000 wines this year, and we saw talented winemakers come together with wonderful vintages in the 2022 and 2023 releases. Fantastic wines were made up and down the West Coast – indeed, four of our five selected wines were made from white varieties.

The cooler vintage in Washington state, balanced years in Willamette Valley and California, and the evolution of Chardonnay and white wine in general have given us a brilliant slate of wines.

In terms of scores, our list tops out with two wines from my Willamette Valley vintage report. My first 100-point wine is a thrilling Chardonnay from legacy producer Bethel Heights – The High Wire soars to great heights.

And the 99pt Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir from Martin Woods is, in my opinion, the best red wine of the vintage: its elegance impresses immediately.

A stunning 2018 sparkling Chardonnay from Rhys is the current release from one of the first names in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where the Mt Pajaro Vineyard perches on the western flanks, just 12km from the Pacific.

The wine offers a depth and richness evocative of the great wines crafted in that one place in northern France. From an iconic site in the Sta Rita Hills comes the Domaine Jean François, Sanford & Benedict Twelve Rows Chardonnay from 2021– it’s a collaboration between John Terlato of Sanford winery and Burgundy’s François Labet.

From the vineyard’s original 1972 own-rooted plantings, this is an intense wine that shows the greatness of Santa Barbara Chardonnay.

While a few wines from Washington in the cool 2022 vintage scored 98 points, the 97pt Grand Klasse Roussanne from Gård is the most compelling wine from the region. Intuitive winemaking, coupled with a perfect white wine vintage, came together to create what I believe is the best white wine ever to come out of Washington.

Wines of the year 2025: North America

Wines from Napa and Sonoma are listed first then wines from the rest of North America

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Chiara de Iulis Pepe

Emidio Pepe, Abruzzo, central Italy

By Alessandra Piubello

Chiara de Iulis Pepe welcomes us smiling and resolute, feet rooted to the ground and a clear gaze beyond the horizon. Now 32 years old, since childhood she has absorbed the Pepe values. Wine and family are one in the Pepe household in Torano Nuovo, in the Teramo hills of Abruzzo where, 60 years ago, a revolution began.

Third-generation Chiara took over from her aunt Sofia in 2020, who in turn had succeeded her father – Chiara’s grandfather – Emidio Pepe in 2000. At 27 years old, Chiara decided to take the bull by the horns. ‘Drinking, selling and talking about wine was no longer enough for me,’ she says in a firm and confident voice.

‘The time had come to actually make it.’ Chiara was ready; her grandfather and aunt’s teachings were deeply rooted within her, and the oenology and viticulture course in Dijon plus work at a French biodynamic company gave her the final push.

‘My intention,’ she explains, ‘is to carry forward the vision of those who came before me, trying to perfect a few details wherever possible.’

Subtle renewal

The generational transition has been fluid in this female-run company; so much so that, even now, the three generations co-exist in harmony. When she took over, Chiara slowly replaced the existing team.

‘Those who work in the vineyards, besides being updated on pruning and biodynamic agriculture introduced by aunt Sofia in 2005, also perform cellar duties, so that the two teams communicate with each other.’

The work follows the established Emidio Pepe path, with no change of direction: no filtration or clarification, only vitrified concrete containers, spontaneous fermentation, manual destemming for the reds, grape treading for the whites, and lengthy ageing.

A quarter of a million bottles are currently ageing in the cellar. Every year, approximately 43% of the 80,000 bottles produced are set aside, but this will rise to 60% when the new cellar is completed in 2027. Chiara has introduced steel tanks with refrigerated double bottoms suitable for treading the white grapes, and which also permit gravity filling into the tanks for manual destalking of the reds.

But her focus is on the vineyard. She reacts to the unpredictable climatic conditions with determination, intelligence and heart. With the same experimental nature as her grandfather, she has introduced vineyard treatments using cow’s milk (in solution, it has been found to have fungicidal properties that act against powdery mildew), covering the soil with green manure without digging it in, and in the new 2ha (strictly pergola) system, she uses agroforestry and widely spaced planting layouts.

‘Our wine,’ Chiara states, ‘must continue to be genuine, digestible, and to express the location and its vitality.’

Catherine Kistler

Occidental, West Sonoma Coast, California

By Ana Carolina Quintela

Catherine Kistler has been making the decisions at Occidental for years now: determining the critical picking times, leading the crew through long harvest days and guiding fermentations in the cellar.

Yet until very recently, she would have hesitated to call herself the head winemaker. ‘Imposter syndrome is real,’ she admitted – a sentiment hardly unusual for women in the working world, particularly in the wine industry.

Perhaps the title also felt too heavy, too bound up with her father’s legacy, even as she carried it forward in practice. Only in the past year, when the vineyard and cellar crews – men and women who had worked alongside her father Steve Kistler for decades – began turning to her for answers instead of him, did she allow herself the title.

‘The respect from the crew, more than anything, helped me feel comfortable in that role,’ she says.

‘2024 is the year where I feel most confident that I can say it’s my vintage. My first full, no-training-wheels sort of thing,’ she adds, letting the words settle.

Direct line

Ocidental was founded in 2011, though Steve continued working at Kistler Vineyards – the winery he founded in 1978 with the late Mark Bixler – until he stepped away from it in 2017. And if Kistler Vineyards became synonymous with California Chardonnay, Occidental has been, from the beginning, devoted entirely to Pinot Noir.

Planted from selections Steve gathered in Vosne-Romanée and propagated over the course of decades, 34ha of vines stretch across a ridge in the FreestoneOccidental area of the West Sonoma Coast.

Catherine joined him full-time at Occidental in 2016, under his direct mentorship after testing herself far from Sonoma. First on the ski slopes, racing at national level from age 13; later in the lecture halls of Harvard, where she studied Classics and History.

Yet, a life in wine felt inevitable. ‘Watching my father, I knew that the insane hours, the nights he wasn’t home, the time he put into making wines – all of that was what gave meaning to the name,’ she reflects.

Still, she never considered another path. ‘It was always my plan to come back.’ The intimacy of their relationship meant she could argue, push back, even make mistakes, while absorbing his 50 years of experience without filter. That closeness gave her both the freedom and the confidence to grow into her own authority.

‘I feel uniquely blessed to be his daughter in this position,’ she says. ‘The fact that I get all the idiosyncrasies that make him amazing at this job landing with me untempered – and for me to accept him as he is, and vice versa – is incredibly fulfilling.’

Under Catherine’s watch, Occidental is writing its next chapter as a family business. The back label now reads Kistler Family instead of her father’s name, a small change with a larger echo.

She also discovered a new parcel, 4km from Bodega Bay, closer to the ocean than any site they’ve farmed before. Rootstocks are in, and she is grafting them slowly to Occidental’s field selections, with fruit expected in 2028.

The gesture is less about growth than about anchoring – on land and legacy, attuned to her.

‘You just vibrate at that frequency of being here. I love the people around, I love my family, and I love the wines I make,’ she says. The words carry the same focus and effortless grace that define her presence and her wines.

Next instalment: Thomas Herbert & Leo and Roc Gramona

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Of all the many thousands of wines tasted by Decanter every year, only a small handful ever gain the very highest score of 100.

This year, in fact, a mere 30 wines (tasted between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025) gained that coveted triple-digit score. In the immortal words of Cilla Black, let’s look at what they are and where they come from.

Top-scorers by country

As two countries that feature heavily both online and in print, the bulk of this year’s top-scoring wines came from France and the US.

France had the higher number of 100-point scores by far – 15 wines (50%) versus 12 (40%) from the US – while Italy with two 100-point wines and Australia with just one made up the difference.

Top-scorers by region

Drilling down into the regions things get a little more interesting. We can see that the French wines are split among several regions, with Bordeaux taking the largest share of 100-point wines (nine wines overall or 30% of the total).

However, the largest single region for top scores was California, with 11 wines (36.7%) that received a 100-point score.

The Rhône Valley was the third most-awarded region with five (16.7%) of the top scores, while Western Australia, Burgundy, Oregon, Tuscany and Piedmont all picked up one perfect score apiece.

Top-scorers by appellation

The most-awarded appellation overall was the Napa Valley, which had 10 wines with a 100-point score (mostly from one standout vintage, which was also the case with many of the Bordeaux wines as we’ll explore below).

There were three wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape as the second highly rated appellation – though probably not wines you would expect – followed by Cornas, Pauillac, Pessac-Léognan, Pomerol and St-Emilion which all had two 100-point scores this past year.

The remaining appellations were Barolo, La Tâche, Margaret River, Margaux, Sonoma County, Toscana, and Willamette Valley with one 100-point wine apiece.

And now let’s briefly look at those wines.

France

Bordeaux

Many of the vintage reports published this year have focused on the very difficult 2024 vintage, which has not yielded many exceptional wines overall.

However, Bordeaux editor Georgie Hindle also reviewed the recently bottled and shipped 2022 vintage from Bordeaux which was a different story altogether.

In her report published in March, she said of the vintage: ‘The 2022s have emerged as wines out to please. As a group they are highly charged and powerful with an impressive amount of fruit, tannins and alcohol, yet they are refined and balanced with a sense of classicism.’

She gave six wines a score of 100-points – three each from the left and right banks.

She also gave a perfect score to the ‘monumental’ 2016 vintage of Château Latour, finally released from the estate’s cellars this spring.

Two wines from the 2015 vintage, Château Margaux and Château Lafleur confirmed in their majesty 10 years on.

Rhône Valley

Matt Walls covers the Rhône extensively for Decanter and this February he wrote about an especially memorable tasting at Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which yielded three 100-point wines.

These were not the estate’s reds though – but rather its ‘masterpiece’ of a white wine, the Roussanne Vieilles Vignes.

Tasted while scenes from Netflix’s Drops of God adaptation were filmed in the background, Walls was thoroughly seduced by what he calls ‘one of France’s greatest Mediterranean whites’, with many high scores given including three digits for three vintages: 2020, 2014 and 1988.

There was room for a couple of top-scoring reds though, notably two 2010 Cornas from Domaine Clape and Vincent Paris, which are among Walls’s favourite vintages from that appellation to drink now.

Burgundy

For a region with such a sterling reputation, there was just one wine that claimed a ‘perfect’ score in 2025. Maybe the standards of expectation from the Côte d’Or are that much higher?

Nonetheless, the unsurprising top-scorer was from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, with the domaine’s La Tâche 2022 getting the seal of approval from Charles Curtis MW during his in-bottle tasting this spring.

US

Napa Valley

Like Bordeaux, the bulk of top scores for Napa Valley this year came from the 2022 vintage, which was also not necessarily a straightforward growing season but from which some true gems have emerged.

Jonathan Cristaldi wrote in his report: ‘Compared to more structured, long-ageing vintages such as 2021 or 2019, the 2022s are approachable, plush and opulent.

‘Tannin structure varies, with some wines showcasing excellent granular grip and ageing potential while others exhibit a smoother, more fruit-driven profile that leans toward early drinking.’

Cristaldi ultimately gave six wines from the 2022 vintage 100 points, alongside another four from the 2021 – giving Napa its rather awesome tally of 10 top-scores this year.

Sonoma and Willamette Valley

The only US wines breaking Napa’s stranglehold on the crown were a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay duo.

In her report on the wines from the Sonoma Coast in 2022 (there’s that vintage again), Ana Carolina Quintela gave 100-points to the Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir from Occidental. A true ‘wow-moment wine’ she noted.

And our North America editor, Clive Pursehouse, awarded his very first 100-point wine to the ‘captivating’ Bethel Heights’ The High Wire Chardonnay 2023 from Willamette Valley in Oregon.

Best of the rest

Italy

A rather diplomatic split of one 100-point score each for Italy’s premier regions of Piedmont and Tuscany this year.

Michaela Morris dished out a top-score to Giacomo Conterno’s Montfortino Riserva 2019 in her review of that newly-released batch of wines.

And Italy editor, James Button, couldn’t help but give 100-points to the ‘impeccably harmonious and long-lived’ 2006 Masseto during a vertical of the Super Tuscan at the start of the year.

Australia

And to wrap things up, while reviewing the wines being released through La Place de Bordeaux this autumn, Hindle gave top marks to the Cloudburst Chardonnay from Margaret River.

She wrote: ‘Round, utterly moreish from the first sip – this is engaging, mouthwatering, alive and so utterly enjoyable. I’d never tire of drinking this wine.’

Decanter’s 100-point wines of 2025:

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‘This is my first 100-point wine after nearly 4,000 in my three years at Decanter’

This is our second annual list of Decanter’s Top 50 US Wines. My hope is that our list of wines inspires conversation and sparks disagreement.

That it makes people take note of the regions beyond those you think of first when you think of the wines being produced in America’s wine country. There are some spectacular wines throughout the US.

I feel like we’re in the process of both getting started and figuring it out. I guess that’s life in a nutshell. I work with a very small team of freelance writers, and I’m the only full-time person at Decanter in the US, so, with limited resources, we are doing what we can to maximise our scope.

We’ve expanded and moved coverage around in some areas, done more in others, and, regrettably but necessarily, less in others. It is a challenging landscape for media, and while it hasn’t been a perfect year for our US team or me when it comes to expanding coverage, I think we’re moving in the right direction.

A year for white wines

Over the course of the year, Decanter gave about 30 100-point scores to current-release wines in 2025. Those numbers are split nearly evenly between Bordeaux, Napa and the Rhône Valley.

Only three of those wines were white wines. The iconic old vine Roussanne from Château de Beaucastel and two Chardonnays, one from Australia’s Margaret River and one from the Willamette Valley.

That meagre number includes my first-ever 100-point wine, the 2023 Bethel Heights Chardonnay, which you’ll read more about later, but this rudimentary analysis stands in stark contrast to what we’re seeing in white wine production and quality here in the US.

There was no better year for white wine than 2025, and it is reflected in our countdown. A cool vintage in Washington (and Oregon’s) Columbia Valley created two 97-point white wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Roussanne, from a region that is often too hot to achieve the balance necessary for white wines to really shine.

Chardonnays from the Willamette Valley, Sonoma Coast and Santa Barbara continue to impress in 2025, with warming conditions often having them outpacing their Burgundian cousin, Pinot Noir.

There are 13 Chardonnays in this Top 50 list, including a stunning wine from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

For good measure, there’s also Carricante from Sonoma County, a Chenin Blanc from Mendocino and a Finger Lakes Riesling that we thought were exceptional.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: 50-41

Tasting notes and scores are linked in this list

50: Barboursville Vineyards, Octagon, Monticello, Virginia, USA 2017

49: L’Aventure, Estate Reserve, Paso Robles, California 2022

48: Apollo’s Praise, Dry Riesling, Lahoma Vineyard, Finger Lakes, NY 2024

47: Joseph Phelps, Proem #5 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, 2022

46: Valdemar Estates, Las Canteras Syrah, The Rocks District, Columbia Valley, Oregon, 2023

45: Domaine de la Côte, La Côte, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, 2022

44: Résonance, Koosah Vineyard Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023

43: Rebrook Cellars, Montagna Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2022

42: Ridge Vineyards, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, California, 2023

41: Argot, Sage Ridge Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2022

Wines of place and wonderful places

Our first 10 wines show a fantastic range, welcoming Virginia, while Texas shows up a little further up the list, both for the first time.

We also have a repeat producer, Apollo’s Praise, representing the Finger Lakes. California is still the big dog, making more than 80% of the country’s wines. The Golden State appears 30 times, with most of our coverage in Napa and Sonoma, and that shows here.

There are a couple of wines from regions in the state that I cover, cooler climate appellations like Mendocino, the Santa Cruz Mountains, and we’ve seen more coverage from our Santa Barbara County correspondent, Vanessa Rason, resulting in more wines on this year’s list.

Oregon, both in the Willamette Valley and the Rocks District, which is technically part of the Columbia Valley (with Washington), is well represented, with 15 entries. A further validation of the state’s incredible terroir and talent.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: 40-31

Tasting notes and scores are linked in this list

40: Reynvaan Family Vineyards, Stonessence The Rocks District, Walla Walla Valley, Oregon,2022

39: Thomas Fogarty, Damiana Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2023

38: Ernest Vineyards, Joyce Vineyard Chardonnay, West Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2022

37: William Chris, Enchanté, Texas Hill Country, Texas, 2023

36: Evesham Wood, Cuvée J Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023

35: Devison Vintners, Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, Columbia Valley, Oregon, 2022

34: Minus Tide, Chenin Blanc, Sterling Ranch, Mendocino County, California, 2024

33: Beaux Frères, Rogue Vines Chardonnay, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023

32: FUTO Estate, CFX, Napa Valley, California, 2022

31: Gran Moraine, Dropstone Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2022 

The beauty and bravery of small producers

The reality is that this list is almost exclusively comprised of small producers. There are a few brands that are part of larger corporate entities, but this Top 50 features many small family businesses making some of America’s best wines.

In a challenging time for wine and for small businesses, there is plenty to be hopeful about here. Sure, some of these wines are hard to find, but their quality and recognition stem from being produced in small lots, with incredible attention to detail, immaculate farming, and undeniable winemaking talent.

From the likes of the talented Joe Ryan making the wines at Sonoma Coast’s Ernest Vineyards, to the long-time commitment to the Willamette Valley of the Casteel family at Bethel Heights, and the young bootstrapping upstarts at Minus Tide making imaginative and classic wines.

I’m more proud of that element of this list than anything else. I hope you will seek out these wines and the producers making them; they deserve your support.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: 30-21

Tasting notes and scores are linked in this list

30: Jett, Skysill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, Columbia Valley, Washington, 2022

29: Paul Lato, Le Souvenir, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County, California, 2022

28: Hirsch Vineyards, Raschen Ridge Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California, 2022

27: Abbott Claim, X Omni Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2022

26: Cimento, Cabernet Sauvignon, Stone Valley Estate Vineyard, The Rocks District, Columbia Valley, Oregon,2021

25: Kathryn Kennedy, Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2022

24: Purlieu, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, 2022

23: Centennial Mountain, Carricante, Sonoma County, California, 2022

22: Crowley, Phoebe Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023

21: Storm Wines, Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, 2023 

The rising tide of American wine

In what has to be described as a challenging time for the wine industry and America’s global reputation more broadly, American wine is more ready than ever for an international audience.

Long looked at as a land of bombastic and overripe wines, America’s current generation of talented winemakers has turned this narrative on its head. Chasing balance and freshness, this crop of American wines shows typicity and place through the restrained use of new oak, eschewing over-ripeness and higher alcohols in favour of acidity, minerality and balance.

It’s an exciting time for American wine. The wines defy the stereotypes of the Parker era; those days are in the past and the future is very bright.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: 20-11

Tasting notes and scores are linked in this list

20: RAEN Winery, Fort Ross-Seaview Sea Field Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, 2023

19: Drew Family Cellars, Radiolaria Chardonnay, Mendocino Ridge, Mendocino County, California, 2023

18: Paradigm, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California, 2021

17: Littorai, Mays Canyon Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2023

16: The Black Square, Cabernet Sauvignon, The Rocks District, Walla Walla Valley, Oregon, 2022

15: Bryant Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2022

14: White Walnut Vineyard, Estate Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023

13: Bedrock Wine Co, Areio e Vento e Amor, Contra Costa County, California, 2022

12: Di Costanzo, Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Moon Mountain, Sonoma County, California, 2022

11: Granville, Koosah Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023 

Number one

In a year of brilliant white wines, it was no surprise to me that the top wine on this list would be a Chardonnay and upon further consideration, a cool climate wine at that.

The High Wire Chardonnay tells a captivating story: that of a pioneering family, the Casteels, who purchased vineyards planted in 1978 upon their arrival in the Willamette Valley a year later.

A story of resilience, as this California heritage planting, Wente Clone, on its own roots, did not reliably ripen until fairly recently. It is a brilliant wine made by one of the country’s best winemakers, Ben Casteel.

You can read all about it here; it’s the first wine (and only so far) that I’ve ever given a perfect score to.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: The Top 10

Tasting notes and scores are linked in this list

10: Pilcrow, Granite Lake Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain Napa Valley, California, 2022

9: Domain Jean François, Sanford & Benedict Proprietor’s Vineyard The Twelve Rows Chardonnay, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, 2021

8: Prophet & Poet, Ghost Cat Upper Barn Chardonnay, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California, 2021

7: Gård, Roussanne, Grand Klasse, Royal Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington, 2022

6: Cathiard Vineyard, St Helena, Napa Valley, California, 2022

5: Rhys Vineyards, Blanc de Blancs, Mt Pajaro Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, 2018

4: Martin Woods, Hyland Vineyard Pinot Noir, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA 2023

3: Colgin Cellars, IX Estate Syrah, Pritchard Hill, Napa Valley, California, 2021

2: Occidental, Bodega Headlands Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, 2022

1: Bethel Heights, The High Wire Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2023 

Top 50 US Wines 2025: How the selections were made

The selections for Decanter’s Top 50 US wines were chosen from over 3,500 wines tasted and reviewed between December 2024 and November 2025. To be considered, they must be current or soon-to-be-released wines; library wines are not eligible.

They were selected to show a range of styles, places and exciting and emerging winemaking talent. This is not intended to be a list of the top-scoring wines of the year, but wines that show the brilliance and diversity of America’s winemaking talents and regions.

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This is a story about Ted Lemon and how, 30 vintages in at Littorai, near Sebastopol in California’s Sonoma County, he’s showing us what it looks like to build something genuine that lasts, telling a story worth listening to in one of the most challenging sectors of the American economy.

This isn’t, and can’t be, just another wine story. It is a story about a life lived with intention. About staying when it was hard and shifting when it mattered. About purpose and dedication – because, as psychotherapist and author Esther Perel puts it, ‘purpose is the essential dimension of meaning’.

Ted has been making wine for more than four decades and growing grapes for just as long. Having attained an oenology degree at Dijon University in 1981, he worked until 1984 with some of Burgundy’s most prestigious domaines – Dujac, Roumier, Roulot, Parent – before consulting in New Zealand and eventually returning to California.

A selection of Littorai wines from the 2022 vintage listed below

He has undeniably been a key player in bringing some of northern California’s most celebrated vineyard sites into the spotlight. He’s been nominated for a James Beard Award, credited as the godfather of modern California wine, and has been profiled and praised a multitude of times.

And yet, it still feels like there’s something about the way Ted thinks about sustainability and life in general that hasn’t fully been captured.

Firmly grounded

Ted Lemon’s perspective stretches far beyond the vineyards. What often gets overlooked is his attention to how we, humans and nature, might live in true solidarity, not just in farming, but in being. Ted is one of those people who makes you smile the moment you meet him.

There’s kindness – something good that radiates effortlessly. But alongside the warmth is discipline. Focus. A calm, deliberate assertiveness that can catch you off-guard – not pretentious, just commanding enough to make you sit up straighter.

As one should. I have sat down to taste with Ted one-on-one a few times now, and recently attended a retrospective tasting of Littorai in San Francisco, held to celebrate the estate’s 30-vintage milestone. In every conversation, he has made sure to highlight his role as a farmer first.

‘As I watched people my age and younger sell their businesses because of burnout, the ability to farm really kind of saved me,’ confesses Ted, on what keeps him motivated after 30 years.

And, specifically, biodynamic farming. ‘Suddenly you’re turning all your ideas on their head. I was raised in the Western tradition, believing in Western science, and then I decided to try a completely different paradigm.’

Balance of needs

Ted was 42 years old when he took the leap – in the early 2000s. ‘All of a sudden it was like, okay, everything I think I know… I’m going to challenge myself.’

That’s how he stepped into a system that goes beyond organics – one that treats the vineyard as a living organism, guided by lunar cycles, compost preparations and a deep commitment to biodiversity.

That willingness to pivot – to unlearn, to start over – shows as a form of resilience rooted in integrity. It’s staying true to yourself, even when the map disappears. But what also struck me is Ted’s acknowledgement of the human side of farming – what he calls the ‘social goal’ of his work.

‘It’s how we treat the land,’ he explains, ‘and how we treat the people who work for us and with us. It sounds simple. But the kind of social responsibility Ted speaks to – that balance between the financial needs of the business and the wellbeing of the people behind it – is something we’re collectively failing at, across industries.

‘If you’re serious about biodynamic farming,’ he says, ‘those are the things I think you should be deeply engaged in. You have to be asking yourself those questions: am I treating people correctly? Are things in balance?’

Nothing in excess

Ted’s belief in crafting wines of balance and restraint, with remarkable ageing potential and a true ‘sense of place’, is inseparable from the way he farms and lives responsibly, sustainably and with patience.

When asked about his concerns around climate change, he replies, without hesitation: ‘I think there’s still too much wine in the world, and I think there will be too much wine in the world for a while. We will need to innovate, adopt and adapt in many ways. Rethink our priorities as a society, even.

‘The biggest challenge going forward is the one that nobody wants to talk about in the wine business,’ he continues, ‘which is the excess of wealth. The wine business is very appealing to wealthy people who have made money in other walks of life, and that’s fine.

‘But when that kind of massive wealth enters a business, on the scale that it has in the fine wine business, it distorts everything.’

Massive wealth, he believes, when paired with a mindset of speed and scale, can quietly erode the very sustainability the wine world claims to value. Big money almost always demands fast results: more vineyards, more bottles, more market share.

But wine doesn’t work that way. It’s a craft rooted in patience and humility from the ‘vine up’. When the cost of glass doubles overnight, for example, a billionaire-backed project shrugs while a family-run estate gasps.

‘You know, if you’re a small family winery that doesn’t have other resources, you’re going out of business,’ Ted reflects.

Lasting impact

For Ted, sustainability isn’t just about farming without chemicals – it’s about building a business and a culture that can last. But culture is not a static thing; it’s shaped and sustained through shared experiences.

In speaking with Ted Lemon, it’s evident how much he values mentoring, exchange and ongoing learning. Those who’ve spent years with him – in the cellar, in the vineyard, in life – can attest to that.

Daniel Estrin worked alongside Ted for nine vintages and is now vineyard manager and winemaker at Cristom Vineyards in Oregon. He speaks of Ted not just as a boss but as a role model – the kind of man, father and leader he aspired to become.

‘Someone deeply attuned to the land, to people and to doing the right thing, even when it’s the harder choice,’ he says. ‘Ted doesn’t function like a normal winemaker. There’s no separation between farming and winemaking – they’re one and the same. The wine is just a consequence of the farming. And the people are an extension to all of that.

He adds: ‘He farms the way he does because he wants to leave the land better than the way he found it. It’s a human obligation to him.’

Click here for more Littorai wines from the 2022 vintage

Spiritual dimension

Ted’s relationship with the land is something even he admits is hard to put into words. Critics and even some fellow farmers often dismiss biodynamic farming as unscientific or a little too ‘woo-woo’.

‘The biodynamic community has always struggled between those who were afraid of the spiritual dimension and the population that almost embraced it to a fault,’ he explains.

He adds that to farm biodynamically, one must believe there’s more out there than what we can see. ‘I believe that the spiritual world exists, and I’m always looking for its manifestations – because I believe it shows up in all things. And if you become sensitive, trained and attentive to this other world, you find it in ours.’

When asked the question, ‘Do the vineyards speak to you? What would they say after 30 years of working “together”?’, he jokes: ‘Do better!’

But it’s clear that, for Ted, improvement is not simply a punchline – it’s his guiding principle. I ask whether Ted believes that his biodynamic approach results in better wines.

‘It’s not for me to say whether biodynamic wines are better than organic ones,’ he says. ‘For me, it’s the agroecological effects of farming that matter, and we see those more profoundly in biodynamic vineyards. That they’re contributing to the long-term health of their region – that’s what I care about.’

A taste of Littorai: The 2022 vintage

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 ‘After tasting through hundreds of wines across Sonoma’s vast 60,000 vineyard acres, I can say this: some wines do lean into bigger fruit expression, mostly a stylistic choice anyway, but what truly defines the 2022 vintage overall is its density and concentration of flavours and aromas, all of them.’

The 2022 vintage in Sonoma was quickly labelled as a ‘hot year’, a designation that often suggests boozy, fruit-bombs – overripe and oversimplified, with a narrative that sells the vintage short.

Scroll down for top-scoring Sonoma County wines from the 2022 vintage

2022 in Sonoma County: 4/5

An unremarkable winter, followed by a somewhat fussy spring – frost, shatter, and painfully low yields for some vintners – but otherwise, the growing season moved along steadily until a record-setting September heatwave upended the rhythm, forcing split-second harvest decisions and rewarding deep vineyard knowledge.

Despite the pressure, the wines from 2022 show impressive density, flavour concentration, and balance, often with a surprising freshness, thanks to thoughtful farming and winemaking.

A vintage that delivered remarkable results in the hands of experienced producers.

Warming trends

Yes, the brutal Labor Day heatwave in early September had some growers panic-picking as temperatures spiked past 115°F (46.1C), even, surprisingly, at cool-climate sites along the West Sonoma Coast.

While it’s natural for extreme weather events to grab the headlines, a vintage story is rarely defined by a single week.

After tasting through hundreds of wines across Sonoma’s vast 60,000 vineyard acres, I can say this: some wines do lean into bigger fruit expression, mostly a stylistic choice anyway, but what truly defines the 2022 vintage overall is its density and concentration of flavours and aromas, all of them.

That character becomes even more apparent after previewing some of the 2023s, which revealed a lighter, more ethereal side of the region, almost the polar opposite of 2022 by comparison.

Looking at the 2022 vintage as a whole, it wasn’t, unfortunately, an abnormally warm year when viewed in the context of steadily rising temperatures over the decades.

Statewide, average annual temperatures have increased by approximately 2.5°F since 1895, with the rate of warming accelerating in recent years.

In other words, growers in Sonoma have become practised at handling increasingly warm conditions. However, it’s important to note that 2022 felt even warmer when contrasted with the following 2023 vintage.

So to understand how the wines still achieved such depth and intensity while maintaining balance that vintage, we need to look beyond the heatwave and consider a few key aspects of the growing season that set the stage.

Autumn rains turn to a dry winter

The winter was indeed drier than average, but early rains in October 2021 proved to be a saving grace. That month brought California its third-wettest October since 1895, delivering above-normal precipitation across much of Northern California.

Those rains were crucial in replenishing parched soils after the summer and providing the vines with the reserves they’d need to face the challenges ahead.

So when January and February followed with almost no rain at all, vintners understood that the end-of-the-year moisture had helped sustain vine health through what might otherwise have been a far more punishing start to the season.

As the season progressed and vines pushed through bud break, spring brought its own set of challenges.

There was frost in some areas, particularly in the Russian River Valley, followed by cool, erratic, windy conditions during flowering that disrupted fruit set, especially on the West Sonoma Coast.

‘Flowering started at the wrong time, it dragged on, and there was a lot of shatter,’ detailed Ted Lemon from Littorai.

The difficult weather conditions during springtime resulted in dramatically lower yields across Sonoma, especially for Pinot Noir crops (while Chardonnay managed to dodge the worst of it), down as much as 55% in some vineyards, particularly at Hirsch Vineyards in Cazadero.

And for producers like Hirsch, the dramatic drop in yields meant slashing production volumes.

‘The San Andreas Fault Pinot, for example, we normally make around 3,000 cases of this wine; that year, we made only 1,000 cases. Same for the Maritime Pinot, one of the most affected vineyards; we were only able to make around 126 cases,’ said winemaker Jasmine Hirsch.

A stark reminder of how unforgiving a challenging spring can be – and how resilience and quality often come at the cost of quantity.

See all 350+ Sonoma County 2022 tasting notes and scores

The heat spike and picking decisions

Then the final test of the September heatwave arrived, forcing some growers and winemakers to make tough decisions.

‘It was definitely a year where you had to know your blocks. One of those vintages where vineyard experience really mattered,’ said Tom Rochioli of his Russian River Valley vineyards.

‘If you knew how to handle it – irrigation timing, canopy work, choosing which fruit to drop – you could still make elegant wines.’

In 2022, winemakers faced the dilemma of either picking fruit earlier than ideal or leaving it to hang a little longer, risking some heat damage. That was a standard narrative that year in Sonoma.

Rochioli’s opinion is that, ‘people who reacted too fast, picked everything in a panic, probably lost out on some flavour development.’

Some growers and producers believed that the vintage required distinct strategies for each vineyard. ‘We didn’t treat all sites the same,’ said Ted Lemon.

At Littorai, some sites were picked before or through the heatwave, while others were deliberately held back. Though it was risky, the fruit wasn’t ready by his standards.

His philosophy is that the readiness of each vineyard trumps any uniform, defensive picking strategy. As ever with Littorai, 2022 reinforced the value of site-specific farming and thoughtful winemaking.

‘The thing that’s most extraordinary about ’22 to me is that we never saw the “raisining”. It was load after load of perfect fruit. And that’s shocking,’ Ted added.

‘One thing about Littorai: people always think that we always pick early. No – when it’s time to be patient, we can be really patient. More patient than anybody.’

The impact of site specificity

In the Alexander Valley, an AVA where Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are a significant part of the plantings, Stonestreet Estate Winery offered a unique perspective on how site-specificity influences harvest decisions.

‘Here, we got everything in before that heat event,’ explained Chris Jackson. ‘But you have to keep in mind where we are, especially in a warmer vintage. And with the low yields from spring, ripening happened even faster.’

The decision to pick before the extreme heat also reflects Stonestreet’s broader philosophy – one increasingly shared by other Cabernet producers in Sonoma, particularly in high-elevation sites like Stonestreet’s own vineyards in the ‘soon-to-be-designated’ Pocket Peak AVA and the Moon Mountain District – prioritising freshness and restraint over pure opulence.

Despite the challenges of the vintage, and perhaps because of them and the discipline they demanded, the quality of the fruit that came in was remarkable, and growers from all parts of Sonoma were almost unanimous in their praise.

‘Honestly? I think the wines turned out better than people give the vintage credit for,’ said Rochioli. ‘It’s not a desired cool year, sure, but we kept the sugars in check and got good flavour concentration. Some really pretty fruit, actually.’

Sonoma County 2022: Ana Carolina’s top 10 wines of the vintage (unranked):

Reviews in the link

Occidental, Bodega Headlands, Cuvée Elizabeth Pinot Noir 100pts

Littorai, The Haven Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 98pts

Hirsch, Raschen Ridge Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast 98pts

Stonestreet, Upper Barn Chardonnay, Alexander Valley 97pts

Ridge, Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley 96pts

Williams Selyem, Saitone Estate Vineyard Zinfandel, Russian River Valley 96pts

Centennial Mountain, Carricante, Sonoma County 97pts

Ernest Vineyards, Joyce Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, 96pts

Devil Proof Vineyards, Malbec Rockpile Ridge Block 5, Rockpile AVA 98pts

Peay Vineyards, Les Titans Syrah, Sonoma Coast 97pts

Ana Carolina’s conclusion

The added punch that the vintage lent to the grapes shows up in the wines in a variety of ways.

In wines that are typically light and delicate, like Hirsch’s West Ridge Pinot, you can taste a little more weight and an interesting and welcoming depth that falls outside its usual nature.

Or there’s the ‘aromatics on steroids’ version of wines such as Occidental-Kistler’s Bodega Headlands Vineyard – Cuvée Elizabeth; more full than usual with lovely florals and crunchy red fruits.

In contrast, wines that tend to lean ‘bigger’ showed a new sense of balance within their style in 2022 – likely the result of more conservative picking decisions and meticulous sorting.

This was evident in several wines from Aperture Cellars in Alexander Valley and Williams Selyem in the Russian River Valley, where savoury elements and nuanced complexity stood out over pure fruit notes.

The 2022 vintage makes for a fascinating comparison with 2023, and it’s a tasting exercise worth doing now, as these wines continue to age and evolve.

Side by side, they tell a clear story of two very different growing seasons, two very different moods of Sonoma.

Where 2023 is starting to reveal all lightness and lift, 2022 brings depth and density, yet still with balance. It’s a reminder of just how much range this region – and its winemakers – can deliver, even when the weather throws them a curveball.

Sonoma County vintage 2022: A selection of 25 wines

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It’s fair to say that the use of oak is among the most important influences on a wine’s flavour and overall character.

In recent years, many winemakers have been dialling back their oak use, in search of more freshness and ‘terroir transparency’, but what if you could change the flavours imparted by the oak itself?

Scroll down to see notes and scores of 12 glittering Cabernets from Silver Oak

The fundamentals

To make a wine barrel, the oak is first turned into long, narrow staves, which are then left outdoors to ‘season’, the purpose of which is mostly to dry out the wood.

After the staves have been shaped, bent and bound together to form a barrel, the inside is ‘toasted’, using a small fire to heat the wood, caramelising its natural sugars and bringing out complex compounds.

The two main types of oak used in winemaking are French and American.

French oak (mostly Quercus petraea and Q. robur), which typically has a tighter grain, is generally considered to add a subtle, refined taste profile to wine, with hints of vanilla and spices such as clove, cinnamon and nutmeg.

American oak (mostly Q. alba), on the other hand, is known for its bold aromatics and flavours, which include vanilla, coconut, caramel and dill.

In search of more nuance in home-grown barrels, the team at Silver Oak in Oakville (fittingly) in Napa Valley and Healdsburg in Sonoma has added the roles of cooper and researcher to that of winemaker.

Close scrutiny

In 1973, the Duncan family, Silver Oak’s owners, partnered with American oak cooperage A&K in Higbee, Missouri.

After taking a 50% stake in the company in 2000, they acquired it outright in 2015 and immediately began making changes (including renaming it the Oak Cooperage) and conducting precision trials of both seasoning and toasting.

In the process, director of winemaking Laura Oskwarek (pictured, below) has made a pivotal discovery: the time spent seasoning American oak is more critical to its effect on wine than the toasting process.

‘Seasoning is important because it finds the balance of all the compounds that we like, which are then going to be affected by toasting,’ she explains. ‘Our trials have taught us that there is a definite minimum and maximum amount of seasoning that works for us.

‘We discovered there was a “too long” period of seasoning where it didn’t deliver what we wanted in the finished wine, and a “too short” period where improper seasoning occurred,’ Oskwarek continues.

‘Under-seasoning can result in barrels with a very “raw” style that doesn’t elevate the wines and can be too dominant. Extended seasoning, in the realm of 36 months, strips so much character from the wood that we find the barrels are too “soft” and don’t offer much added structure.’

Ultimately, they settled on 24 months – just over two winters – as the sweet spot, delivering a ‘Goldilocks’ balance.

‘The fluctuation that the wood experiences, in terms of temperature, rain, humidity and microbial impacts, is the most dynamic over two winters,’ Oskwarek says.

The trials have enabled the creation of American oak barrels that behave more like French oak. Yes, you read that correctly.

Toasting success

My tasting notes reveal wines that have more savoury characteristics and a freshness that I believe will enhance their ageability.

‘The idea that American oak imparts sweet herbal notes has more to do with a lack of seasoning in the barrel,’ Oskwarek says.

‘With proper seasoning, followed by toasting, we find the more favourable and classic notes of American oak, like toasted coconut, vanilla and sweet baking spice. Of course, the level of toasting affects those sweeter notes.

‘Most importantly, a properly seasoned barrel with a moderate toast can do wonders for elevating the red fruit character in red wines like Cabernet. For us, American oak complements our style.’

Toasting trials have revealed that very light toasting is universally unwelcome. Without the deeper sweetness and caramelisation that’s achieved through longer toasting, the wood imparts bitterness to the wine.

‘We found that with American oak, a medium-plus toast was an excellent complement,’ explains Oskwarek. ‘The aromas became darker, with added sweetness, and there was a fuller mid-palate. The trade-off, however, was more tannin.’

The first Silver Oak wines to benefit from these fine-tuned American oak barrels will be from the 2023 vintage, set for release in 2027.

Ongoing explorations

The team recently tasted the 2022 cooperage trials ahead of bottling the 2022 Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernets.

‘We included an additional trial on this vintage of a heavy toast, and it turned out to be a great success as a component of our barrel programme,’ says Oskwarek.

‘This discovery has taught us that there is still much to learn about how toast can enhance our wines, and we will be continuing to run trials as we aim to achieve the best toast profile for each of our Cabernets, the way we did with our seasoning trials.’

There’s a major analytical component alongside Silver Oak’s sensory evaluations.

Independent wine laboratory ETS Labs runs oak ‘aroma panels’ for Oskwarek, using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to measure levels of nine different aroma compounds.

Oskwarek then compares the data with sensory assessments of each trial on each vintage. ‘Our hope is to find trends and connections between the science and what we perceive,’ she says.

The aroma panels reveal the chemistry that underlies the different seasoning and toasting regimes.

‘We see how toast levels affect the expression of lactones [esters that contribute to aromas such as coconut, vanilla, caramel and dried fruits] and vanillin within the wines – how an increase in toast levels enhances some compounds while decreasing other compounds,’ she explains.

‘Each toasting profile brings something a little different aromatically and texturally to the wines.’

Breadth, depth & character

Oskwarek can run these experiments because the winemaking team blends before barrelling down (the process of transferring a finished wine from fermentation tanks into barrels), so the oak trials are carried out on the final blend, rather than on the various components.

‘After acquiring the cooperage, we immediately began to understand how best to craft American oak barrels that complement our wine style,’ she says.

‘By the 2021 vintage, we had confidence in our seasoning preferences; by the 2022 vintage, we had discovered that we had yet to hit a toasting maximum preference.’

She says that they’re still exploring how barrels with increased time over the fire may complement the wine in the long run.

‘Currently, we have staves from forests that we own seasoning, and we will soon make barrels from that wood,’ Oskwarek concludes.

‘Our story is very much rooted in tradition, but our curiosity drives us to continue exploring how to move the needle on quality.’

Cristaldi’s view: Two sides of Silver Oak – Napa & Sonoma

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What does it take to turn a mere patch of vines into something truly extraordinary? In places such as France, the answer is as much political as it is cultural – think grands crus, the product of centuries of tradition and strict regulation.

In the US, however, no such hierarchy exists.

Yet, if greatness in wine truly begins with a profound sense of place, a vineyard so distinct and expressive that it imprints itself on every bottle, vintage after vintage, then America’s most compelling sites are slowly but surely asserting their case.

Not through formal classification, but through daring minds, patient hands, vibrant topography that communicates the character and dynamism of a region or place – or perhaps all of these combined.

Scroll down for notes and scores of 10 wonderful wines from America’s finest vineyards

‘Part of our strength is that there’s a lot of fluidity and still plenty of opportunity to observe the sites we already know more closely, refine our practices and discover smaller, lesser-known sites that are absolutely worthy but perhaps not yet recognised,’ says Ted Lemon winemaker and co-founder of West Sonoma Coast’s famed Littorai.

Among the vineyards that have risen to prominence across the US, the following 10 stand out for their distinctiveness and their growing reputations – consistently offering something unique, they have already earned themselves a place of significance in US viticulture…

Heintz

Sonoma Coast, California

Planted area 22ha

‘That vineyard holds acidity very well. It has this lovely, gradual, steady ripening quality,’ says Ted Lemon, highlighting why Heintz has become synonymous with the piercing acidity that has helped revive Californian Chardonnay in recent years – bright, lean and unapologetically fresh.

Located east of Occidental and about 10km from the Pacific, the vineyard sits in a sweet spot at the intersection of three different AVAs: Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley and Green Valley. It seems to capture the best of all worlds – coastal fog, higher elevation (about 250m) and just the right amount of warmth to promote ideal ripening.

The site has been in the Heintz family for more than 100 years, dating back to 1912, but it was only planted with vines in the early 1980s, primarily using Wente clones. For years, the family mostly sold their fruit to large wineries.

Currently managed by Charles Heintz, a third-generation grower, the Heintz vineyard has quietly shifted focus, establishing contracts with smaller producers such as Littorai and Williams Selyem, and sparkling wine makers such as Ultramarine.

This transition has introduced a more hands-on approach to farming, block by block, moving away from high yields in favour of a craft that prioritises quality over quantity.

Hirsch

West Sonoma Coast, California

Planted area 29ha

The drive up Bohan Dillon Road in northern California hints at what awaits at the summit.

Right above the Pacific, rising from the marine fog at an elevation above 370m, the Hirsch vineyards rest where the Sonoma Coast meets wilderness. It’s a place of extremes, perched atop the San Andreas Fault – steep slopes, fractured and diverse soils, intense sunshine, high if erratic rainfall and winds that never quite settle.

Yet, against all odds, the wines from this site carry an enduring grace and a powerful elegance. ‘It’s a uniquely shaped piece of land,’ says Jasmine Hirsch, second-generation winemaker and daughter of David Hirsch, the land’s pioneer.

When David planted the first vines in 1980, he didn’t have a master plan – just a feeling that this remote, unruly land could produce something special.

After experimenting with Riesling, he received advice from his viticulturist friend Jim Beauregard, who was visiting from the Santa Cruz mountains, regarding the site’s potential for Pinot Noir.

Beauregard even gifted him cuttings – a mix of Pommard and Wädenswil clones, which have their origins respectively in France and Switzerland. And the rest, as they say, is history, with the vineyards now covering an area of 29ha (72 acres) across more than 60 blocks, all farmed individually.

‘There’s no great terroir without great ownership,’ says Ted Lemon, who has been the longest continuous purchaser of Hirsch fruit, starting back in 1994.

‘At Hirsch, you have all these different spurs and hilltops with varied orientations – something that wouldn’t necessarily make sense in a European, pre-climate change context. It’s David’s resolute stubbornness and his willingness to understand what suits the vineyard best that sets it apart.’

Las Piedras

St Helena, Napa Valley, California

Planted area 8.9ha

Las Piedras may not be the first vineyard that comes to mind among Beckstoffer Vineyards’ remarkable stable of renowned Napa properties, but if you ask around, many winemakers will say that it shows the most distinctive terroir of them all.

Acquired in 1983, Las Piedras (‘The Stones’) is part of Beckstoffer’s heritage vineyards collection. ‘It’s definitely the most individual in Beckstoffer’s lineup,’ says Matt Sands, winemaker at Lithology, who has been making wine from Las Piedras grapes since 2015. Andy Beckstoffer himself agrees, noting that many of his buyers consider it a ‘true grand cru’.

‘The idea of investing in terroir was risky, and I don’t want to take too much credit for it because it takes a village, but it worked out,’ reflects Beckstoffer.

Originally part of the Mexican land grants, it was the first vineyard in what is now the St Helena AVA and was initially planted to Mission grapes (País/Criolla, the earliest Vitis vinifera variety to be grown in the Americas).

Las Piedras is celebrated for its striking minerality, benefiting from the gravelly, loamy, alluvial soils, which provide good drainage and natural vine stress. The result is wines that consistently earn top scores, with 100-point ratings from leading producers appearing time and time again.

‘You get a mix of vibrant red and black fruits, deep concentration, an underlying earthiness and a distinct freshness with a mineral edge. It’s a captivating vineyard,’ Sands concludes.

Sanford & Benedict

Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California

Planted area 60.7ha (20.6ha early 1970s original plantings)

Sanford & Benedict isn’t just part of the Sta Rita Hills story – it helped write some of its first chapters.

As the first site planted to Pinot Noir in Santa Barbara County, it set the stage for the region’s rise, with its influence stretching far beyond its vineyard rows and leaving an indelible mark on the wine world.

Planted own-rooted by Michael Benedict and Richard Sanford (first to Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1971, then to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in 1973), the vineyard has provided cuttings that have spread widely across the region.

‘As Michael shared with me over the years, any time a neighbouring vineyard owner asked for cuttings, he was happy to share,’ says John Terlato, vice chairman of the Terlato Group, which purchased the vineyard in 2007.

Sanford & Benedict lies just 16km from the Pacific, where it’s enveloped in a cool, marine layer of air that tempers the relentless Central Coast sun, a delicate balance of brisk ocean breezes meeting sun-drenched afternoons. Its deep marine soils boast a remarkable water-holding capacity.

The legacy of Sanford & Benedict is not only rooted in its history but also in its boundless potential.

Terlato notes that even wines from the mid- to late 1970s still exhibit a ‘rare depth, precision and youthful vibrancy. The potential couldn’t have been more evident, and they still have a great deal of runway ahead,’ underscoring the vineyard’s remarkable ability to produce wines with exceptional longevity and character.

Savoy

Anderson Valley, Mendocino, California

Planted area 21ha

‘It’s the one right across from the hardware store,’ locals will say, reminding us that great terroir doesn’t always come with a view. ‘It’s nothing flashy, but the fruit is spellbinding,’ says Kenneth Juhasz, founder and winemaker at Auteur Wines.

If Savoy’s outward appearance doesn’t turn heads, its inner beauty – soil, climate, farming – has attracted people for decades and has helped elevate Anderson Valley to one of California’s top Pinot Noir regions.

The 21ha vineyard sits on a mix of valley floor and gentle southwest-facing slopes. It was first planted in 1991 by Richard Savoy, a true Burgundy devotee – often described as eccentric by those who know him.

Ted Lemon, who has been producing a Savoy Pinot Noir for Littorai (based further south at Sebastopol) since 1995 – dramatically influencing the site’s development – credits this to years of farming with organic methods, and the vineyard’s soil diversity and moderate climate.

‘To me, the wine reflects that same unassuming quality of the site,’ Lemon observes. ‘It’s never the flashiest wine we make, but it’s always among the wines that age the best.’

Vine Hill Ranch

Oakville, Napa Valley, California

Planted area 29ha

Vine Hill Ranch is Napa Valley’s backstage pass to some of the world’s most prized Cabernet Sauvignon – a source for some of Napa’s most prestigious winemakers, supplying grapes to labels such as Harlan’s Bond label, Colgin Cellars and other ‘cult’ Napa Cabs.

The blend of volcanic rock and loamy clay soils across seven distinct blocks, different clonal and rootstock combinations, and an east-facing exposure on the benchlands are just a few reasons this site has earned its well-deserved reputation in Napa Valley.

Though the estate has been farmed since the late 1800s, it was the Phillips family who truly cemented its reputation as a premier source of top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, starting in the 1950s when Bruce Kelham, maternal grandfather of current owner Bruce Phillips, bought the property.

Replanting in the late 1980s – prompted by the damage wrought by phylloxera and guided by Bruce’s father Bob Phillips – reshaped the vineyard’s structure and solidified its commitment to Cabernet excellence.

‘This is a special place,’ says Bruce. ‘In a single vineyard, we capture the true Oakville character, from plush red fruit, vibrant acidity and silky tannins on the benchlands to deeper blue-fruited notes and more pronounced tannic structure as you move upslope. Along the forest perimeter, the wines develop a savoury complexity. It’s a remarkable expression of site, and we continue to evolve the farming with each vintage to honour it.’

Eyrie

Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Planted area 4.5ha

In the history of American wine, few stories are as bold as that of Eyrie’s original vineyard in Oregon’s Dundee Hills.

Armed with hundreds of grape cuttings and a dream, then 25-year-old David Lett rolled into the Willamette Valley in 1965 and planted the first Vitis vinifera vineyard in the region – unknowingly setting the stage for what may just become the most revered place for American Pinot Noir.

‘When I look at the decisions my dad made at that time, being new to the region, about the best place to plant Pinot Noir here, it’s almost spooky how correct he was,’ says Jason Lett,

David’s son, second-generation grower and winemaker at Eyrie since 2005. The proof is in the vineyard, which has turned out to be a masterclass in precision – currently at 4.5ha, it rises from 80m to 125m and is framed by trees including oak, pine and a Douglas fir where red-tailed hawks nest every year, inspiring the vineyard’s name.

Intentionality has been Eyrie’s guiding principle all along. From the start, the vineyard was organically farmed (certified in 2013) – no irrigation, no herbicides, no shortcuts – long before sustainability was a buzzword in the wine world.

David’s commitment to showcasing the true potential of Oregon Pinot Noir through Eyrie has inspired a generation of growers and winemakers to pursue authenticity in viticulture. ‘Eyrie has this really magical interplay of earthy components, lyrical fruit and a lightness in colour – something that stays true from one vintage to the next,’ Jason says.

Cailloux

Walla Walla Valley, Oregon

Planted area 3.4ha

Cailloux makes a bold first impression, much like vigneron Christophe Baron. When he planted the 4ha plot near Milton-Freewater city in 1997, local scepticism ran high, but Baron’s defiance drove him forward. ‘They called me crazy. Well, they still do,’ he jokes.

Cailloux’s ground is covered with stones (hence the name, from the French); the vines seem to wrestle their way through these cobbles, embodying a struggle that has become the vineyard’s signature.

While there is a little Cabernet Sauvignon (two acres, or 0.8ha) and half as much Viognier, it’s primarily planted with Syrah, which produces wines that are intensely earthy, savoury and unmistakably unique – ‘funky’, many would say. ‘If you want to create a great wine, you must start with a great foundation, a great terroir.

After that, it’s all about how you treat the site,’ explains Baron, who has been farming Cailloux organically since the beginning and pioneered biodynamic practices in Walla Walla in 2002 (certified since 2004).

‘I never used forces of death in my vineyard,’ he adds, referring to herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. ‘He’s created something truly unique. The wines from Cailloux are built to last. It’s undoubtedly a piece of American wine history,’ reflects Linda Milagros, wine director at fine-dining destination Canlis in Seattle.

Boushey

Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Washington

Planted area 65ha

Boushey makes a compelling case for the idea that terroir is as much about the hands that shape it as the land itself.

Dick and Luanne Boushey planted their first vines in 1980 on a site that’s layered with silt loam, windblown loess and ancient flood deposits over fractured basalt, all in one of the cooler corners of the Yakima Valley AVA.

Sure, the geology, coupled with the moderate temperatures of the south-facing slopes of the Rattlesnake hills, add to the site’s complexity, but it’s undoubtedly Dick’s unwavering dedication, over a period of more than four decades, that makes Boushey, well, Boushey.

Over the years, the site has earned a reputation for producing some of Washington’s finest Syrahs. The farming appears to be marked by a profound ‘sensitivity to the vines’. ‘He connects with the vines almost on an emotional level,’ observes James Mantone, winemaker at Syncline Winery.

Boushey produces distinctly different fruit from that of the surrounding vineyards – with an elegant umami and cream profile.

‘It’s not as if he’s farming in just one type of soil,’ Mantone continues. ‘As you go up behind his house, you encounter gravelly soils; as you come down, you find more loamy soils. Yet, despite that variation, there’s a consistency – a sort of “Bousheyness”.

Magdalena

Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, New York

Planted area 5.9ha

The consistent quality of Magdalena vineyard – driven by organic farming and currently transitioning to biodynamics – only strengthens its growing reputation. Magdalena reliably produces wines of distinction and character, regardless of the year’s conditions.

Magdalena’s location on Seneca lake, on a 60ha property about 800m from its western shore, is pivotal to its success.

‘When we started to explore sites in the Finger Lakes, it was based on how warm the site was – not only ripening, but also how warm it is in the winter,’ explains Oskar Bynke, co-owner of Hermann J Wiemer Vineyard. ‘The lake’s airflow protects the vines from frost, making it both a warm site for winter and a ripe one for growing – an ideal combination.’

Planting began in 1999 with Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, followed by Gewürztraminer, Lemberger and Cabernet Franc. The site is now emerging as a standout vineyard for the last of these.

‘The intense afternoon sun, along with the 327 clone of Cabernet Franc – originally from Bordeaux – leads to a more refined profile, highlighting red fruit and floral notes rather than just ripeness,’ says Allison Slute, founder of the Cab Franc Chronicles substack. ‘This unique combination really sets the site apart.

10 wonderful wines from America’s finest vineyards

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When Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel were married, winemaker Jesse Katz was commissioned to craft personalised wedding wines. The wine, Blue Ocean Floor, was named after a song Timberlake wrote for Biel.

He did the same for his close childhood friend, Jessica’s brother Justin Biel and his wife, Rose.

Prophet & Poet is a continuation of those collaborations. ‘We have really enjoyed working together, the learning and collaboration,’ said Katz. The brand is aimed at collectors and serious wine drinkers and priced commensurately. (The Chardonnays are priced at $600 per 3-pack, and the Cabernet at $1650.)

Katz, known for producing Bordeaux varieties in Sonoma, is bullish on raising the region’s profile when it comes to collectable wines.

In addition to the partnership with the Biels, the Jackson Family‘s owner, Chris, and his wife, Ariel, are contributing their expertise and vineyards to the project.

A prophet and a poet

The wine brand is named for Biel’s brother and his wife. Rose Biel is a shamanically trained energy healer – the prophet, while Justin Biel – the writer, is the brand’s poet. Rose explained that each wine comes with a ‘wisdom poem’. Rose explained that this comes from meditation on a particular topic or challenge one might face.

The inaugural 2021 vintage release includes five wines: two single-vineyard Chardonnays, King Bird and Ghost Cat, and three red wines. The two red blends are Mountain Sage and Mourning Cloak, and the Cabernet Sauvignon is called Black Crown. The wines are sold in three packs, which come in boxes evocative of old leather-bound books.

The wine packaging, both the labels and the three-pack boxes, lean heavily into the esoteric with fantastic imagery and tarot-like cards on the back of each label.

The vineyards

The Broken Road vineyard is unique, explains Chris Jackson. The vineyard sits at 550m (1,800ft), right in the top layers of the coastal fog that floods the valley each evening.

‘The vineyard is planted to an unidentified clone of Chardonnay. We’ve had it tested, but they couldn’t find a match at (UC) Davis,’ Jackson said. ‘So we thought we had a unique opportunity to make something different with the wines from here, and in this project, with this wine, we can lean into the unique character of this fruit and site.’

In addition to the Broken Road Chardonnay, a second Chardonnay comes from Upper Barn, a site that has long been the top-tier single-vineyard bottling for Jackson Family’s Stonestreet label. ‘The soil content of Upper Barn is unique and rocky,’ Jackson explained. ‘There’s blue schist, which we know from Mosel, and the Duoro, and I think Jesse did a great job of capturing that minerality, there’s a throughline of that in the wines.’

Along with the two single-vineyard Chardonnays, the top wine, the Cabernet Sauvignon, is partly sourced from Christopher’s Vineyard, the highest site on the Jackson-owned estate, along with fruit from Knight’s Valley in Sonoma.

‘Up here we’re in a very windy environment,’ Jackson said. ‘As you probably noticed, one that’s very influenced by the proximity to the coast. We believe that the elevation, the soils and the different vineyard aspects can make some of Sonoma and the country’s best wines.’

The winemaking

‘We want to showcase the amazing sites like Upper Barn and Broken Road, but we also want these wines to be reflective and really be the top wines of the vintage coming from the region,’ said winemaker Jesse Katz.

‘While I’m used to driving the charge of all the viticultural elements for my own brands (Aperture and Devil Proof), working with Chris and collaborating with him on this has really been really fascinating, finding these unique pockets together, that maybe on my own I may have overlooked,’ he added.

The blending and final winemaking involve collaboration, and all the partners participate by tasting and selecting different lots. The wines are produced at Katz’s Aperture Cellars.

‘I love wine,’ said Biel. ‘And we feel very fortunate to be able to get involved in it at such a high level for our brand, thanks to Jesse, Chris and Ariel.’

‘We’re trying to elevate Sonoma County,’ said Jackson. ‘And this is our time, we believe, with Prophet & Poet, to take that conversation to the next level.’

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Just minutes from downtown Healdsburg – a former frontier town, now a destination for Michelin-starred dining and refined tasting rooms – the resort reflects the region’s evolution. While moneyed travellers have arrived, the town’s unpretentious charm remains, and Montage Healdsburg mirrors this balance with an understated, nature-driven aesthetic.

Maximising light and privacy through organic design

Hidden from the street but for a discreet sign marking the turnoff, Montage models a purpose-built property that integrates naturally into the landscape. The main hub of gastronomic activity sits atop a hill – the heartwood from which 130 bungalow-style guest rooms and suites unfurl down the slope.

The California-based architects and interior designers, versed in sustainable building principles, clearly drew inspiration from the surrounding flora. While subtle touches of glitz and glamour appear throughout, the designers favoured statement-making pieces crafted from organic materials – like a dramatic concrete fireplace and a striking slab of live oak adorning the lobby wall. Moving between common spaces such as the lobby, Scout Field Bar, and restaurant Hazel Hill, you’ll discover more contextual clues: warm woods, textiles in earthy hues and custom artworks of cast bark juxtaposed with local stone.

Low-slung bungalow-style guest rooms hide between groves of manzanita and oak, each dwelling featuring floor-to-ceiling views, inviting outdoor showers and private terraces open to the Northern California air. Rooms positioned higher on the hillside feel suspended among the treetops, creating the impression of lounging within the canopy. Modern, clean interiors provide a serene backdrop for meditating on the scenery, whether from your pillow-soft king bed or deep soaking tub.

A small but sufficient gym fills up in the mornings. It’s California, after all, where wine and wellness have long gone hand-in-hand. Rather than an efficient run on the treadmill, try an inefficient meander along the hiking trails etched across the rumpled topography. Swim a few lazy laps in the zero-edge pool or relax with a massage or facial in the spa before prepping for dinner.

Wine and gastronomy

Though nearby Healdsburg boasts fine dining, excellent cafes and a multi-storey farm-to-table experience (hello, The Matheson!) drinks and dinner at Hazel Hill are not to be missed. Whether huddled inside on a fog-shrouded night or dining beneath clear starry skies on the terrace, prepare for a languorous affair.

French-influenced California cuisine takes centre stage on a menu that transitions with the seasons like a grapevine moving from dormancy to harvest. If you’re dining with a group, don’t shy away from over-ordering and sharing. It’s a place to eat indulgently, then saunter back to your room knowing there’s no need to drive.

Start by digging into the wine list, which highlights some of Northern California’s top labels, including Pinot Noir from Littorai’s Savoy Vineyard. Or opt for a glass of Surveyor, made from the estate’s vineyards in collaboration with Jesse Katz of Aperture Cellars, a rising star in American winemaking.

If visiting Montage Healdsburg in the spring, start with a platter of asparagus spears delicately dressed in a bright, savoury sauce of almond, citrus and sorrel. Spaghetti chittara makes use of the short but glorious Dungeness crab season with its mound of sweet meat spiked with Calabrian chiles set atop a twirl of pasta. For meat eaters, budget money and digestion space for the photo-worthy Westholme Wagyu tomahawk steak paired with wild earthy mushrooms.

Of course, carve out time to visit Healdsburg’s stylish tasting rooms like mid-century inspired Ernest Vineyards or California-beach-chic Marine Layer. But don’t overcommit. In a world of busyness, remind yourself that doing nothing is something worth doing. Grab a lounge chair and savour the painterly views of the vineyards and mountains beyond.

For more information, see the Montage Healdsburg website.

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Just over a decade in, the Sonoma County Barrel Auction (SoCoBA) finds itself in a sweet spot: seasoned enough to have a sense of legacy yet still evolving with the kind of collective energy that feels unmistakably Sonoma.

Last week’s 11th edition brought together around 300 participants – vintners, trade, media and, for the first time, a select group of customers. The two-day event, held on 1-2 May, featured a full-day grand tasting followed by a spirited live auction.

The 2025 SoCoBA raised a total of $328,000. This year’s highest bid went to Ridge Vineyards‘ Lot 43: a 2024 Fredson Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon from Alexander Valley, which sold for $27,000.

‘We are incredibly grateful for this response to our wine among so many esteemed Sonoma County wine producers. Ridge has been producing single-vineyard wines from Sonoma County for about six decades, and while our Sonoma wines are often associated with our Zinfandel programme, and our Bordeaux varietals with Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, this lot offered an opportunity to showcase something new to us: a Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma County,’ said Ryan Johnson, Ridge’s director of marketing.

This kind of surprise – the Sonoma Cabernet from Ridge – is exactly what SoCoBA is designed to deliver.

At first glance, the ‘Never Before, Never Again’ concept sounds straightforward enough – a one-off wine, made once and never repeated. But things get a lot more interesting. In practice, it invites winemakers to break from routine and get a little wild: teaming up in unexpected collaborations, experimenting with techniques that rarely make it into the winery’s core programmes, or gaining access to prized fruit from renowned vineyards or select blocks that are usually off-limits. It’s part creativity lab, part winemakers’ flex, and fully in the spirit of the auction.

‘These one-of-a-kind wines reflect not only the breadth of appellations and varietals in Sonoma County, but also the innovation, collaboration, and generosity of our wine community,’ said Michael Haney, executive director of Sonoma County Vintners.

This year’s auction featured 59 lots from producers across Sonoma’s AVAs.

Standout wines included a rare collaboration between Sonoma’s historic producer, Williams Selyem, and the Benovia Winery with a Pinot Noir from the Cohn Vineyard, a heritage site planted in the 1970s. The Sticks and Stems Pinot Noir from Three Sticks is a deep dive into 100% whole cluster Pinot Noir from Gap’s Crown Vineyard.

Sightlines, a Pinot Noir from Flowers, is an exploration of the highest section of the Cielo block in the Sea View Ridge estate. Voice of the Vineyard is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of fruit from the oldest and newest blocks at Knights Bridge Estate, capturing the site’s ongoing evolution.

Luisona is Saintsbury’s first-ever amphora-fermented Chardonnay, made from a single Dijon 96 clone. A Lorenzo Legacy is a Chardonnay that brings together two distinct visions from the same vineyard, united in one blend by the two Gregs – Stach of Landmark and La Follette of Marchelle.

Unlike more high-stakes wine auctions elsewhere – Premiere Napa Valley, for example – SoCoBA maintains a community-first ethos. The focus remains on connection, storytelling and shared excitement. The numbers matter, but they feel almost secondary to the spirit of it all: a thoughtful blend of authenticity and ambition.

‘Each year, SoCoBA brings the trade deeper into Sonoma wines,’ said Haney. ‘We’ve hosted the event at venues across the county, highlighting the diversity of our AVAs – and once people experience it, they want to come back. We’re seeing more engagement and more buyers eager to explore these wines and connect with the region.’

Since its first edition in 2015, SoCoBA has raised more than $5m to support trade-facing marketing initiatives, including the ongoing #WineIsUs campaign, which promotes Sonoma wines across consumer channels.

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Wine is a rarity – a splendid, value-added substance built upon an agricultural commodity. There is also, for the time being, far too much of it.

The 2024 growing season in California, my 17th vintage making wine, was gorgeous. Plentiful winter rain set the vines up for success. The summer then brought warm, dry days with cool nights – perfect for even ripening.

Relatively few heat spells and low disease pressure meant that there was no rush to pick. As the associate winemaker at Sonoma’s Brick and Mortar, I was working with pristine fruit brought in at its peak.

However, while cycling around Sonoma County months later, I saw row upon row of unharvested grapes. Fruit was left to rot on the vine in some of the state’s most prestigious appellations. For the 2024 harvest, there was no hiding in plain sight.

Desperate times

The custom crush facility that I worked for received calls from growers on an almost daily basis, asking us to vinify their fruit for them and offering all manner of deals. ‘Take half the fruit for yourselves,’ was often the plea.

Promises to pay may have been well intentioned, but there are no guarantees. Major wineries have gone bankrupt.

That unspoken-for wine in the tank loses value as the days go by. It will eventually be picked up for a song and blended into one generic bulk wine or another, its identity and integrity lost, any invocations to terroir a hollow joke.

‘Does this not mean amazing prices and plentiful wine for all?’ one could be forgiven for wondering. Sort of, in the short-term, is the answer.

However, over time, it also means a hit to quality, vineyards and the environment.

The California wine industry must figure out what it wants to be, and we, fellow wine lovers, should understand the role that we play in crafting the future of wine.

As I write this, there are 360 California bulk wine sale listings on one online marketplace alone, many dating back over multiple vintages. In one, 18,000 US gallons (about 68,000L) of 2024 Mendocino Chardonnay is optimistically priced at $12 per gallon ($3.17/L – about £2.50).

Competition is stiff. Tens of thousands of gallons are on offer for less. Consider the 2020 Alexander Valley Zinfandel, listed at $3 per gallon.

This is a stark indication of how punishing the passing of time is to the perceived value of unsold wine. So how did we get here?

The notion of infinite growth

The last two-plus decades saw enormous over-planting of new vineyards, spurred on by excessively exuberant projections based on past growth.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Americans were rapidly becoming wine drinkers; the mistake lay in thinking that this trend would continue until wine sat on every table.

Add to this the swirl of complex factors surrounding drinks culture – the sober-curious movement, adaptogenic beverages (involving active ingredients), cocktails, Millennials not wanting to be like their parents, and consumer confidence – and plop! We’ve landed in this wine-dark sea.

For five years or more, Californian marketing cooperatives such as Allied Grape Growers have issued warnings about the over-planting of new vineyards and have been urging farmers to rip vines out. It takes years before new acres make themselves felt.

Fruit comes online (ready for commercial wine production) in year three, or really year four. If one isn’t paying attention to who is planting what, one can quickly become part of the excess.

The low-yielding drought years of 2014-2016 gave producers a false sense of scarcity, which fuelled the growers’ refusal to heed the warnings of oversupply. Then Mother Nature layered on extra complexity.

Masking the problem

Wildfires in 2017, 2019 and even more so in 2020 slashed production across the state, most notably in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties. Smoke rendered thousands of tonnes of fruit unsalvageable.

Unscrupulous producers already sitting on more wine than they could sell used the fires as an excuse not to accept perfectly good contracted fruit. Here was their out. The ensuing scarcity masked the problem yet again.

Then came Covid, bringing with it a temporary uptick in wine drinking that gave wineries a misguided sense of exuberance – wine is back! Wine club memberships are up! We’re saved! Not so. What happens to all of the extra fruit?

Cue the rise of ‘private label’ wine companies that contract to make a ‘Cuvée CostCut’ or a ‘Bob’s 80th’ birthday wine. Cue the mass-marketed boxed wines.

Understand that these are, by and large, put out by opportunistic entrepreneurs/marketers – not actual winemakers – picking up wine that someone else is frequently selling at a loss.

Think market forces, think global markets.

Buying in bulk

Picture enormous plastic tanks full of wine, sloshing as they ride on merchant marine ships across the globe, from Australia to the UK, Chile to Canada, San Francisco through the Panama Canal and on to…?

This isn’t a dystopia to be guarded against – it already accounts for a vast percentage by volume of wine consumed around the world. Sure, the carbon footprint is lower when wine is shipped in bulk and bottled where it’s to be sold, and that’s something.

But is the primary goal to have plentiful cheap plonk from all over the world? Or should we hold wine to a higher standard and place quality over quantity?

Now imagine that top wineries that long held to principles of terroir are facing pressures that may fundamentally change the way they’re making wine.

I knew we had reached a crisis when a colleague of mine who owns a boutique winery said that her 2025 crush plan was to drop all fruit contracts and buy finished wine on the bulk market.

Why deal with grower contracts, vineyard tracking, worrying about the weather and when to pick, hiring and training a harvest cellar crew, and fermenting grapes into wine when one has an ample and diverse supply of bulk wine easily at hand?

Any ‘winemaker’ buying wine in bulk comes to it after many critical decisions and actual winemaking have come and gone.

To be clear, wine has been traded in bulk for as long as wine has been made. Transactions mainly involved wineries looking to make relatively minor tweaks to their production.

For example, maybe I could use an extra 750L of Merlot to round out a particular lot and you made a bit too much to sell for yourself this year.

Shadow markets

As someone who has participated in small-scale, less cynical bulk wine buying, I can say looking for that diamond in the rough can be creative and fun; however, the ‘shadow market’ in bulk wine has expanded dramatically in recent years as wineries renew fewer grape contracts.

Today, entire companies are built around the assumption that growers will continue to overproduce and that bulk wine will continue to be sold at or near a loss.

Brands made with bulk wine pop up overnight, wooing the consumer with flashy packaging rather than the wine itself. The business model isn’t to enter into meaningful long-term contracts with growers, but to buy cheap and invent new labels as needed.

There is a sameness to these wines. They are invariably tweaked to conform to a particular formula. But these wines don’t offer a repeatable experience because where in the morass of bulk wine did that bottle come from?

Cheap wine also has an environmental cost. When grape prices are down, farmers often cut back on human labour. This can necessitate increasing the use of fungicides or herbicides, which takes a toll on the workforce, the environment and wine quality.

Far from being just a romantic notion, organic, biodynamic and regeneratively farmed vineyards are proven carbon sinks and havens for wildlife.

The extremes are stark, each producing radically different outcomes for the environment.

The way forward?

In a global context, California is still in its infancy as a wine region, still sorting out which varieties do best where.

Once vines have been planted, regardless of quality and need, farmers are loath to pull them out. They are business people, but it’s emotional. The vines are their babies. Many refuse to believe that their fruit is worth less or, indeed, worthless.

The sustainable option is to pull out enough vines to bring production in line with consumption, understanding that Mother Nature will always have the last word.

Between 2023 and 2024, California saw an estimated 15,000ha ripped out, mainly from the Central Valley. However, about 7,000 additional hectares came online, representing a net reduction of only 8,000ha. Allied Grape Growers calls for pulling out at least 20,000ha more.

This is a tricky proposition. Everyone agrees that vines should go, but nobody wants it to be theirs. How best should growers proceed? I sought the advice of a highly regarded Californian viticulturist who has more than 25 years of experience in this cyclical business.

They were happy to speak, but requested anonymity. ‘First, I look at, okay, is the vineyard economical in a good market?’ they told me. ‘And if it’s not, it’s time to remove it. If it’s virus-affected or compromised, it’s a challenge to sell that fruit.

‘I’ve had multiple calls over the last six months,’ my interviewee continued, ‘from people saying, “Will you lease my vineyard for no payment?” They want to maintain the property. They think it has tremendous value, and I look at the age and yields. “Do you have a contract? No?” Those folks are in denial. They don’t understand the business.’

What if you have a new, healthy, well laid-out vineyard in a prime appellation but sales are soft and you’re having trouble covering costs?

‘Of course, you’re not going to pull that vineyard. You haven’t even begun to pay for your investment,’ they explained. ‘My advice to those is: let’s do the minimal work to keep the vineyard healthy this year, to be in line for healthy production next year.’

Looking for balance

My source is confident that Napa and Sonoma are close to finding a balance between supply and demand. There isn’t much room in either county for new plantings, and growers and wineries are, they said, increasingly ‘diligent and efficient about what we are doing’.

The market will no longer tolerate poorly farmed fruit, and nor should it.

Citing the Sonoma County Winegrowers’ sustainability programme, they continued: ‘Sonoma County as a whole has made this claim that we are going to be sustainable. Well, we have to act on that, and we have to improve what we are doing every year.’

Their message: ‘Plant to your site, and farm to your site.’ In other words, don’t try to force quality where the terroir won’t support it and don’t plant in high-yielding terrain unless you have a solid sales plan for all those grapes.

Wineries must also do better. Those that don’t seek rapid expansion, focusing instead on only making what they can sell, are more reliable buyers of fruit and tend to treat that fruit with greater care.

Where even these wineries can fall short is in their marketing. Food and wine, enjoyed together at the table with loved ones, is an ancient story in need of a rebrand. This is wine as culture, and this is at risk.

Most importantly, wine buyers shouldn’t discount the role they can play in rectifying the situation.

‘The number one driver for wineries is the consumer,’ noted the viticulturist. ‘Consumer pressure for sure has gotten wineries that 10 years ago were not on board (with sustainability) on board.’ Mindful consumption, I would add, is the real answer.

We babble on, misty-eyed, about terroir and then get excited by a screaming deal. Here’s where the rubber meets the road. Get to know your winemaker. Trace the wine back to the vineyard it came from and learn how it was farmed.

Understand the power of your wallet. This will create better wine, serve our planet and enhance our wine adventures.

Striking a balance: six recommended California wineries

Ignoring the ‘bigger is better’ ethos, these six California producers are all focused on only making as much wine as they can sell, while also treating their suppliers and the fruit that they supply with respect.

Dunn Vineyards

Howell Mountain is one of the greatest AVAs for Cabernet Sauvignon, and Dunn Vineyards has been creating dense, delicious Cabs here for 46 years.

Focusing on one variety may seem limited, but multiple sites yield complexity, which is complemented by 32 months in carefully chosen French oak barrels. Don’t be afraid of that oak – this fruit integrates it beautifully.

The 2019 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (US$175-$250 Widely available, Alcohol 13.9%, 98pts) is stunning, still fresh, with plenty of life ahead. There’s a relatively more affordable Napa bottling, which is also excellent, and a reserve wine in the top years.

The family’s large donations to the Napa Land Trust demonstrate its commitment to ecology. dunnvineyards.com.

Flanagan

‘To make great wine, you must start with great fruit from great sites.’ So says Isabelle Mort, director of winemaking at Flanagan. Clichéd, perhaps, but few live up to this like Flanagan.

In addition to its own vineyards, Flanagan has long-standing contracts for renowned sites such as Bacigalupi and Ritchie. Where other wineries stomp on this famous fruit, Flanagan is all about expressing the vintage and the terroir.

Expect balance across the board.

The 2023 Viognier (US$65-$70 Flanagan, Vintner’s Collective, Alc 14%, 95pts) – with great acidity, complexity and a smooth mouthfeel – manages to be sumptuous without being cloying, which isn’t easy for this variety in California. flanaganwines.com.

Lichen Estate

There’s a touch of the mad inventor about Doug Stewart, founder and winemaker of Lichen Estate in the Anderson Valley, Mendocino.

From yoghurt to high-temperature superconductors, the companies he has founded have a through-line: sustainability and caring for the environment.

Doug farms Lichen organically, also focusing on regenerative practices such as not tilling and encouraging native grasses. Aiming to set the bar for California sparkling, his vines are planted at high density, which also conserves scarce water reserves.

The Lichen 2018 Sparkling Pinot Gris is pure and delightful.

The 2019 Grand Cuvée Rosé (US$95 Lichen Estate, Alc 12.5%, 93pts) is peachy, flinty and lively – and made from 100% estate fruit. lichenestate.com.

Porter Creek Vineyards

Alex Davis, owner and winemaker at Porter Creek Vineyards, is uncompromising in terms of his thoughtful, organic viticulture and hands-off approach to winemaking.

He doesn’t chase trends or markets. While about 80% of his production comes from his estate fruit, with a focus on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Davis also purchases small quantities of other grapes from organic growers – in order to offer something at a lower price point.

The 2019 Hillside Pinot Noir (Alc 12.8%, 95pts) perfectly represents what to expect from here: chiselled, elegant, restrained and delicious. portercreekvineyards.com.

Silver Oak

Silver Oak’s size (currently more than 160ha of vines in Napa Valley and Alexander Valley) makes it the outlier here. But when you’re big, your actions make a difference.

It’s an exemplar when it comes to taking a holistic approach to maximising wine quality.

This means drastically reducing herbicide use, conducting farming trials focused on soil health, building the first ever LEED Platinum-certified commercial wineries – in Oakville and Alexander Valley (the latter is also Living Building-certified for its net zero energy and water usage, among other things) – and fostering mutual respect with their contracted growers.

All this care is evident in the glass.

The 2017 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (£108 Millésima, US$70-$120 Widely available, Alc 14.2%, 93pts) has a superb structure, lovely floral notes and a lingering finish. silveroak.com.

St Supéry

Few Napa wineries work exclusively with their own fruit – it leaves one vulnerable to the slings and arrows of nature.

At St Supéry, whose mandate is to make the best possible wine, estate fruit is considered non-negotiable.

Choosing one’s best vines to propagate new vineyards, nurturing low-yielding old vines that produce delicious fruit, and being a Silver member of International Wineries for Climate Action – these are among the quality moves Michael Scholz and his team at St Supéry have been empowered to make; it shows in their wines.

The 2023 Dollarhide Estate Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Alc 13.5%, 94pts) is delightful, creamy, complex and lively. stsupery.com.

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I did a lot of tasting in March that doesn’t really count towards my own tally.

In one instance, I was backing up our Napa Correspondent, Jonathan Cristaldi, at Heitz Cellars, with an epic vertical of about 45 wines, which you’ll hear more about later this year.

I also helped out our Sonoma Correspondent Ana Carolina Quintela on the Sonoma Coast. We tasted about 85 wines in one day with some of the region’s top producers.

For my own reviewing, I just about hit 150 wines in March. There were some real gems in there, mostly from Oregon and Washington, with a few delightful wines from California showing up as well and a single wildcard from Bolgheri from a virtual tasting I took part in.

March is also Washington wine month, and so I attended Taste Washington in Seattle, where I found a few new names that I’ll be seeking out to share with our readers soon.

Scroll down for scores and reviews of Clive’s selection of wines from his March tastings

An epic day in Napa Valley

My afternoon with Carlton McCoy and Jonathan Cristaldi got off to an early and somewhat auspicious start. My 8:25 am flight from Seattle to Sacramento boarded early, despite the sideways rain in Seattle. I was feeling pretty good about my ability to get into the Valley early and maybe even have a few minutes to gather myself. My airline would have other plans.

We waited 40 minutes for the pilot, who was doing who knows what, and then sat on the runway for another 25 minutes even though we were number one for take off. Despite that we landed only 15 minutes late, and it’s a quick jaunt to the rental car counter.

Surprise! They rented me a car with an expired registration, so that tacked on another 20 minutes to my waiting around, but before too long I was on my way.

If you’re lucky enough to ever visit the Heitz estate, it’s like going back in time to a Napa Valley that’s unrecognisable today. The old stone winery, built in 1898 has withstood many an earthquake, but the modern winery has crafted some of Napa’s most historic and undoubtedly elegant wines.

It was an epic tasting, and I don’t want to give anything away because you’ll be able to read all about it later this year in the Decanter print magazine. But, I’ll say it was a once-in-a-lifetime tasting experience.

Pigs and Pinot Noir

The next day, it was straight to work as I met up with my two fellow judges to taste blind through the 61 entries in Charlie Palmer’s Pigs & Pinot event. The wine side of things for this event, is taken care of by the legendary Bob Cabral.

I got to rub elbows with some of my favourite California Pinot people, including Ashley Holland and the inimitable Greg Brewer from Santa Barbara County.

There was fantastic food and wine, and great storytelling, from Tom Rochioli, Michael Browne and Bob Cabral himself, who apparently knows everyone.

Legendary Sonoma Coast

I was fortunate enough to join our Sonoma correspondent on a big tasting of over 80 wines on the Sonoma Coast. We had a great sit down with Ted Lemon at Littorai and Catherine Kistler at Occidental, who continue to craft delicious wines.

The Freeman wines and their beautiful estate continue to impress, as do some rising stars in the region, like Ernest Vineyards and their talented winemaker Joseph Ryan.

A cheeseburger from Graton’s classic stop, the Underwood Bar and Bistro, made the stop complete.

The cool side of Washington

Perhaps my biggest surprise when it comes to wine in over a year came from a fantastic day tasting with some producers from the Puget Sound AVA hosted at Bayernmoor Cellars in Woodinville, Washington.

This appellation is often forgotten as it is a complete departure from the rest of Washington state, with a focus on outside-the-box aromatic whites like Siegerebbe and Iskorka and, more and more, Pinot Noir.

I tasted delightful wines made in the very wet, and most of the year, equally cool region where I live. It was an exercise in open-mindedness for me that paid real dividends, and you’ll read more about it later this month. There were impressive wines made by people with a pioneering spirit right on the climatic edge.

The wine that was a complete shock to the system, which wholly reframed the region for me, came from a tiny producer in Snoqualmie, Washington, a place I associate with hiking and mountain biking called Chateau NoElle.

Its 2018 Revelation Pinot Noir from Devorah Creek Vineyard in the Seattle suburb of Auburn nearly knocked me out of my chair. In an age where terms like ‘awesome’ or ‘iconic’ are often overused, the word ‘revelation’ here is apt.

I took the wine home with me that evening to share with a few friends, and it got better over the course of the evening. It shows, for me, the future of Pinot Noir and perhaps Washington viticulture in this region next to the mighty Puget Sound. Winemaker Tom Wilson and his wife Lorrie are doing amazing things in very unexpected places.

In addition, there was a fantastic Washington state Sauvignon Blanc from Trothe, a great San Luis Obispo Chardonnay and the Gamine wines. They come from one half of Portland’s Division Winemaking Co duo, Kate Norris.

These beautiful Syrahs speak to the old world elegance that many love from the northern reaches of the Rhône Valley; these are worth seeking out for lovers of Syrah that goes beyond fruit and bombast.

You can see all the wines we taste in our Decanter database.

If you don’t subscribe to our weekly US newsletter, you can do so here.

Clive’s selection of top wines from March

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Selecting a great bottle of wine can easily send shoppers down a rabbit hole, often much deeper than they ever intended.

And what starts as a simple quest for a good pour can go horribly wrong if price is the only measure of a wine’s worth.

Scroll down for notes and scores for 20+ great value wines from Sonoma under $50

While it’s tempting to assume that a higher price tag automatically means better wine, the opposite is often closer to the truth. A ‘cheap’ bottle is typically possible because certain steps in production, such as farming, harvesting, labour, bottling, you name it, were done at a significantly lower cost.

Cutting corners in any process can downgrade results; that’s just how it is. But price alone doesn’t tell the whole story.

Reality is more nuanced, and a value analysis can be a helpful starting point, although ‘value’ can mean many different things to different people.

The real costs

‘Value is a slippery word. For some, it simply means a low price, while for others, value is about getting a good product for what you pay. In that sense, value can really be found at any price,’ explains Andy Peay, Marketing and Sales Director at Peay Vineyards in the West Sonoma Coast, before adding that ‘it all comes down to quality,’ which, ironically, is another topic that’s up for debate.

Following Peay’s point, Duncan Arnot, one half of the duo behind Arnot-Roberts, believes that quality reflects being ‘thoughtful every step of the way.’

That sometimes means compromising in some areas and compensating in others to ensure the final product meets expectations. Arnot says: ‘Take our California Red Wine, for example. It’s Cabernet-based, with Merlot and Cabernet Franc from high-quality, organically farmed vineyards.

‘The fruit cost is high, but we keep overhead low by choosing to age in old barrels and concrete tanks for just one year, allowing us to release it at $45 or $50. If we used new French oak barrels with longer élevage, the price would likely double.’

The competition

However, the challenges of achieving quality at a reasonable price involve a bit more than juggling winemaking decisions. US wineries, particularly in California, face several production and distribution-related obstacles that most consumers don’t see.

And then there’s the competition – imported wines, especially European ones – adding another layer of complexity. European wines often count on government subsidies, which makes their wines cheaper to produce and export, while domestic producers must compete without similar support.

‘European countries support their domestic wine industries significantly, not only in promotion all over the world, but they also directly support growers and producers subsidising their crops and oftentimes subsidising when there’s oversupply,’ says Peay. ‘All of a sudden, that’s how you get inexpensive imported wines here.’

With these advantages, it’s no wonder that consumers often see European wines as the better deal. And this makes it all the more challenging for American wineries to keep up with the affordability of those imports.

Great value in Sonoma

If there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for American wineries, it might just be the glow of an excellent cost-benefit bottle that a few determined Sonoma producers refuse to take off the table.

‘If I’m being honest, I should be selling the Cep Sauvignon Blanc for more (it currently retails for $25). I hardly make any money on it,’ admits Peay, referring to his second label, Cep, which delivers value wines with full Peay pedigree – made by the same winemaker (Vanessa Wong) in the same facility.

Despite the financial hurdles, producers like Peay are finding ways to craft high-quality, affordable wines – not just to compete with imports but to introduce more people to the region’s winemaking magic. It’s no small feat.

‘We make those because I like to be able to offer a lower priced wine to my direct consumers, my restaurant accounts, and retailers. It allows me to be in the forefront of their mind and to reach more people in different channels,’ explains Peay.

‘You pull in a different audience, who can grow with you when they see themselves interested in or willing to spend more can grow into other wines.’

Some producers have found a clever way to make value wines work – turning to alternative grape varieties that produce higher yields, allowing them to make more wine per acre or source fruit at better prices.

‘For us, that’s Falanghina,’ says Arnot. ‘We can harvest about four to five tons of grapes per acre, which means the fruit ends up costing a little less because the grower is getting more.’

Vermentino is another variety that Sonoma wineries are embracing for similar reasons. Ryme Cellars, for example, has been producing it for years now, successfully keeping the price impressively low for what it offers – under $30 a bottle.

‘Syrah can be a great option too. For our Sonoma Coast Syrah, which we price at $40 a bottle, one of our vineyard sources yields nearly four tons per acre – the backbone of the wine. Pair that with the right choices in the cellar; it all comes together exactly as we want from that wine.’

Finding the sweet spot

This smart combination of vineyard sourcing and cellar decisions can deliver incredible value.

In Sonoma, savvy wineries have cracked the code to ‘value’ wine, finding a sweet spot between $25 and $50, where bottles aren’t just good for the price; they make you rethink what you thought was a bargain before.

‘For me, a wine with true value brings people that I care for together and creates lasting memories,’ says Hubert Tang, a wine collector in San Francisco. ‘That said, when searching for everyday wines, I always feel more comfortable in this price range.’

And while certain wines push the upper limits, Andy Peay points out that, ‘above a certain price point – call it $70 or $80 – you’re starting to get away from quality and into scarcity and demand, which aren’t always tied to the actual quality of the wine itself.’

Tasting notes for Ana Carolina’s top selections under $50

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In 2020, Decanter contributor Elin McCoy interviewed David Duncan – proprietor of Silver Oak, Twomey, OVID Napa Valley, and Timeless – profiling the iconic Silver Oak label.

In her feature, McCoy observed that the most recent vintages seemed, ‘less oaky and more lifted, promising a strong future direction’.

In the five years since, the Duncan family has navigated a series of significant changes across their properties and brands, including the acquisition of OVID Napa Valley, the launch of a new label, Timeless, an expansion into Oregon, and the first releases of wines crafted at their new Alexander Valley winery.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for a deep vertical of Silver Oak wines

Taking stock

In early 2025, the family made the decision to close two tasting rooms associated with the Twomey brand.

David Duncan said of the closures: ‘In response to a decline in winery visitation in California, we have made the difficult decision to adjust our operations by closing two of our three Twomey tasting rooms. All our Twomey wineries and the flagship tasting room in Healdsburg remain open.’

Over the past 14 months, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with the Duncan family on several occasions, particularly with Matt Duncan, son of proprietor Tim Duncan (David’s brother).

In doing so I’ve been able to taste through Silver Oak’s wines in a more natural setting – over meals, as they were meant to be enjoyed – rather than in the sometimes clinical environment of a professional tasting.

One such occasion, at Tim’s home in Sonoma, saw us opening bottles of 1975, 1978, and 1991 Alexander Valley Cabernets alongside the 1984, 1985, and 1991 Napa Valley Cabernets.

Every wine was alive and expressive, rich in minerality, with layers of bacon fat, truffle, and cigar box character. But the 1991 Alexander Valley and 1985 Napa Cabernet were simply extraordinary – balanced, detailed, and utterly thrilling to drink.

To me, this tasting was undeniable proof that Silver Oak’s wines are cellarworthy, meticulously crafted, and far more compelling than some critics have given them credit for.

And the future is bright.

Debut of the 2017s, land grabs, and growth

In 2020, Silver Oak was releasing its 2015 and 2016 vintages. The first Alexander Valley Cabernet produced at its new LEED Platinum-certified and Living Building-certified Alexander Valley winery was the 2017 vintage, which debuted in 2021.

As of this writing, they have released all vintages up to the 2020s.

From a winemaking perspective, David Duncan explains: ‘We were able to get granular in how we bring the fruit in. We considered every detail – how the fermentation is done, what happens when we press off the skins, the size of vessels needed from one tank to the next, how we handle malolactic fermentation, the transition to barrel, and even the barrel storage room. Everything was purposefully designed, and we only make one wine here.’

Additionally, the Duncan family has acquired more land. Today, they own just over 1,000 acres (404ha) across Napa Valley, Alexander Valley, and Oregon, with just under 800 acres planted with vineyards that are shared between Silver Oak, Twomey, and OVID.

Metamorphosis

In 2024, the family harvested their first crop from new plantings at OVID. ‘It’s taken us seven years to realise the vineyard’s potential, but it’s now in full production, and it’s spectacular,’ says Duncan.

‘What Austin Peterson has achieved there is amazing. The vineyard is pristine, down to the evenness of the shoots, canopy, and fruit crop.’

As with Silver Oak, by 2019, estate-grown fruit had expanded significantly. ‘We’ve gone from 25% estate fruit to 75% estate fruit,’ Duncan continues, though he notes they’ll never reach 100% because of ‘the incredible grower-partners we have, with amazing vineyard sites’.

Duncan also reflects on the family’s approach to ownership and growth in the years since his father, Ray – who co-founded Silver Oak with Justin Meyer – passed away.

‘My brothers and I own the wineries under one family entity. After we bought Justin out, we needed financing. When my dad passed, we had to secure funding to hold onto the winery. While we do have a financial partner with an ownership stake, we’re fully in control of our destiny.’

He adds: ‘We built the Alexander Valley winery with the intent to increase production because of demand. That growth requires capital. It’s not the romantic farmer side of the business, but it’s been a great deal for us. The Duncan family is still 100% here.’

A single vineyard wine

The Duncan family debuted a brand-new single-vineyard red wine, Timeless Napa Valley, in late 2020 with the release of the 2017 vintage.

‘As we started acquiring Pinot vineyards with Twomey in Oregon, I began thinking about our Soda Canyon estate in Napa, which we’ve owned since 1999,’ says Duncan.

‘I had the idea to create a blend entirely from Soda Canyon. We trialled it in 2017, and we loved it. We selected some of the top lots,’ he adds, noting that these lots would normally have gone into Silver Oak. ‘We also replanted 4.9ha of the vineyard, removing Merlot and planting more Cabernet.’

They produce just a few thousand cases, making it a creative outlet for the winemaking team. ‘There are no rules for the blend,’ says Duncan.

‘We put together the most exciting combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc from the vintage. It’s an expression of the Soda Canyon site in any given year, and we age the wine in French oak – not American oak.’

Oregon Trail

The Duncans’ exploration into Pinot Noir began with the founding of Twomey in 2002, focusing on Russian River Valley and Anderson Valley.

In 2017, they purchased the late Dick Erath’s 24.3ha vineyard in the hills west of Dundee, Oregon.

Planted in 1983, the vineyard features 14.6ha of vines rooted in well-drained, volcanic silty clay loam Jory soils. Initially bottled under the Twomey label, the Duncans introduced their first standalone wine from the site in 2022 with the debut of Prince Hill Pinot Noir.

Today, this wine is produced at a custom crush facility in McMinnville, Oregon, directed by Chris Burrough, who works on blending with Justin Hirigoyen. They make around 400–500 cases of the Dundee Pinot Noir.

In addition to Pinot Noir, they also produce a Chardonnay under the Prince Hill label, sourced from the grower-partner Carella Vineyard.

In future, there will be no more Twomey Oregon bottlings under the original label. Looking ahead, Duncan envisions building a winery on the Prince Hill estate.

Silver Oak: The evolution of a Californian icon

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Montecillo Vineyard has perhaps been one of the best-kept secrets in Sonoma County. Its old-vine Cabernet goes to some very talented winemakers.

Coming from gnarled vines planted in the 1960s, dry-farmed above the fog line in the Moon Mountain AVA, where the hot day’s sun creates perfect ripening conditions cooled at night by the high mountain temperatures.

This organically farmed site (not yet certified as such) is now owned by the Guthrie family, Blair and Caroline of Napa‘s Stewart Cellars, who purchased the 51-acre (20.5ha) site in June of 2022. It sits at 1800ft (550m) just below the peak of Nuns Canyon.

‘Today, Montecillo Vineyard stands as one of California’s most historic vineyards,’ says Blair Guthrie. ‘The vineyard’s high elevation, rich soils, and ideal climate allow us to craft bold, complex, and distinctive wines. For over a century, Montecillo has been a symbol of the best in California winemaking—resilient, innovative, and always forward-thinking.

‘It’s not only part of history but a place that produces some of California’s most extraordinary wines. We are incredibly proud to continue this legacy.’

Scroll down for the tasting notes and scores of Montecillo Vineyard Cabernet

Early beginnings

Historical records (a Californian Research document on the wine and business history of Glen Ellen, California) indicate that Montecillo Vineyard dates to the early 1860s.

Perhaps the vineyard was first planted as early as 1857 when Thomas Nau, who was friends with James Hamilton, one of the earliest owners of the land now called Montecillo, planted a neighbouring property.

This dates Montecillo, which was 22 acres originally, 25 to 30 years earlier than its famous nearby neighbour, the Monte Rosso Vineyard of Louis M Martini fame.

In the case of Nau and Hamilton, they were among the earliest in Sonoma – and likely California – to move their vineyards away from the valley floor.

Things get difficult from a cultivation point of view at elevations of 1,200 to 1,800 feet (365 to 550 metres) in the mountains, particularly in the latter part of the 19th Century. The rocky land was overgrown, difficult to farm and perhaps most remarkably, had no access to water.

The vineyard was likely planted with several varieties in those early days. The San Francisco daily newspaper, the Daily Alta California, on October 1, 1859, listed a number of grape varieties being planted in the Sonoma region.

They include international varieties: ‘Rose of Peru,’ Chasselas, Italia (primarily known as a table grape variety) and ‘Black Hamburg,’ likely Black Muscat, or Muscat Hamburg. Among the American grapes noted were Catawba, Isabella and Muscat.

A far cry from the mountain Cabernet that it is known for today.

In 1884, the property was acquired by an Englishman, J Laurence Watson, a Captain in the Royal Navy. Watson built a home on the property, which is still standing today. Watson grew the vineyard to 346 acres, of which about 60 were planted.

However, by 1893, the phylloxera epidemic devastated the vineyard and Watson’s fortune along with it. The property was eventually sold at a sheriff’s auction.

The modern era

As Montecillo moved into the modern era, like most of Sonoma, the predominant planted varieties became Alicante and Zinfandel. Montecillo Vineyard changed hands from a bank-owned vineyard to the hands of Garrett Nelligan of Santa Rosa in 1920.

Nelligan suspected that Prohibition wouldn’t last long and that his investment would pay off. Montecillo would come into the hands of one of Sonoma’s longstanding wine families, the Pedroncellis, for a time, whose history in the region dates into the 1920s.

Frank Pedroncelli was the foreman at Nelligan’s winery when the Internal Revenue Service descended on the property during Prohibition. There’s a historical recording of IRS agents destroying vats in the winery and the wine flowing down the hillside.

The wine was being sold to the church, but given the government’s intervention, perhaps some bootleg wine was also being produced.

‘The profile of Montecillo really rose under the ownership of Mike Lee,’ says current owner Blair Guthrie, winemaker at Stewart Cellars. ‘Those 1960s planted Cabernets made it into bottlings of the high profile Kenwood Artist Series wines, which were very popular with collectors in the 1990s and early 2000s.’

‘After the Kenwood Artist’s Series finished its run, the vineyard sort of went back under the radar. That is until it was discovered or rediscovered in 2011 by Morgan (Twain-Peterson MW of Bedrock Heritage) and Tegan (Passalaqua of Turley Vineyards),’ Guthrie explains.

‘Those Cabernet vines are among some of California’s oldest Cabernet in the ground,’ Guthrie continues.

The vine age is undeniably unique, with Ridge’s Monte Bello, dating to the 1950s, and Peter Martin Ray, also in the Santa Cruz Mountains, dating to the 1960s. Most notable is nearby Monterosso, a 15-minute drive from Montecillo, perhaps California’s oldest Cabernet, planted between 1937 and 1940.

A special site

‘The property was planted by old timers,’ says Rodrigo Soto of Far Mountain, long time estate director at Quintessa.

‘They followed a pattern that you do not see anymore, planting using the contours of the hill, which gives you diversity in the same row. In my opinion this gives natural complexity to the wines as the vines adapt as the aspect changes in the hillside.’

‘These old timers really knew what they were doing. They were better connected with nature than we are today. That is why Moon Mountain and Montecillo are so special and so unique. It has the rusticity of the mountain character amplified by the vines’ high adaptability to the place where they live.

‘The vines truly mirror the environment where they live; when they are happy, they thrive. When established, they can express their individuality and sense of place.’

Until last year, the site was long farmed by one man, Chuy Ordaz, who had planted some of the oldest Cabernet in the 1960s. That level of knowledge and consistency is uncommon in viticulture and has certainly contributed to the calibre and quality of the fruit.

‘It’s been farmed organic more or less for the last six years,’ Guthrie adds, ‘and we’ve moved to 100% organic as soon as we came on board. I think that once we’ve removed the chemicals, and with the site being dry-farmed for so long, the terroir really is given the opportunity to show through when the vines are healthy, and you have a symbiosis between the vine and the fungi in the ground.’

A classic style of Cabernet Sauvignon

The winemakers who began making Montecillo Cabernet over the last 8-15 years, are among a group of the most invigorating and promising winemakers in the country.

Guthrie, rightfully has embraced their love of the site and aims to continue these relationships which pre dated his and Caroline’s ownership, as well as bring on new names, Meghan Zobeck for example will soon be releasing a Montecillo Cabernet.

Words like gem, jewel and treasure were heard from a number of the winemakers I spoke to, who clearly feel fortunate to be able to make wine from these unique older vines.

‘The 10 acres of old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon at Montecillo are a California treasure,’ says Massimo Di Costanzo. ‘The berries are generally small and concentrated, and the vines’ sprawling canopy protects the fruit from damage.’

He continues: ‘These old vines are naturally in balance from all the years of dry farming. The wine makes such a unique expression of Cabernet Sauvignon that just explodes with complexity and nuance. The vineyard’s unique profile is present year in and year out.’

‘The Montecillo vineyard is a hidden gem,’ says Duncan Meyers of Arnot Roberts. ‘And walking through the vine rows is like going back in time. The gnarled, old, dry-farmed vines cling to the steep, rocky slopes and produce fruit of singular character. The wines we have made from Montecillo exhibit a rustic, mountain-grown personality and consistently achieve a balance of aromatic complexity, sturdy structure, and purity of fruit.’

‘Naturally low yields and even ripening across the site lead to a concentrated wine with the natural ability to age well for decades. The unique terroir of this mountaintop vineyard is due to the combination of extremely rocky, well-drained, volcanic soil coupled with steady, daily breezes that sweep in from the south and the west to moderate afternoon heat,’ Meyers explains.

‘When Mai (Errazuriz) and I decided to start Far Mountain, we had the opportunity to design our wines from places that felt special to us, with positive energy, surrounded by nature in remote locations with elevation and volcanic rocky soils as the driver,’ says Rodrigo Soto.

‘We started knocking on doors to see what was available and we found a couple of remarkable properties that not only had these elements, but they were dry-farmed. I called Chuy Ordaz and asked him if he remembered me and if we could go and visit Montecillo. He said yes and that he would put me in touch with the new owner. That is how I met Blair, we connected really well and after a couple of brief conversations, we started buying Cabernet from Montecillo.

‘I think that Blair will be an excellent guardian of this place. I hope to be part of that process, too. I am willing to dedicate my time, knowledge and energy to represent this property with our Far Mountain wines from Montecillo. From my perspective, Montecillo has all the elements of a world-class vineyard,’ Soto concludes.

Mountain magic: Seven Cabernet Sauvignons from Montecillo Vineyard

Related articles

• Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon: Producers, styles & wines to try
• Sonoma County AVAs: Overview and 10 wines to try
• Sonoma County: 2021 vintage report

Robert Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc in the late 1960s to differentiate a style of Sauvignon Blanc, particularly one aged in oak, in California and Washington State.

The varietal has a history in California dating back to the 1880s, but by the 1960s it was seen as a bland variety. Mondavi’s term was an attempt to rebrand it and denote an oak-aged style. The term wasn’t trademarked, allowing others to use it.

While originally associated with oak aging some wineries, like Dry Creek Vineyard, produced unoaked versions.

Today Sauvignon Blanc and Fumé Blanc are considered synonyms in US law, and fewer wines are labelled Fumé Blanc due to changes in the market.

The oldest Sauvignon Blanc plantings in the Americas are at the Robert Mondavi Winery in To Kalon Vineyard.

Sauvignon Blanc in the United States

Plantings of Sauvignon Blanc date back to the early 1880s in California’s Livermore Valley. Charles Wetmore planted the variety on his estate Cresta Blanca Winery; allegedly, the vines’ source material came from the legendary Château d’Yquem. Wetmore’s first release, from 1884, was a dry white wine from Bordeaux varieties that won a grand prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition.

Sauvignon Blanc made its way to Napa Valley around the same time. Plantings at Inglenook in the 1880s, and Beaulieu Vineyard in the early 1900s created early examples of quality wines throughout California’s burgeoning wine country. The white varietal had roots at the famous To Kalon site as early as the 1890s.

The rise of Fumé Blanc 

By the 1960s, Sauvignon Blanc had fallen on hard times in America’s commercial wine sector. By this time, it was considered a bland variety, mainly used for sweet wine production to feed consumers of mass-production wines.

In an effort to separate his wines from this negative connotation, Mondavi coined the term Fumé Blanc. Mondavi’s riff on the Loire designation, Blanc Fumé was an effort to connote a new style of American-made Sauvignon Blanc, aged in oak barrels.

Mondavi took the French word ‘fumé’, referring to a smoke-like vapour or substance, which is also enshrined in the name of Pouilly-Fumé of the Loire Valley, and the French word for white, as in ‘blanc’.

He did not trademark the term, making it possible for other wineries to label their wines similarly, and created a category in the process.

Ageing Sauvignon Blanc with oak

In order to differentiate his Sauvignon Blancs from the American versions that were made at the time, Mondavi chose to age the wines in barrel, the toasted oak lending a hint of smoky character to the wines, thus the ‘fumé’. The style became popular.

More producers started ageing their dry Sauvignon Blanc in (old and new) oak barrels and selling it as ‘Fumé Blanc’. While the name has been more commonly associated with oak-aged Sauvignon Blanc from the US, it’s not a requirement. The lack of regulation around the term, primarily created for marketing, means it’s open to interpretation.

Robert Mondavi ‘only intended to find an alternative name for Sauvignon Blanc, without any indication of the production method and style,’ according to the winery.

Currently, the terms ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ and ‘Fumé Blanc’ are deemed synonyms in US law. In the Sonoma region, Dry Creek Vineyard was among the first to produce a ‘Fumé Blanc’ in California without using oak.

Inspired by the mineral, lean and fresh Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre of the Loire Valley, the owner, David Stare, decided to make an unoaked ‘Fumé Blanc’ in 1972, according to the winery.

Is Fumé fading?

With New Zealand creating a global demand for fresh, dry styles of Sauvignon Blanc, the associations that Mondavi had hoped to avoid have largely become a thing of the past. As a result, you see fewer wines labelled as Fumé Blanc in the current American marketplace. While the designation still exists, its numbers have dwindled.

The world’s greatest Fumé Blanc, though, is still made by Robert Mondavi Winery from the iconic I block in the famous To Kalon Vineyard. The old, gnarly, head-trained vines planted in 1945 are considered the oldest planting of Sauvignon Blanc in the Americas.

Related articles

• Must-try Sauvignon Blanc wines: 25 top scorers starting from £10
• New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc: Panel tasting results
• International Sauvignon Blanc Day: California rising plus 15 wines to try

Top Wines of the Year lists are far from novel, with most major publications compiling a list of their various takes on a ‘Top 100’ wines tasted in a given year. They may elicit controversy and second-guessing; but you know what they say about opinions, after all.

In my second year in this role, as our US coverage has continued to expand, it felt important to find a way to emphasise our commitment to both the depth and breadth of US wine.

In 2024, we’ve featured vintage reports from both the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County separately, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Columbia Valley that spans both Washington and Oregon.

Of course, we covered Napa, Paso Robles, New York State, and, for the first time, the Anderson Valley on California’s northernmost coast.

Scroll down for scores and reviews of the Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part three

I made the final ranking decisions, and I’ve personally tasted most, but not all, of these wines, even if I haven’t scored them myself. I recognise that it’s not perfect, but I feel like it’s a great start for us, a very small team on this side of the pond.

My hope is that you may discover a new producer or three and enjoy exploring this list as much as I did putting it together.

These wines I feel are the best wines we tasted all year, I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Our top 10 wines include five from Napa Valley and five from the West Coast, reflecting our selections for Decanter‘s Wines of the Year.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Wines 10-6

Tasting notes and scores are below

10: Au Bon Climat, Larmes De Grappe, Sta Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California 2021

9: Alban, Reva Syrah, Edna Valley, Central Coast, California 2019

8: Matthiasson, Phoenix Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021

7: Lokoya, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021

6: Stony Hill, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain, California 2021

Here are a few wines I’d like to highlight.

8: Matthiasson, Phoenix Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021

Steve Matthiasson is a living winegrowing legend in Napa Valley. He and his wife Jill’s approach to winemaking takes a similar philosophy. His single vineyard, Phoenix Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, is a crystalline interpretation of his farming philosophy in bottle. Pure, precision and unbelievably pretty. This was one of our Napa correspondent Jonathan Cristaldi’s top selections of the 2021 vintage. ‘This is super light and floral-driven,’ Cristaldi claimed, ‘and more like a Nebbiolo. It’s aged in foudre to preserve the fresh fruit quality. Multiple picks ensure ripeness and some are whole cluster pressed. It’s so pretty and pure it’s almost like mineral water that’s been flavoured. The wine has a natural grip and is laser-focused and linear. It is the epitome of elegance.’

6: Stony Hill, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain, California 2021

In the August issue of Decanter, I wrote a story about a collection of wines that defy the stereotypes about ‘California Chardonnay‘. No wine is better positioned to do so, than the Chardonnay from Stony Hill, a California original. While the Montelena Chardonnay helped put California on the map, the Stony Hill Chardonnay was Napa’s first cult wine. A standard bearer for the region, it’s been a classic forever. This 2021 bottling is ethereal and intense.is an impeccable Chardonnay. Intricate floral aromatics are buoyed by savoury lemon oil and a note of tarragon. The palate shows finesse and focus as filigreed ocean saline minerality frames textures of lemon curd, beeswax and peach skin.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Wines 5-1

Tasting notes and scores are below

5: Ovid, Napa Valley, California 2021

4: Corliss Estate, Red Wine, Red Mountain, Washington 2019

3: Occidental, Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

2: Ad Vivum, Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville, Napa Valley, California 2021

1: Abbott Claim, Due North Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021

3: Occidental, Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

A singular, standout wine from my time tasting on the Sonoma Coast.Named for Stephen Kistler’s daughter Catherine, who is the assistant winemaker. This wine was tasted from bottle #C1111. It’s a soulful hedonism in the bottle. The aromas show a real pungency of forest scents and feral wildness of turned earth; smoked sea salt and soy mark the aromas, followed by a smouldering flint minerality. There is a depth to the palate; a smoky richness melds into sappy blackberries and tangy notes of soy and hoisin. This wine dances between the elegance of its florality and earthen mineral core framed by a herbal tone of wild anise and chicory root. It’s truly glorious.

2: Ad Vivum, Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville, Napa Valley, California 2021

Our man in Napa, Cristaldi gushed over the Sleeping Lady Vineyard Cabernet from Ad Vivum. He called it ‘an elegant, polished, and seamless Cabernet Sauvignon from longtime Napa Valley winemaker Chris Phelps. It possesses an ethereal quality, an almost weightlessness, but contains multitudes. I tasted it on three separate occasions and one bottle over a three-day period. It was still vibrant and full of life on day three, and that is the mark of a classic.

1: Abbott Claim, Due North Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021

It’s number one, baby! An Oregon Pinot Noir like no other from the 2021 vintage. In a region that is renowned for wines of elegance and depth, this effort from winemaker Alban Debeaulieu really stood out. Debeaulieu was featured in my feature West Coast: The New Vanguard from our May issue, and he and I tasted this wine together in January at the Yamhill-Carlton estate. I was immediately smitten by its clarity of place, precision and focus.

From Pommard clone vines on a north-facing block cooled by a wind that blows through the site, only about 7% whole-cluster fermentation in an oak vat, followed by 18 months in 70% new French oak barrels. Pungent aromatics of violets and turned earth, gorgeous blue fruits, mushrooms. It’s gloriously charming, and the texture is wholly of elegance and delicacy. Soy and smoked sea salt concentrated wild bramble fruits. The most complete Pinot Noir effort I tasted from the Willamette Valley in 2021.

Top 50 US Wines 2024: How the selections were made

The selections for Decanter’s Top 50 US wines were chosen from the over 3,000 wines tasted and reviewed between January and November of 2024. To be considered, they must be current or soon-to-be-released wines; library wines are not eligible.

They were selected to show a range of styles, places and exciting and emerging winemaking talent. This is not intended to be a list of the top-scoring wines of the year but wines that show the brilliance and diversity of America’s winemaking talents and regions.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part three 10-1

Wines are listed in reverse order from 10 to 1

Related articles

Napa Valley Cabernet 2021: Full report and buyer’s guide to the vintage’s finest wines

Oregon vintage report: Tricky Willamette Valley 2022 sticks the landing

Paso Robles 2022 vintage: Best wines from a challenging year

Top Wines of the Year lists are far from novel, with most major publications compiling a list of their various takes on a ‘Top 100’ wines tasted in a given year. They may elicit controversy and second-guessing; but you know what they say about opinions, after all.

In my second year in this role, as our US coverage has continued to expand, it felt important to find a way to emphasise our commitment to both the depth and breadth of US wine.

In 2024, we’ve featured vintage reports from both the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County separately, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Columbia Valley that spans both Washington and Oregon.

Of course, we covered Napa, Paso Robles, New York State, and, for the first time, the Anderson Valley on California’s northernmost coast.

Scroll down for scores and reviews of the Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part two

I made the final ranking decisions, and I’ve personally tasted most, but not all, of these wines, even if I haven’t scored them myself. I recognise that it’s not perfect, but I feel like it’s a great start for us, a very small team on this side of the pond.

My hope is that you may discover a new producer or three and enjoy exploring this list as much as I did putting it together.

Our grouping of the second 20 wines on our list includes several American Syrahs, a variety that people should absolutely get excited about.

From California’s Paso Robles to Santa Barbara County, The Rocks District on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, and an iconic Yakima Valley vineyard in Washington state. Syrah shows terroir in ways that many varieties do not, and American winemakers are making it sing.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Wines 30-21

Tasting notes and scores are below

30: Ernest Vineyards, Cleary Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2022

29: Ambar Estate, Lustral Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

28: Saxum, Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard Syrah, Willow Creek, Paso Robles, California 2020

27: Harlan Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California 2021

26: Fingers Crossed, Syrah, Santa Barbara County, California 2021

25: Gård, Grand Klasse Syrah, Royal Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

24: Eyrie Vineyards, South Block Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2019

23: Arnot-Roberts, Que Syrah, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

22: Hundred Suns, Own Rooted Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

21: Philip Togni, Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California 2021

Here are a few wines I’d like to highlight.

29: Ambar Estate, Lustral Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

A barrel selection from the top Chardonnay of the vintage crafted by winemaker Kate Payne Brown of Ambar Estate. The 2022 is only the second vintage from this Dundee Hills estate. It is provocatively aromatic, as elegance is imbued with an intense core of smoky grilled lemon, juicy ripe Meyer lemon pulp and salty oyster shells. The palate flashes thirst-slaking acidity. The seemingly endless finish is evocative of the marine air from the Pacific not far off on the other side of the Coast Range. Payne Brown has crafted one of the vintage’s top wines in the Lustral.

25: Gård, Grand Klasse Syrah, Royal Slope, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

Matías Kúsulas was in his first vintage as head winemaker at Gård in the 2021 vintage, and his talent for coaxing balance and finesse from the hot wine growing regions in the desert of Eastern Washington is immediately apparent. Made in a Cornas style, very reductive, and 85% whole cluster, Kúsulas wants his Syrahs to be savoury. This fruit comes from Conner Lee, which has deep sandy soils, and Scarline, which has shallow soils. Sleek Black fruits have plenty of tension, and real elegance and umami are here in spades.

24: Eyrie Vineyards, South Block Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2019

The day after IPNC 2024, I joined a lucky few at the hallowed grounds of Eyrie Vineyards, where Jason Lett walked us through the iconic South Block of the estate’s old vines. The newly released 2019 South Block Reserve celebrates his father’s vision and Oregon’s Pinot Noir heritage. The Eyrie wines made noise in 1979 at a Paris Wine Olympics staged by the French restaurant guide Gault-Millau, where a 1975 Eyrie Pinot Noir finished in the top 10. The 2019 bottling is a stunning display from the most recent cool vintage in the Willamette Valley. The South Block was planted in 1968 and is comprised of 10 rows of David Lett’s original Pinot Noir planting. Several soils come together at this part of The Eyrie, and the elder Lett noticed it early on, bottling it as a single block selection back in 1975.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Wines 20-11

Tasting notes and scores are below

20: Peay Vineyards, Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast, California 2021

19: Dominus Estate, Napa Valley, California 2021

18: Walter Scott, X Novo Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

17: Littorai, B. A. Thieriot Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

16: WT Vintners, Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

15: Martin Woods, The Rocks Syrah, The Rocks District, Walla Walla Valley, Oregon 2022

14: AXR, Harbison Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley, California 2021

13: Arterberry Maresh, Weber Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

12: Ridge, Montebello, Santa Cruz Mountains, California 2021

11: Cobb, Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

20: Peay Vineyards, Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast, California 2021

A cuvée put together by winemaker Vanessa Wong is primarily a Pommard clone selection (60%), which lends to blood orange and pomegranate pulp. The wines from Peay’s site in the far West Sonoma Coast can be overtly oceanic with a core of saline minerality that glistens for years, a hallmark of the wine’s ageability. It’s the most aromatic, elegant and finesse-driven of the Peay wines – the palate is delicate, with freshness, depth and finesse all coming together.

16: WT Vintners, Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

Across the range, Jeff Lindsay-Thorsen flexes his ability to craft wines of elegance in a hot vintage and region. ‘I’m trying to make elegant wines in the desert,’ says winemaker Lindsay-Thorsen. He pulls it off, and I believe his winemaking style and that of a few of his contemporaries are the key to the future of Washington’s winemaking and viticulture. This Syrah comes from a 1998 planting at Boushey Vineyard in pure rock – gorgeous florals marked by dried lavender and smoky violets with mulberries and fresh mint notes. The palate marries signature Boushey, marking the wines with a feral finesse.

11: Cobb, Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2021

The Emmaline Ann Pinot Noir stood out from a large 2021 vintage tasting on a rainy January day on the Sonoma Coast at Abigail’s Vineyard with Ross Cobb. The wine’s sheer elegance made it stand out among a collection of sterling examples of subtlety and refinement. ‘Lots of folks talk about making wines in a Burgundian style, but From a vineyard planted by the Hunnicutt family, a little more than 1ha at up to 250m, the Emmaline Ann vineyard is surrounded by redwood forest. Made with 40% whole clusters and aged 22 months in barrel, this is an elegant aromatic symphony of gravelly minerality, pine bough, tart red fruits and fresh mint, revealing candied raspberries, black tea depth, bright berries and pomegranate molasses.

Click here for Part one: 50-31

Top 50 US Wines 2024: How the selections were made

The selections for Decanter’s Top 50 US wines were chosen from the over 3,000 wines tasted and reviewed between January and November of 2024. To be considered, they must be current or soon-to-be-released wines; library wines are not eligible.

They were selected to show a range of styles, places and exciting and emerging winemaking talent. This is not intended to be a list of the top-scoring wines of the year but wines that show the brilliance and diversity of America’s winemaking talents and regions.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part two –Wines 30-11

Wines are listed in reverse order from 30 to 11

Related articles

Napa Valley Cabernet 2021: Full report and buyer’s guide to the vintage’s finest wines

Oregon vintage report: Tricky Willamette Valley 2022 sticks the landing

Paso Robles 2022 vintage: Best wines from a challenging year

Top Wines of the Year lists are far from novel, with most major publications compiling a list of their various takes on a ‘Top 100’ wines tasted in a given year. They may elicit controversy and second-guessing; but you know what they say about opinions, after all.

In my second year in this role, as our US coverage has continued to expand, it felt important to find a way to emphasise our commitment to both the depth and breadth of US wine.

In 2024, we’ve featured vintage reports from both the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma County separately, Oregon’s Willamette Valley and the Columbia Valley that spans both Washington and Oregon.

Of course, we covered Napa, Paso Robles, New York State, and, for the first time, the Anderson Valley on California’s northernmost coast.

Scroll down for scores and reviews of the Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part one

There’s more to do, of course. We’re just getting started, and this countdown, revealed over the course of this week, will feature wines highlighted by several correspondents and contributing writers.

Jonathan Cristaldi, in Napa; Vanessa Rason, located in Santa Barbara County; Brianne Cohen in Paso Robles; and Maiah Johnson Dunn, up in the Finger Lakes, along with contributing writer Anna Lee Ijima and yours truly.

I personally enjoy these lists because of the conversation they create, the rare bit of controversy, and the attention that often results for smaller, out-of-the-way regions and producers. My aim with this list is to show that beyond the perfect scores of our Napa Valley vintage report, there are remarkable wines and winemakers across the US.

I made the final ranking decisions, and I’ve personally tasted most, but not all, of these wines, even if I haven’t scored them myself. I recognise that it’s not perfect, but I feel like it’s a great start for us, a very small team on this side of the pond.

My hope is that you may discover a new producer or three and enjoy exploring this list as much as I did putting it together.

The first 20 wines on our list include the only wine from outside the West Coast. I believe places like New York and Virginia make compelling wines, and hope that as we taste more of them, you’ll see them showing up on this list more frequently.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: 50-41

Tasting notes and scores are below

50: Apollo’s Praise, Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York 2023

49: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, S.L.V. Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2021

48: Delmas, Viognier, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon 2021

47: Hirsch Vineyards, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2022

46: Trothe, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington 2021

45: Cain Vineyard & Winery, Cain Five, Spring Mountain, Napa Valley, California 2021

44: DeLille Cellars, Chaleur Estate, Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

43: Drew Family Cellars, Faite de Mer Farm – Radiolaria Pinot Noir, Mendocino Ridge, California 2022

42: RAEN Winery, Royal St. Robert Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2022

41: Pahlmeyer, Pièce de Résistance, Napa Valley, California 2021

Here are a few wines I’d like to highlight.

50: Apollo’s Praise, Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York 2023

The team at Apollo’s Praise is husband and wife, Kelby James Russell and Julia Hoyle, who also make the wines for the Finger Lakes outfit Hosmer. KJR was the longtime winemaker at Red Newt and is among the country’s most talented and exciting winemakers. This Kabinett-style Riesling and his drier bottling exemplify New York’s Riesling sweet spot. The Dry Riesling turned heads when I tasted it in London at our Decanter Fine Wine Encounter in November.

48: Delmas, Viognier, The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, Oregon 2021

My top white wine from the 2021 Columbia Valley vintage report. Honestly, I find domestic Viognier too often tedious. It tends to lack freshness and minerality and, in the worst cases, can move towards the flabby and fat side of the spectrum. The Viognier from Delmas shatters that boring mould. Brooke Delmas Roberston says: ‘We pick this Viognier when the skins are orange and freckly, and it’s at 25 brix.’ She also gives the wine 8-12 hours on the skins to build texture. The result challenges conventional thinking about ripeness and the variety itself. The honeyed palate of ripe apricots and macerated yellow peaches is shot through with streaks of salinity and bright, soaring piques of fresh ginger.

47: Hirsch Vineyards, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2022

The Hirsch Rosé of Pinot Noir is a very exciting wine. While I scored several of the Pinot Noirs and the Chardonnay higher when tasting with Jasmine Hirsch in the spring, this wine stands out. It is, I believe, America’s best rosé by some distance. Over vintage and made in the same fashion as the Pinot Noirs at Hirsch. Harvested at full ripeness with time in barrel, Jasmine Hirsch isn’t convinced that pink Pinot Noir should be made in a Provençal style, and after tasting this wine, it’s hard to argue with her.

42: RAEN Winery, Royal St. Robert Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California 2022

My love for the Sonoma Coast was cemented in January at a tasting there with several West Sonoma Coast Vintners member wineries. I was focused on producing a 2021 vintage report, but this preview of 2022 from Carlo Mondavi’s team at RAEN was a sterling wine. The Seafield and Bodega vineyards comprise this wine dedicated to Robert Mondavi. The smoky aromatics and pungent floral aromas of this wine are about the microflora of the vineyard. All native yeasts, unfiltered and unfined, with 10% new oak, it’s a wine of intensity and elegance and undeniably coastal.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Wines 40-31

Tasting notes and scores are below

40: Liminal, WeatherEye Vineyard Block 47 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington 2021

39: Read Holland Wines, Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California 2021

38: Kinsman Eades, Hierothesion, Napa Valley, California, 2021

37: Cadence, Coccinelle Bis Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Oregon 2023

36: Cristom Vineyards, Louise Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

35: Force Majeure, Estate Syrah, Red Mountain, Washington 2021

34: Diamond Creek, Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon, Diamond Mountain District, Napa Valley, California 2021

33: Bethel Heights, Casteel Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2022

32: Corison, Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, St Helena, Napa Valley, California 2021

31: Scarecrow, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford, Napa Valley, California 2021

39: Read Holland Wines, Peter Martin Ray Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, California 2021

An exciting Chardonnay was a personal highlight among the 1300+ wines I tasted this year. It can be rare in this business to discover a complete unknown. I was tipped off to Winemaker Ashley Holland for an August feature about how California Chardonnay challenges the stale stereotypes associated with the variety. Holland brings a real exuberance to her ability to make wine from such a historically important vineyard. A charming and complex Chardonnay that comes from nearly 50-year-old Chardonnay vines, head-trained in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

37: Cadence, Coccinelle Bis Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, Columbia Valley, Oregon, USA 2023

This wine is a one-off for Cadence winemaker Ben Smith, who makes his wines exclusively from his Red Mountain estate vineyard, Cara Mia. A fun project made for charity, the humble Smith here shows that he can make some of the Northwest’s most compelling wines from anywhere he chooses. Walla Walla’s Christophe Baron gave Smith some fruit from one of his younger plots, and Smith showed his deft hand in producing one of the most compelling Syrahs from the region I’ve tasted, even in its youth.

32: Corison, Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, St Helena, Napa Valley, California 2021

Cathy Corison has remained a Napa Valley icon since she opened her doors in 1987. Consistently crafting benchmark wines, in this case from the Kronos Vineyard, planted in 1971. Embraced by long-time Napa Valley purists, sommeliers, and wine geeks, Cathy Corison is the winemaker’s winemaker, focusing on benchland sites between Rutherford and St Helena. Cathy’s quiet confidence and unwavering belief in what she’s doing has her never chasing style or trend but instead sticking to what she knows and has done, better than nearly everyone else, for almost 40 years. The 2021 Kronos Vineyard Cabernet is about terroir and vintage, embraced by her signature lightness, purity and precision.

Top 50 US Wines 2024: How the selections were made

The selections for Decanter’s Top 50 US wines were chosen from the over 3,000 wines tasted and reviewed between January and November of 2024. To be considered, they must be current or soon-to-be-released wines; library wines are not eligible.

They were selected to show a range of styles, places and exciting and emerging winemaking talent. This is not intended to be a list of the top-scoring wines of the year but wines that show the brilliance and diversity of America’s winemaking talents and regions.

Decanter Top 50 US Wines: Part one –Wines 50-31

Wines are listed in reverse order from 50 to 31

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Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving for around four centuries, and for as long as anyone can remember, it has been a holiday centered around a turkey dinner, leaving little room for culinary experimentation. In recent years, however, that seems to have changed, with tradition giving way to local dishes on some tables.

Talking turkey

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that per capita turkey consumption has been slowly declining in recent years, with turkey production down 6.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year. So, if not turkey, what’s on the table come Thanksgiving? Duck, seafood, and other creative alternatives offer a fresh take on the traditional holiday feast.

Scroll down for seven wine recommendations from Bay Area

‘Turkey has its inherent flaws; it’s an easy bird to cook poorly, and many people just don’t enjoy it altogether. Plus, it’s a very large bird, so unless you’re hosting 12 people, you’ll be stuck eating turkey for weeks,’ says Gavin Schmidt, chef-partner at The Morris in San Francisco.

Duck, duck… duck

As an alternative to turkey, Schmidt makes a case for duck, noting that while it is smaller, it still ‘scratches the itch’ of having a roasted whole bird at the table. It’s ideally sized and well-suited for smaller groups. Of course, the pandemic played a role in pushing this trend forward. As we all know, families were forced into smaller, more intimate gatherings during lockdowns, and the demand for duck and other substitutes for turkey soared.

‘Pre-pandemic, we sold a very small amount,’ says Jennifer Reichardt, COO of Sonoma County Poultry, the farm that grows and supplies the locally famous Liberty Duck. ‘In 2020, we found that our customers were happy to get a whole duck instead of turkey as their Thanksgiving celebration was smaller than normal. It created a “new tradition”; even if their dinners have gotten bigger, they still come back for a whole duck, too.’

But both Schmidt and Reichardt agree, and clearly, for the customers who preorder those whole ducks weeks in advance, that duck is simply ‘a lot tastier’. At The Morris, the dish comes with a honey espresso seasoned duck gravy with the option to add roasted root vegetables to the meal.

Reichardt, author of The Whole Duck cookbook, offers a maple-glazed duck recipe paired with butternut squash hash and raisins. ‘It’s the perfect profile for those who still want a Thanksgiving flavour without all the extras,’ she adds.

Non-traditional Thanksgiving food creates the perfect opportunity for ‘non-traditional Thanksgiving wines’ to shine. Instead of a light-bodied, bright red fruit-forwarded Gamay or even a classic Pinot Noir, duck dishes with bolder flavours call for more structured, savoury, aromatic, and spice-driven wines like Syrah or Cabernet Franc.

‘Some of our favourite pairings at The Morris for the duck are Northern Rhône Syrah or Loire Cab Franc. The Aurélien Chatagnier “Zélée” Saint Joseph is a great one, but also never a bad excuse to crack that bottle of Thierry Allemand Reynard Cornas,’ says Schmidt. ‘If you want a domestic option, the great folks at Minus Tide make a magical Syrah.’

Seafood selection

While duck has earned its place as a turkey alternative, it’s not the only option shifting the Thanksgiving tablescape. Seafood, too, is making waves. ‘It’s considered a luxurious food,’ says Dave Stern, sales director of Monterey Fish Market in Berkeley, highlighting why it’s quite an obvious choice for special occasions.

Crab is one of the most sought-after items this time of year. Dungeness crab season would typically kick off in mid-November, right in time for Thanksgiving. But that hasn’t been the case for years. ‘The last time the San Francisco crab season opened “on time” was 2018,’ says Stern.

Apparently, some people are so committed to having crab for Thanksgiving that they’re ‘willing to pay whatever it takes’ to secure it. ‘With local Dungeness crab in short supply around the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve been sourcing from Washington and Canada to meet demand,’ Stern explains.

However, when crab is scarce or the price gets too steep, other shellfish take its place – shrimp, lobster, scallops, clams and mussels are common substitutes. Salmon, too, is a popular choice. ‘It’s great because it stays moist and has a rich flavour,’ says Stern. ‘Black cod, or sablefish, is also gaining traction. Rich, fatty, and delicious,’ he adds.

As for wines, seafood presents a fantastic opportunity to explore coastal, mineral-driven white wines. A bright and light Chardonnay with refreshing notes of lemon peel and a touch of salinity is undoubtedly a solid Thanksgiving choice. ‘With roots in Cazadero, California, I apply my local filter to seafood and wine. Hirsch, in the West Sonoma Coast, is probably one of my first choices,’ says Stern.

Swapping local fare for traditional standards doesn’t change the spirit of the holiday or the celebration of togetherness and sharing that has come to define Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving wine pairings: Seven wines for local Bay Area cuisine

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By all accounts, 2021 was an extraordinary vintage across the Sonoma appellations, yielding wines with depth, power, concentration and excellent acid retention, perfect for long-lived ageing and a distinct sense of place. It is a collector’s vintage.

Both red and white wines fared almost equally well, but many winemakers tout the reds – across all varieties – as the wines to watch, commenting that they will be exceptionally long-lived due to their tannin structure.

Winemakers are at the mercy of Mother Nature, with every vintage telling a complete story of what meteorological phenomenon occurred during the year. As 2020 was a devastating vintage for many parts of Northern California – Sonoma included – 2021 was a welcome reprieve from the challenges of past years.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top 2021 Sonoma County wines.

A resounding rebound

Due to smoke taint, many producers decided to forego 2020 as a vintage altogether. Estimates suggest that grape harvest decreased by about 14%.

But 2021 was a dream. We often talk about fabulous vintages in specific grape varieties or certain areas of a particular region. Everything thrived in Sonoma County in 2021: all appellations and all varieties – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Syrah, and everything in between.

Overall, the growing season and harvest were remarkably uneventful, which is what winemakers and vineyard managers hope for each year.

This was still the third drought year in a row for the region. Yet, despite little winter rainfall and dry conditions, even daytime temperatures and cool evenings ensured even ripening and significant acid development.

Sonoma County 2021: J’nai’s top red wines of the vintage

Kosta Browne, Gap’s Crown Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Wayfarer, Mother Rock Pinot Noir, Fort Ross- Seaview, Sonoma Coast

Macrostie, Wildcat Mountain Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

T Berkley Wines, Ophelia Cabernet Franc Sonoma County

Sonoma County 2021: J’nai’s top white wines of the vintage

Kosta Browne, Diablo Vineyard Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Hartford Court, Stone Côte Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Radio-Coteau, Estate Riesling, Sonoma Coast

Kistler, Trenton Roadhouse Chardonnay, Russian River Valley

Weather takes all

‘It has been near perfect for growing grapes this year, and a second year of a lighter crop is bringing more balance to the market, which is encouraging,’ said Karissa Kruse, president of Sonoma County Winegrowers and executive director of Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation, in a press release.

Save for a tiny frost event early in the season in the Russian River Valley, the weather in Sonoma County in 2021 was remarkably cooperative.

Ripening times varied of course. The county’s warmer areas ripened slightly earlier than normal because of the lower yields, while cooler areas ripened as expected since there were no hindrances to the grapes’ maturation.

Due to the uneventful season, winemakers across the AVA had their choice of picking date.

A stellar vintage, but not without challenges

On a case by case basis, however, there were still challenges to overcome – such as the aforementioned drought.

‘The 2021 vintage was a great year, though not without its challenges,’ says Justin Seidenfeld, winemaker for Rodney Strong Vineyards. ‘This was mainly because it was a drought year, which caused an early start to the growing season.

‘This led to an early start for harvest, which, for us, began on August 11. That is more than a month earlier than 2023. The early start led to a pretty small crop, which led to faster-than-normal ripening. That said, the small crop led to an intense concentration of flavours and textures.’

Drought

Drought conditions in California are an ever-present threat to the state’s viticulture. During prolonged drought periods, hydric stress can retard shoot growth, which can then adversely affect crop yields.

This is why dry-farming has become such a hot topic in areas affected by low rainfall.

The theory is that when surface water isn’t readily available, the vines struggle, but they also produce their best fruit – intensely flavoured with good tannin structure due to the thicker skins that the grapes develop at this stage.

And if vines are really thirsty for a drink, their roots will dig well below the topsoil to find groundwater. In essence, dry-farming is an enforced drought. However, prolonged periods of drought coupled with a warming climate can still be problematic, weakening the vine through stress if once even the groundwater is used up.

‘Rains came through frequently, but only enough to rehydrate the soils,’ says Tom Gendall, VP of the Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance Board of Directors.

‘They would fill the soils, and then a week of cool winds would dry the topsoil, allowing it to be refilled by the next small squall of rain.

‘Many farmers rely on rainwater overflow from seasonal streams to fill reservoirs, and many reservoirs went unfilled and were basically empty entering the 2021 growing season.’

Gendall continues: ‘The season was warm to hot, the soil dried out quickly. If you had good access to water, it was a wonderful growing season. If you had limited access to water, this resulted in stunted canopies, very diminished crops and strange ripening patterns.’

See tasting notes and scores for all 2021 Sonoma County wines Decanter has tasted here

Lower Yields

The dearth of water directly affected crop vigour and yield. In this third drought year, winemakers reported crops that were 5-30% lower than average. From a quality standpoint, this is often a boon, as lower yields means the formation of smaller berries, which create more concentrated fruit flavours.

But from an economic standpoint, the picture isn’t as rosy as it means there’s less wine to sell.

Some winemakers have even had to release library selections earlier than they would have liked to compensate for the lack of wine on offer. But scarcity, in its turn, creates demand.

Sonoma County vintage ratings

2021 5/5

The 2020 season made the 2021 vintage feel like a welcome return to normality. Both growers and winemakers were rewarded with a vintage of outstanding quality and low to healthy yields, depending on the sub-appellation. The wines tend to have great concentration and smaller berries yet sufficient yields. They offer freshness, brilliant fruit, characteristic salinity, and a noble, savoury character. The 2021 vintage also awarded the wines an abundance of structure, granting them superb ageability.

2020 2/5

A picture-perfect vintage was all but destroyed by wildfire smoke from the high-pressure and wind events that saw the LNU Complex Fires and the Glass Fire start in September and into October. The fires were highly destructive, destroying homes, forest land, and the wines that were growing there. Many Sonoma wineries did not produce red wines in 2020; those that did saw varied impacts from smoke taint. Some Chardonnays presented a lone bright spot for most producers.

2019 4.5/5

2019 brought a warm, consistent summer with few heat spikes. The region’s signature morning fog allowed fruit to preserve its acid and aromatic flavours. A long growing season allowed for a leisurely harvest. A wonderful vintage across varieties, sub-regions and price ranges.

Riding the wave

Despite the continued hurdles facing winemakers across California, Sonoma’s winemakers and viticulturists took the challenges of 2021 in their stride to produce some outstanding wines.

‘Both red and white wines turned out beautifully, but I think the Pinot Noirs of 2021 are the true standout,’ says Theresa Heredia, winemaker for Gary Farrell Winery.

‘They are simply outstanding. The quality was definitely atypical, and most feel that 2021 produced some of the best wines in over a decade.

‘Compared to the previous three to four vintages, the wines from 2021 have substance and power. Yet, they still possess a beautiful finesse that one would expect from Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.’

A selection of wines from Sonoma’s 2021 vintage

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California wine country may be on the doorstep, but this luxury property on the edge of Sonoma also comes with its own 1.6 hectares (four acres) of Chardonnay vines.

That could be tempting for anyone wanting to get hands-on with this famous white grape variety, although the newly listed estate is also very much at the higher end of the market. 

It has an asking price of $15m (£11.56m), according to the listing by Holly Barker Lee, of Sotheby’s International Realty’s ‘Wine Country’ Sonoma Brokerage.

The vines have been used in commercial wine production. Barker Lee said, ‘[They] have been managed for the past few years by a local vineyard manager, who has forged a relationship with a local winemaker who has been buying the grapes for their wine label.

‘The sellers have been busy raising their family, so the arrangement was that the vineyard manager would care for the grapes, sell them, and pay the owners 20% of the profit and keep the remainder. However, for the right new owner, the four acres could be a fantastic hobby vineyard.’

An outdoor pool adorns the space next to the main residence, and nearby sun loungers offer one of several seating options in the estate’s surroundings.

There is also a covered stone terrace featuring a fire and television screen, as well as a separate firepit and a party barn on the grounds of the property – which spreads across 4.9 hectares of land (12.25 acres).

A bocce ball court and gym area are available, too, perhaps to help owners maintain a balanced lifestyle as they explore the region’s food and wine culture.

It’s located a short drive from Sonoma Plaza, putting it within reach of several winery tasting rooms and restaurants.

Alongside its Chardonnay vines, the estate boasts a link to Sonoma’s vinous heritage – having once been the property of the Sangiacomo wine-making family, which farmed pears before switching over to grapes, according to Sotheby’s International Realty.

While the four-bedroom main residence was built in 2012, a renovated two-bed farmhouse on the estate dates back to the late 19th century and the estate was once part of the larger Palmer Wedekind Ranch, Sotheby’s said. 

Prices for single family homes in Sonoma County have been under some pressure recently, suggested June 2024 figures from the California Association of Realtors. 

Its data showed the median price for a single family home in Sonoma County was $835,000, down 5.2% versus the previous month and down 1.8% year-on-year – albeit property sales in June increased 2.2% month-on-month.

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A lot of people often make the mistake of thinking the Peter Michael Winery is located in Napa. The last bastions of vineyards within the northern Napa Valley AVA are on the fringes of the town of Calistoga.

But 10 minutes north of the town’s bustling main drag of tasting rooms, restaurants, and gift shops, a green and white sign emerges along Highway 128, marking the Sonoma County line.

Another three miles north of the county line is the Peter Michael Winery – very much in Sonoma.

From Great Britain to Sonoma

Established in 1982 by Sir Peter Michael, an engineer by trade and a tech entrepreneur (knighted in 1989 by the late Queen Elizabeth), and his wife Margaret, who raises South Devon cattle and farms a 405-hectare estate in the southern English county of Berkshire.

Their California estate is a serene setting, comfortably settled and well-established, a far cry from when it was an old neglected cattle ranch.

Today, Sir Peter and Lady Michael’s son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Emily, carry forth the vision of Peter Michael Winery as a family-owned estate.

In my opening remarks for the master class at Manhattan in downtown New York City, I mused that Peter Michael Winery is often confused as an icon of Napa Valley. This isn’t surprising, given its proximity to Calistoga and the fact that the winery produces wines from vineyards in Napa’s Oakville appellation.

However, the 304-hectare ranch that encompasses Peter Michael Winery’s tasting room, offices, cellar, vineyards, and family retreat falls explicitly within the Knights Valley AVA, a sub-appellation of Sonoma County.

It is aptly referred to as the ‘Knights Valley Estate’, most of which is a wildlife preserve home to bobcats, bears, raptors, eagles, and falcons. The other two vineyard estates are Seaview Estate in West Sonoma County and Oakville Estate in Napa Valley.

As of March 2020, Robert Fiore began producing the wines. Fiore is a soft-spoken, genial man who harbours an obsession for rocks. He first trained as a geophysicist, and his global travels as an earth scientist inevitably led to a fascination with wine.

Equipped with a Master of Science degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, Fiore’s bio includes stints at Continuum with Tim Mondavi, Arietta with Andy Erickson, Spring Mountain Vineyard, and experience in Burgundy as a Confrèrie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Fellowship Laureate.

Fire and brimstone

The seminar room at Manhatta, with its floor-to-ceiling views of the New York City skyline, filled up with new and familiar faces. For the next hour and a quarter, winemaker Robert Fiore and I engaged in an enthusiastic, dynamic journey.

First, Fiore helped frame a picture of the Knights Valley estate. ‘We’re on the western slopes of Mount Saint Helena’, he explained, ‘which is what remains from early volcanic explosions. The vineyards are underlain with rhyolite which is a volcanic rock high in silica content. We have both rhyolitic tuff which is lithified ash and rhyolitic lava flows which range from white to grey and brown in colour.’

Fiore continued: ‘These varying pockets of tuff and rhyolite on steep hillsides lead to variations in blocks, whereas some hillside vines produce structure and present tannins, and others deliver more flesh and silky tannins’.

It is clear, therefore, that for Fiore, in the winery, these differences comprise just some of the building blocks for Peter Michael’s remarkably structured and age-worthy wines.

After a bit of history and soil talk, we delved into the tasting with three vintages of the estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon white blend L’Après-Midi (The Afternoon), followed by five vintages of the flagship Bordeaux blend, Les Pavots (The Poppies).

The wines of Peter Michael’s Knights Valley Estate

Peter Michael, L’Après-Midi, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2010

Peter Michael, L’Après-Midi, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2016

Peter Michael, L’Après-Midi, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2021

Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2006

Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2009

Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2012

Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2016

Peter Michael, Les Pavots, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California 2021

The wines

2010 L’Après-Midi

86% Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Sémillon, 100% barrel-fermented, aged sur lies 8 months, biweekly bâtonnage, 15.2% 

I asked Robert how far back he’d tasted the L’Après-Midi whites. ‘Back to the mid-1990s vintages’, he said, ‘and they hold up incredibly well.’ 2010 was one of the coolest years in a decade, beginning with a wet and cold winter, but heat came in the end, and ripening was sufficient.

Shatter impacted the Sauvignon Blanc crop this vintage, so there was more Sémillon in the 2010 blend than is typical. We compared the colour to the 2021 vintage. The 2010 was darker and straw-flecked with gold hues. Incredibly fresh, rich with fruit weight, and deep concentration on the mid-palate, it harboured notes of salted Meyer lemon peel, honey, oyster shell, and parmesan rind. What was most striking was its freshness.

2016 L’Après-Midi

88% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Sémillon, 100% barrel-fermented, aged sur lies 8 months, biweekly bâtonnage, 14.5% 

‘The growing season was warm and dry, a continuation of the previous drought year with low winter rains from 2015 into 2016,’ I offered, then asked Robert how the crop turned out. ‘At the time of flowering, we had beautiful, perfect conditions and great fruit set’, he said. ‘In this vintage, more thinning was done in the vineyard.’

There was quite a leap in freshness between 2010 and this 2016, which exhibited bright salinity and floral notes, with citrus, orchard, and stone fruits resonating around an incredibly focused and balanced medium-bodied white with vivid acidity. Fiore explained that: ‘Luc Morlet had decided to plant the Sémillon in the early 2000s as a blending component with the Sauvignon Blanc’.

2021 L’Après-Midi

93% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Sémillon, native yeast, 100% barrel-fermented, aged sur lies 8 months, biweekly bâtonnage, 15.1% 

‘Coming off the heat-stricken 2020 growing season, there were minimal winter rains, which resulted in a very low-yielding year for Sauvignon Blanc (and Cabernet Sauvignon, as we will discover later in the tasting’, I began. ‘The months of June and July brought a good amount of heat, but then things tempered, and the season was even-keeled.’

The smaller amount of Sémillon ‘was more typical’, Fiore said. This gorgeous wine captivated the attendees. Its pale colour belied the power and integrity of this super fragrant and floral-driven white, with all the same flavours and round, rich textures as the 2010 and 2016, only young, subtle, compact – apricot cream instead of dried apricots and honeysuckle instead of honeycomb.

2006 Les Pavots

77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 15.5%

As we transitioned to the Les Pavots reds, I reminded everyone that our focus was strictly on the Knights Valley Estate in Sonoma – the source of all the grapes harvested for Les Pavots. For those who have collected Peter Michael wines, I asked Fiore to briefly remind us of the difference between Les Pavots and the winery’s other Bordeaux-style reds.

‘Au Paradis is a powerhouse red from our Oakville Estate in Napa Valley, and L’Esprit des Pavots is a blend from the Knights Valley estate and our Oakville estate, so a true California blend, made for early enjoyment’. L’Esprit des Pavots is French for ‘The Spirit of the Poppies’, a flower which grows among the vines.

2006 was a wet year, with hail and snow during the springtime. Frost damage impacted some hillside blocks. The coolness delayed flowering and a moderate growing season led to a later harvest in October. Absolutely riveting, this wine was full-bodied, complex, layered, and so inviting with its rich black truffle and earth notes interlaced with currant fruit and beautifully refined, almost powdery tannins perfectly integrated. A dusty, mineral quality nearly had some in the room fooled that we’d poured a Left Bank Bordeaux red.

2009 Les Pavots

66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged 17 months in 100% French Oak, 15%

A slow and steady growing season with just a couple of heat spikes. The berries were in prime condition, harvested between 6 and 14 October. Both the 2009 and the 2006 are just instant classics by California standards. There’s a cooling quality to this full-bodied wine, a coolness in the fruit and wild herb aromatics, with ripe, present and integrated tannins that are soft and mellow, supporting still-ripe red and black fruits in the 2009. Tobacco and earth fill out the finish.

I wondered if the wines were unfined and unfiltered, and Robert explained that indeed they are, which, he said, ‘helps with long-term ageing to maintain structure and freshness.’

2012 Les Pavots

64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 15.8%

We nosed the 2012, and I explained that ‘this was an extraordinary year, following the cold and rainy 2011 vintage. The great 2013 vintage often overshadows this vintage, but both years are accessible now, especially this 2012, having shed its youthfully intense tannins, and it has a long way to go, plenty of structure, weight, and prettiness in its cigar box, currant fruits, full-bodied appeal and tremendous length underscored by good acidity.

2016 Les Pavots

62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, and 7% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 15.6% 

I urged the attendees to compare 2012 to 2016 because ‘the blends are remarkably close, and the growing seasons have a lot in common – good winter and spring rain followed by moderate weather and later harvests.

‘The presence of oak is still quite powerful in the 2016, whereas it has softened with 2012’, I noticed, and added: ‘A watershed in the life of the wine, wherein you can see the trajectory of oak and its eventual integration after a decade of bottle ageing.’

I then asked Robert if there had been any major shifts in the barrel ageing regimen over the years. ‘No, it’s been consistent since the beginning,’ he replied, ‘which is a huge win for collectors. They get to experience vintage variation through the same lens of winemaking’. The 2016 showed ample dark fruit and spices, wild herbs, pixelated tannins and an excellent baseline of acidity.

2021 Les Pavots

62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot, aged 18 months in 100% French Oak, 15.8%

As discussed with the 2021 L’Après-Midi, the 2021 vintage ushered in extremely low yields, with vines producing very few clusters and very concentrated berries. ‘It’s similar in my mind to 2001, which is a year that produced very dark, very tannic wines with considerable structure,’ said Fiore.

The 2021 was just dynamite, showing its youthful exuberance in dark purple-black colour, heady primary, blue and black fruit aromatics, violet pastille, and sweet cedar.

Full-bodied and compact, with fine-grained tannins and refreshing acidity. I pressed the room to observe the opulence of the wine and then to revisit the 2006 vintage as a bookend to our journey with Peter Michael and a sneak peek into the future of these drop-dead gorgeous wines – a promising future for anyone fortunate enough to have bottles in their cellar.

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The Sonoma American Viticultural Area (AVA) known as the Moon Mountain District presents a paradox. It is both a rough-and-tumble locale with rogue characters who flout convention, and a land of pristine beauty that produces some of the finest wines in Sonoma County.

Nestled within the larger Sonoma Valley AVA, Moon Mountain District was granted AVA status in 2013. It spans just 800 hectares (of Sonoma’s 7,000ha) at elevations between 120 and 716 metres, all within a 15 kilometre stretch.

The region’s hallmarks, that helped it gain its AVA status, are its hill and mountainside vineyards and red volcanic soils. These include some of the oldest vineyards in California too, including Hanzell’s 1953 Ambassador vineyard and the storied Monte Rosso.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for selected wines from producers on Moon Mountain

Kamen Vineyard in the Moon Mountain District. Credit: Kamen Estate Wines

Mountain geology

Both tectonic plate shifts and volcanic eruptions formed the Mayacamas Mountain range, where the Moon Mountain AVA sits. The Mayacamas divide the Napa and Sonoma valleys, and Moon Mountain lies on the west-facing flank, with one of Napa’s high-elevation AVAs, Mount Veeder, on the opposite side.

The millennia-long geological and volcanic activity also contributed to the dominant soil type in the region, which is rocky and iron-rich, ideally suited to Cabernet Sauvignon, a staple variety in Moon Mountain.

This soil is one of the distinguishing factors that helped to delineate the Moon Mountain AVA. And although volcanic soils are not unique in themselves, when coupled with the high elevations at which the vineyards are planted, they produce something very special indeed.

Because of these attributes, many highly regarded vineyard sites reside in the appellation, including the the Hamel Family’s Nun’s Canyon vineyard. Most famous of all, however, is the aforementioned Monte Rosso, named after that very same iron-rich, red soil.

The origins of the region

Viticulture in this part of California dates back to the 1800s. In the 1850s, Agoston Haraszthy, a Hungarian pioneer of the California grape industry, saw the potential of Sonoma and bought a 226ha (5,000 acre) swath of land there, bringing in Charles Krug as his winemaker.

What is now the Monte Rosso vineyard was founded not much later, the first vines planted by Emmanuel Goldstein in the 1880s. Because of the vineyard’s unique soil, the grapes grown there became known for their high quality and flavour. Some of those original vines planted in the 1880s still produce fruit today.

In the 1930s, vintner Louis Martini purchased the site, and renamed it ‘Monte Rosso’. Over the subsequent years, the winery and its vines have become a venerable and historic California landmark.

Climatic character

As this area of Sonoma lies 100% within the Sonoma Valley AVA, the climate profile is Mediterranean, so the even, warm growing season is tempered by abundant rainfall during the winter months. However, due to the significant range of elevations, a myriad of microclimates exist within the confines of Moon Mountain.

Long sunshine-filled California days help the vines achieve optimum ripeness. At the same time, the westward-facing aspect of most vineyards means that they are cooled by the ocean breezes that roll in off the San Pablo Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

Altitude and the nearby ocean also means that wind plays a vital role in Moon Mountain’s character. It prevents morning fogs from lingering, dries out canopies saturated with moisture to fend off disease pressure, but also increases the transpiration rate of the vines, keeping them in that state of just-enough-stress necessary for the production of great wine.

Mountain pioneer

For years, Moon Mountain was a relatively unknown territory. That was until pioneering viticulturist Phil Coturri put the AVA on the map. Growing up in the area, Coturri was well-acquainted with it – and with its wine through family connections.

In the 1970s and 1980s the dangers of herbicides and pesticides were becoming apparent and there was a wave of renewed interest in organics and push back against the conventional approach to farming.

Coturri began his career in earnest during this time. He knew the dangers of chemicals all too well. Once, when working in a vineyard he had been accidentally dosed with the herbicide Paraquat which made him very ill.

This, coupled with his hippie roots, compelled him to be a proper steward of the land, among those extolling the virtues of organic farming well before it became a mainstream approach.

An early client was Hollywood screenwriter Robert Kamen. At that point (1981) just the future writer of the ‘The Karate Kid’ franchise (among others), Kamen had used the proceeds from selling one of his first scripts to buy 113ha in Sonoma. He turned 16ha into a vineyard and asked Coturri to help plant it.

Coturri had no hesitation about planting Cabernet Sauvignon there. And then, when it was badly damaged in a fire, replanting it again and adding more Bordeaux varieties for good measure.

Coturri went on to advise and manage many of the region’s vineyards and was a pivotal figure in the creation of the Moon Mountain AVA itself. To this day, he manages a sizeable proportion of the AVA as well as running his own winery, and an olive grove for olive oil – the latter a further pioneering project he undertook with his wife, Arden Kremer, in the early 1990s.

Four Moon Mountain producers:

Kamen Estate Wines

Kamen was one of the early growers on Moon Mountain. He owns 121ha, of which 20ha are planted in an amphitheatre-style vineyard. It is the oldest site Coturri has planted and Kamen calls it ‘Phil’s laboratory.’ It was also Coturri’s first organic-certified vineyard in California.

The vineyard has a variety of grapes, including Grenache and Viognier plantings, because Kamen and Coturri procured cuttings from Côte Rôtie. However, the vineyard is centred on Cabernet Sauvignon. Kamen and Coturri believe that the elevation, aspect and exposure to light in the vineyard are perfect for the king of Bordeaux varieties.

‘We knew this was Cabernet country, and we have our own Kamen Heritage Clone,’ says Kamen, which is thought to be a Martini clone originally grown on Monte Rosso vineyard.

Mark Herold, the Kamen Estates winemaker, says that they use: ‘around eight different clones to make the Kamen wines. These are the paints of my palette, where clones offer diversity, which translates to wine complexity and layering. The Kamen Heritage clone is the backbone or “foundational colour,” if you will, of these Moon Mountain District wines.’

Korbin Kameron Wines

Korbin Kameron Wine’s proprietor is Korbin Ming, whose parents bought the 8ha property in 1999. At 716m in elevation – the highest vineyard on Moon Mountain – Korbin Kameron Wines sits about 243m above the fog line with unobstructed 360-degree views. On a clear day, one can even see the Pacific Ocean.

When his parents decided to buy property and plant vines in Sonoma, they conducted a soil analysis that confirmed that Bordeaux varieties were the best suited to their property.

With the aid of Phil Coturri all five red Bordeaux varieties, as well as Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, were planted and are managed with both organic and holistic farming practices.

Robert Pepi was Korbin Kameron’s original winemaker, but now Ming, with consulting winemaker Timothy Milos, leads the winemaking with a site-first approach. Ming is a big fan of harnessing the high elevation and cooler climate to craft the wines he wants to drink.

Together they ensure that all of the wines are the purest expressions of the vineyard, making most of the range as single-variety wines.

‘If everything is done well in the vineyard, I can be very hands-off in the cellar,’ says Ming. ‘Relying more on farming gives the purest expression of place, in my opinion.’

Hanzell Vineyards

For more than 70 years, Hanzell Vineyards has been a revered Pinot Noir and Chardonnay house. It was founded in 1953 by James Zellerbach, a philanthropist and former ambassador to Italy.

Zellerbach’s travels eventually led him to Burgundy, where he felt inspired by the connection to the land the winemakers there had – and the wines that commitment produced.

Of the 80ha estate, 18ha are planted with vines. According to Jason Jardine, current Hanzell president and director of winemaking, the vineyards are planted organically in a way that ‘mimics nature’ and can ‘sustain fertility’.

Jardine believes that farming holistically – within an ecosystem that includes animals, plants, and even food grown on-site for the staff – is the only way the world can continue to exist. No chemicals are used on the vines and there is a no-till policy to help preserve soil health.

Moon Hollow Ranch

Entrepreneurs, Michael and Xochi Birch, the owners of San Francisco’s hottest private members club, The Battery, have built one of the most intriguing wine estates in all of Sonoma County – Moon Hollow Ranch.

Their 325ha, secluded slice of heaven atop Moon Mountain is home to all manner of livestock, including pigs, sheep, goats, ducks, geese and chickens. The vineyards are comprised of an equally diverse mix of Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Mourvedre and Sauvignon Blanc.

The vines and animals live symbiotically, producing an entirely sustainable ecosystem. Animals are so important to Moon Hollow Ranch that they’re featured on the labels.

The livestock manager uses ‘regenerative grazing for carbon sequestration’ and other methods to preserve and enhance habitats. Phil Coturri, along with winemaker Mark Herold and Christophe Tassan, sommelier, host, former The Battery wine director, and Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) brand ambassador, are all important pieces of the viti-vini pie.

‘Wine is a postcard of taste,” says Tassan. ‘It’s a picture of a place.’ And with every wine that Herold makes for the Birch’s label, he believes a story about the land is told.

Wines from four featured Moon Mountain producers

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For many years now, America’s fine wine epicentre has been in that special valley between the Vaca and Mayacamas mountain ranges that we all know as Napa. First established in the 19th century, the Napa Valley’s quality and reputation are known throughout the world of wine.

But as crucial as Napa is to America’s wine identity, it doesn’t capture the totality of what is a very large and dynamic place. America’s west coast is far from being a monoculture of Cabernet.

Beyond that famous valley and up and down the country’s western coast, a new vanguard of American winemakers ply their skills and creativity, pushing their respective regions and, by extension, American wine in new directions.

Scroll down to see notes and scores for nine wines from four of the US west coast’s most dynamic producers

The western states of California, Oregon and Washington share nearly 2,100km of coastline (roughly the distance from London to Gibraltar), and are wildly varied and distinctive in their climate, topography and geology.

Many of these regions are perfectly positioned to craft wines of elegance and sophistication – wines that communicate their terroir with poise to capture the imagination of fine wine collectors and a new generation of wine enthusiasts.

Alban Debeaulieu

Abbott ClaimWillamette Valley, Oregon

Alban Debeaulieu grew up in France. He wasn’t born into a multi-generational wine estate, but wine was always around. Growing up in the Rhône valley and with relatives in the Loire, the young Debeaulieu learned to appreciate wine rather than how to make it.

Upon completing his master’s degree in oenology at Dijon’s Université de Bourgogne, the first steps in his journey to Oregon began, unbeknown to him. In 2012, he started out in Beaune, working with Véronique Drouhin. She then convinced Debeaulieu to go to Oregon to work at Domaine Drouhin in the Dundee Hills for harvest in 2013. He never left.

Debeaulieu believes the arc of his young career was uniquely American. ‘The opportunities I was given wouldn’t have come to me so quickly in France,’ he states. After completing harvest at Drouhin’s Oregon estate, he worked for two years as Jesus Guillén’s assistant winemaker at the unique, somewhat mysterious, family-run White Rose Estate. Then, in 2016, he went to 00 Wines, where he was reunited with the man who would become his mentor, Burgundy consultant Pierre Millemann, who had been one of his teachers at the university in Dijon.

Antony Beck, son of the South African wine magnate Graham Beck, lured Debeaulieu to his current estate, Abbott Claim, in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. The two of them built the project together, with Millemann continuing to consult through the 2022 vintage.

Debeaulieu is a big believer in whole-cluster winemaking, and is inclined to use as much of the lees as he possibly can, an approach he learned from Millemann and has fully embraced. He takes almost opposing approaches to the Chardonnays, which come from a variety of vineyards within the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, and the estate Pinot Noirs, which come from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. ‘We believe in making wines of place first. And nearly as important, they must be ageable wines,’ he says.

‘A lot of the subtleties of place for white wine come from the wine’s texture, depth, length, umami, minerality and body. These are all details of place in wine. You can’t get those nuances in Chardonnay with a delicate press. We go very deep with our pressing. We want lees and tannins, which give the wine depth and life. We ask everything of the fruit and then let it sort itself out through oxidation. It’s more natural this way as well. The lees do a lot for us.’

The Pinot Noir, in contrast, is made quite delicately. ‘We manage a combination of low-yielding parcels with high tannin loads from the soils and climate of the Yamhill-Carlton,’ Debeaulieu says. ‘We’ve always been picking much earlier. In my first vintage, some of the appellation’s more experienced winemakers even told me I was making a mistake. I said, “We’ll see.”’

Debeaulieu’s natural aptitude and instinct, as well as a formidable winemaking education, have come together in one of America’s most talented young winemakers. A sense of purpose is blended with his Burgundy-taught commitment to terroir and deference to tradition, married to American pragmatism and an appreciation for that special place, the Willamette Valley.

Abbott Claim, X Omni Vineyard Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA 2021 97pts

Abbott Claim, Due North Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA 2021 99pts

Chris Peterson

Avennia and LiminalWashington State

Chris Peterson is unquestionably one of Washington’s most gifted winemakers. He crafts wines that embrace what the state’s warm growing regions give him, but has an uncanny talent for coaxing refinement and sophistication from wines sourced from the state’s top vineyards.

Peterson embraces a pursuit of balance and elegance that remains largely elusive in the winemaking styles of many of his Washington contemporaries – making wines of mineral and savoury expression, eschewing monochromatic declarations of New World fruit.

He graduated with a liberal arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle. Working as a FedEx driver, he decided that was not the career he was looking for. ‘I had grown up in Yakima Valley and was aware of the developing Washington wine industry when I was younger,’ Peterson explains. ‘As an American in my twenties, I was more interested in beer. What fascinated me, though, as I went tasting in the Yakima Valley, were the questions I developed about wine. Why is this one different to that one, and why is this completely different to that?’

His FedEx job ended around the fortuitously timed launching of the Walla Walla Community College oenology and viticulture programme. He was one of 10 students in the programme’s inaugural class, graduating in 2003. Then, just as Peterson finished his studies, an opportunity at the burgeoning Woodinville winery DeLille Cellars came up. There, founding and executive winemaker Chris Upchurch gave Peterson plenty of room, and he went from enjoying some of the mundane elements of the daily work, such as topping barrels, to exploring wine and its artistry.

‘As I started tasting and learning more, particularly about French wine, I really found myself drawn to the guys who were doing things on the artistic side. Maybe one of my most influential experiences was reading Andrew Jefford’s book The New France.’

Peterson honed his skills early. In blending trials with Upchurch, he was directed that a particular wine might be made from six barrels of Cabernet from the Klipsun vineyard, but Upchurch wouldn’t specify which barrels. Tasting them consistently, Peterson found nuances in each, so he would ultimately start crafting wines based on the intricacy of each barrel, as opposed to taking a broader approach. The wines got better.

‘I took full advantage of the room he gave me to manoeuvre and learn as I went,’ Peterson says. ‘As we increased the number of bottlings we made, there wasn’t a recipe, so I got to have a significant role in crafting those wines.’

Peterson met Marty Taucher at DeLille Cellars in 2009, and when Taucher shared his plans to launch Avennia, Peterson saw an opportunity to move towards artistry. ‘We talked about sourcing from the best, and often not the warmest vineyard sites. I’ve zeroed in on a few coopers that worked with our desired style. I wanted that kind of New France approach. I was thinking maybe those older ways could be new again – that it’s not about technology. It’s about making wines that are reflective of Washington but may express some of the style that they’re inspired by.’

Avennia, Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA 2021 96pts

Avennia, Gravura, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA 2021 95pts

Liminal, WeatherEye Vineyard Block 47 Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA 2021 96pts

Samra Morris

Alma Rosa Winery & VineyardSanta Barbara County, California

At 80 years old, Richard Sanford – one of the founders of the Sta. Rita Hills AVA, planting some of its first Pinot Noir vines back in 1971 – beams when he’s thinking of Samra Morris, the winemaker chosen to lead Alma Rosa, a winery he founded in 2005. ‘Having grown up in war-torn Bosnia,’ Sanford explains, ‘she has no fear! With a gentle hand, she has been masterful in crafting wines of finesse, balance and place from a new vineyard planting at the Alma Rosa estate.’

Morris arrived in the US in 2012 from Sarajevo. She comes from a family of scientists; her father was a professor of agriculture. While studying for her bachelor’s degree, she wanted to be a brewmaster. ‘After I finished my bachelor’s degree, I took an internship at a brewery, and it turns out, I really don’t like the smells that come out of the brewing process. I hate them, actually,’ Morris explains. Pivoting, she began her graduate studies focused on winemaking.

Morris left Bosnia for the US after marrying an American airman. She was fortunate to discover that her new husband was stationed at Travis Air Force base, near Fairfield, about 40 minutes’ drive from Napa.

Morris started working in Hestan Cellars’ Napa Valley tasting room. She recalls asking the winemaker, Thomas Rivers Brown, about working a harvest shortly after she joined the team. Following a vineyard internship at St Supery, she did three harvests as a cellar intern with Brown at Mending Wall. More cellar and tasting roles followed, as did some very technical work at a wine-kegging company in Sonoma.

When Debra Eagle, who had hired her at Hestan, relocated to the Sta. Rita Hills in 2018, Morris said ‘keep me in mind’. The following year, a call came with an offer to become the assistant winemaker at Alma Rosa. Shortly after Morris arrived, the winemaker quit; she was quickly promoted.

The Sta. Rita Hills represent a viticultural playground. The proximity to the ocean, long growing season and soil variability, including diatomaceous earth (fossilised skeletal remains of tiny aquatic plants), allow varieties such as Pinot and Chardonnay to grow alongside Grenache and Syrah.

All of this creates conditions for Morris to play with. Her wines marry bold umami flavours and ripe fruit with delicate acidity and balance. Bright candied fruits, savoury, herbaceous flavours and an ever-present oceanic salinity create contemplative wines in all grape varieties used. Ripeness is balanced brilliantly with ocean-side freshness.

Alma Rosa, Radian Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 2021 95pts

Alma Rosa, Rancho La Viña Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County, California, USA 2021 95pts

Ross Cobb

Cobb WinesSonoma Coast, California

Ross Cobb is the most decorated of the four winemakers we’re meeting in this article. For me, his wines represent the pinnacle of American Pinot Noir. The wines are ethereal, aromatically beguiling, delicately textured and worthy of any superlative you want to throw at them.

Cobb has serious credibility in the sommelier community, too, as perhaps evidenced by his Pinot Noir’s mention in the 2022 film The Menu. He attributes a large part of his success with sommeliers and collectors to calibrating the wines he’s making to the best Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays in the world.

‘I’ve gone to Burgundy 14 times since just before I started Cobb Wines in 2000, and each time I’ve taken my wines and other California Pinot Noirs,’ he says, ‘I’ve tasted these wines relative to some of the legendary wines of Burgundy, which has impacted the evolution of my wine and my choices in winemaking. That’s been a big part of my success in reaching this kind of style.

‘After tasting $20,000 of Morey St-Denis wines with collectors in Miami, I opened a couple of my 2019s – the Doc’s Ranch Chardonnay and the Diane Cobb Pinot Noir. The wines held up. These kinds of tastings, though, have really helped me refine my winemaking style, and it has certainly evolved towards a Burgundian approach.’

Cobb’s wines are distinctive. He believes they stand out on the West Sonoma Coast because of his use of whole clusters and restraint in the use of new oak, though he opts for a lengthy élevage – he usually releases his wines three years after vintage. ‘Lots of winemakers talk the talk of a more restrained style, but they still go for ripeness, and the wines tend to rely on new oak,’ he says.

Cobb’s parents Diane and David planted Coastlands vineyard in 1989. They were among the first to establish vineyards in the western reaches of Sonoma, including a vineyard nursery with 18 different clones of Pinot Noir. Cobb went to UC Santa Cruz and studied agroecology, with a focus on soil science, while his parents were breaking new ground on the Sonoma Coast.

After graduating from college, he arrived at Williams Selyem in 1998, where he learned winemaking with Burt Williams and Bob Cabral. He’s made wines at Flowers and Hirsch, among others. ‘Ross made some of the most beautiful wines that have ever been made at Hirsch,’ says general manager and winemaker Jasmine Hirsch.

For Cobb, it all goes back to his parents’ work at Coastlands. The vineyard was planted on the vines’ own roots, dry-farmed; there have been no herbicides and no tilling in 25 years. It calls to mind the tortoise and the hare. That farming approach has become fashionable, much like Cobb’s style of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which remains elusive to many, but he has mastered.

Cobb, H Klopp Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2021 97pts

Cobb, Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California, USA 2021 98pts

See notes and scores for nine wines from four of the US west coast’s most dynamic producers

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 ‘The 2021 vintage was a beauty for the Sonoma Coast winegrowers. These are wines with great freshness and intensity. The benchmark producers, who are making some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the world have found briliant conditions and are crafting collectible bottles from 2021. ’

The 2021 vintage is one filled with gratitude for winemakers on the ‘true’ Sonoma Coast. An incredible rebound from the disastrous and deadly 2020 marked by wildfires and a global pandemic.

Wonderful concentration, healthy yields and nearly perfect clusters were all part of the story with a happy ending in 2021.

It was a mystery that a third consecutive drought year could result in such healthy yields. Still, winemakers were willing to accept it. Ted Lemon of Littorai called it a ‘head-scratcher’ one that, in the end, has produced brilliant, beautiful wines from the Sonoma Coast.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top Sonoma Coast 2021 red and white wines

Sonoma Coast 2021: Top red wines of the vintage

Peay Vineyards, Scallop Shelf Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast

Littorai, BA Theriot Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Occidental, Running Fence Vineyard, Cuvée Catherine Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Cobb, Emmaline Ann Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Hirsch Vineyards, Raschen Ridge Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Ernest Vineyards, Clearly Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Sonoma Coast 2021: Top white wines of the vintage

Cobb, H Klopp Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Littorai, BA Theriot Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Peay Vineyards, Estate Chardonnay, West Sonoma Coast

Hirsch Vineyards, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Wayfarer, Chardonnay, Fort Ross-Seaview

The moody skies at Occidental. Credit: Ana Carolina Quintela

Mellow and moderate

The 2021 vintage in Sonoma was mostly unremarkable in terms of weather events. It was an almost textbook growing season, and after the tragic wildfires of 2020, the fairly ordinary was an extraordinary relief.

The year 2021 began arid and parched, though quite cold on the Sonoma Coast. The vines ended their dormancy by budding out in mid-March, following a more typical pattern.

A warm beginning to May got the ball rolling quickly, with a few days climbing into the lower 80s (26°C). Those temperatures quickly settled down into the typical 60-70 degrees of a Sonoma summer, setting the tone for what would be a consistent and moderate growing season. While much of the American West Coast was locked in the grips of the June ‘heat dome,’ Seattle saw 107°F, but temperatures barely reached into the 90s (32°C) in Sonoma’s coastal areas over those few days.

While it was a moderate-to-cool summer on the Sonoma Coast, it was extremely dry. Windy weather during bloom, along with the ongoing drought, might have combined to reduce fruit set and the eventual yields from vintage 2021, however, for most growers it didn’t turn out that way.

Thick skins and small berries have led to some delicious, concentrated wines. Vigour was kept under control by the drought conditions, and things ripened evenly and consistently across the Sonoma Coast appellation.

A vexing appellation

While many of the wines of the Sonoma Coast are ethereal bottlings of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, known for their tremendous clarity and transparency, the AVA itself is really anything but.

The Sonoma Coast AVA can be confusing to understand geographically. Reaching from the far western edge of the West Sonoma Coast to Mendocino County the appellation wraps around, and all the way inland, to Chalk Hill. In the south, it extends to Los Carneros and San Pablo Bay. It fully encompasses all of Fort Ross-Seaview and Green Valley of Russian River Valley. It also contains nearly all of the broader Russian River Valley and more than half of the Petaluma Gap and Chalk Hills AVA.

It is so large and varied in weather and geology as to be almost meaningless for any generalisations.

‘The general Sonoma Coast appellation is larger than Texas,’ winemaker Ross Cobb jokes. ‘A few of us (initially Carroll Kemp of Alma Fria, Cobb and John Raytek of Ceritas) agreed that we should do something to differentiate the true coastal part of Sonoma from the “so-called” Sonoma Coast AVA. So we wanted to break off from that and explain those cooler, coastal elements, the unique weather, soils and history that the West Sonoma Coast shares. To be honest, all of the naming is still a little confusing because of all the overlapping AVAs.’

A group of winery owners, including Andy Peay, Ken Freeman, Ted Lemon, and Jasmine Hirsch, formed an early iteration of the current West Sonoma Coast Vintners board. The AVA application was stalled during COVID-19 and finally became official in May 2023.

West Sonoma Coast at a glance

Established: Announced by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on May 22, 2023, the 19th AVA in California

Elevation: 400-1800 feet (~120-550 metres)

Climate: The West Sonoma Coast is marked by heavy coastal fog and the significant influence of the Pacific Ocean. On average, it is about 10 degrees cooler than the broader Sonoma Coast AVA. The proximity to the coastline means that daytime temperatures are cooler, and the nights are warmer.

Boundaries: The boundary extends to the Pacific Coast on the west and inland between five and seven miles on the eastern edge. The southern boundary is the northern edge of the Petaluma Gap AVA, and the northern boundary is the Mendocino County line.

Key Varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and some Syrah

Nested AVAs: Fort Ross-Seaview AVA is completely contained within the West Sonoma Coast

See the Sonoma Coast 2021 score table

Sonoma Coast vintage ratings

2021 5/5

The 2020 vintage was a disaster in pretty much all of Northern California, and the Sonoma Coast was no exception. This made the 2021 vintage feel as though it were heaven-sent. Both growers and winemakers were rewarded with a vintage of outstanding quality and healthy yields. The wines tend to have great concentration and smaller berries, yet sufficient yields. They offer freshness, brilliant fruit, characteristic salinity and a noble, savoury character. The 2021 vintage also awarded the wines an abundance of structure, granting them superb ageability.

2020 1/5

A picture-perfect vintage was all but destroyed by wildfire smoke from the high-pressure and wind events that saw the LNU Complex Fires and the Glass Fire start in September and into October. The fires were highly destructive, destroying homes, forest land, and the wines that were growing there. Most Sonoma Coast wineries did not produce red wines in 2020; those that did saw varied impacts from smoke taint. Some Chardonnays presented a lone bright spot for most producers.

2019 5/5

The 2019 was a high watermark vintage for the wines of the Sonoma Coast. Low to moderate yields drove concentration in the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit, resulting in wines of intensity that balance the finesse of the coastal sites in the appellation. There is an undeniable elegance that marks this cooler year in its cooler reaches of the Sonoma Coast.

A 2022 vintage preview

In addition to tasting the 2021 wines on the Sonoma Coast, I visited some producers who had bottled and were soon to release their 2022s. Ted Lemon at Littorai tasted me through barrel samples of all of his 2022 wines.

‘2022 was another drought vintage, and it was developing similarly to 2021,’ says Rob Fischer, winemaker at Marine Layer. Yields were pretty moderate, certainly below average.’ There was a tremendous heat dome event in Northern California in early September, and the Sonoma Coast was no exception. 2022 tells two tales: the stuff that was picked before Labor Day and everything afterwards.

‘We were calling our growers saying “Water, water, water!” with the big, imminent heat coming,’ Fischer continues. ‘It’s cooler out here on the coast, but it was 110°(Fahrenheit) at our winery in Healdsburg.’

The vintage is one to buy, showing brilliance and resilience in spite of the late-season heat dome that divided winemaking decisions. While the heat spike certainly had significant impacts inland, those on the ‘true’ Sonoma Coast seem to have come through it with vivid wines of place.

Sonoma Coast 2022 preview: Top 10 wines

RAEN, Royal St Robert Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Littorai, Richardson Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Peay Vineyards, Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast

Small Vines, TBH Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

Wayfarer, Mother Rock Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview

Ernest Vineyards, Estate Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

RAEN, Lady Marjorie Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Peay Vineyards, Maritima Estate Chardonnay, West Sonoma Coast

Hirsch, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

Faila, Platt Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

See the Sonoma Coast 2022 score table

Sonoma Coast 2021: The top-scoring wines

The following wines scored 95 points or above and are listed white then red in score order.

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Decanter's US editor Clive Pursehouse presents a comprehensive overview of the 2021 vintage across the Sonoma Coast.

Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for all 53 wines tasted.

Wines are listed in score order.

See also

Sonoma Coast: 2021 vintage report and 2022 preview

Decanter's US editor Clive Pursehouse presents a first look at the 2022 wines from the Sonoma Coast.

Here we present a quick and easy way to see tasting notes and scores for all 79 wines tasted.

Wines are listed in score order.

See also

Sonoma Coast: 2021 vintage report and 2022 preview

This recently listed Sonoma wine country property offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape thanks to its wrap-around porch.

It also comes with a 0.8-hectare (two acres) Syrah vineyard, according to the listing by Holly Bennett of Sotheby’s International Realty’s Sonoma brokerage, adding that the estate offers the ‘epitome of wine country living’.

Its Syrah vines could make an interesting hobby project for a prospective buyer, although an asking price of $9.4m (£7.5m) does also put this estate firmly at the luxury end of the market.

Located just outside Sonoma itself, at 19100 Old Winery Road, the property also has no shortage of wine tasting and dining options on the doorstep – as well as opportunities to stock up for the cellar.

Originally built in 1925, the estate blends modern interiors with nods to its history, according to the listing agent, adding the current seller is Glenn Hickerson, who had a prolific career in aeronautics sales.

Extensive grounds include space for an outdoor pool and hot tub, as well as plenty of seating options to enjoy a sunset glass of wine.

There is also a bocce ball court and an old water tower that has been converted into an office space and artist’s studio.

A ‘party barn’, meanwhile, can be used for celebrations and gatherings, the listing stated, adding that the 1.7-hectare (4.29 acres) estate includes two guest cottages alongside the main residence.

The five-bedroom property is listed as a single family home. According to the California Association of Realtors, the median price of a single family home in Sonoma in February 2024 was $826,500, based on properties that have sold.

That’s down slightly from $829,900 in the previous month, but up by 6.7% versus February 2023.

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It’s no secret that the California wine industry is facing an excess market. The key trend is driven by consumer demand (younger consumers are swapping wine for RTDs, spirits, non-alcoholic beverages or cannabis), which primes conditions for overproduction and ‘pressure starting from the grower [that] will create inventory bulges and drive higher-than-needed inventory turns in 2024’, according to Silicon Valley Bank’s (SVB) latest US wine report,

This is something Jeff Bitter, president of Allied Grape Growers, called attention to at this January’s Unified Wine & Grape Symposium. He prompted grape growers to remove a net total of more than 12,000ha throughout California to counteract the current challenges with lagging demand in the wine industry, a trend that reflects a global movement.

‘Nobody is making money sitting on inventory,’ said Bitter.

The call to action is Bitter’s second attempt for California growers to pull up this amount of plantings; the first came after the 2019 harvest, when fruit was left unpicked and tanks left full of unsold wine. At the time, Bitter said, ‘I’ve been doing this for well over 20 years, and I can honestly say we don’t see these kinds of pictures very often in the industry.’

Only 7,280ha were removed following his speech at the 2020 Unified Wine & Grape Symposium.

Now, four years later, the once-rare photos that Bitter referenced are becoming more common. ‘Three out of the last five years — 2019, 2020 and 2023 — we’ve left grapes on the vine. We’ve been structurally oversupplied for five years now, which points to the fact that we need to reduce our bearing acres to rightsize supply and demand,’ Bitter told Decanter.

Regional recommendations

This year, Bitter said he wanted to be more specific to add a target for where the market was long: ‘If you fall into one of these categories, then I’m talking to you; if you don’t, then I’m not talking to you. I have to be specific; otherwise, grape growers think it’s somebody else’s responsibility to remove production.’

Bitter spoke directly to the Central Valley producers in the audience at the Symposium. He urged the producers selling wine for less than $6 per bottle to remove a total of 6,000ha, breaking down to 1,600ha of Zinfandel, 1,600ha of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, 1,600ha of Barbera, Carignan, Grenache and Ruby Cab, and 1,200ha of ‘generic white wines and floral wines’.

He also honed in on producers in the Lodi and Delta interior regions, calling for the wineries who sell bottles in the range of $6 to $11 to pull up 6,000ha of grapes. His breakdown of the removal is as follows: 2,400ha of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, 1,600ha of Zinfandel, 1,600ha of aged or poor-producing Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc; and 400ha of Malbec, Petite Sirah and any other ‘miscellaneous red wines’.

‘The wine industry is cyclical, and we have been here before,’ Bruce Lundquist, co-founder and CEO of Rack & Riddle, which has a modern winery in Lodi, told Decanter in response to Bitter’s speech. ‘While I agree that there is a grape oversupply overall, challenging times present opportunities. Now is a time to match vineyard replanting with both terroir and consumer demand, as there are too many acres planted relative to demand.’

Bitter cited some 7,700 vineyard hectares planted in 2023, according to the annual nursery survey. In order to account for the vines’ fruition in three years’ time, he encouraged wineries to consider removing older vines in the Coastal California regions – including 2,000ha of Cabernet Sauvignon, 1,600ha of Pinot Noir from Monterey and Santa Barbara, 1,200ha of Syrah and aged Merlot, 800ha of Chardonnay in Mendocino, Monterey and Santa Barbara, 400ha of Zinfandel from Mendocino and Paso Robles and 400ha of ‘other white varieties’.

Future-proofing grape farming

‘We need to pull out more than what’s coming into production to actually decrease bearing acres,’ added Bitter, who mentioned there are candidates for removal regardless of where they are in the state.

Hence, his recommendation that Sonoma wineries – where new production growth isn’t anticipated – remove a total of 2,000 vineyard hectares – including 800ha of Cabernet Sauvignon, 400ha of Zinfandel and 400ha of old Pinot Noir vines.

While critics might argue a better solution is to stop planting grapes without a contract or altogether, Bitter emphasised that removing over 12,140ha is immediate action. ‘If we want to help ourselves today, we have to take action today.’

After an unsuccessful plea in 2020, Bitter suggested how he plans to witness more impact this time around. Allied Grape Growers represents about 500 growers throughout California. ‘It’s about growers understanding that they are part of the list of acreage that needs to come out,’ said Bitter, adding that he’ll be calling out growers whose grapes fit into the categories of aged out, non-productive vineyards.

‘If there’s no demand for the variety you’re producing or quality you’re producing then I’m going to communicate that with you before you start investing or farming it for the 2024 grape season.’

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Flowers Winery has been a highly regarded Sonoma brand for over 30 years. But its terroir-driven viticulture, a new range of bottlings that emphasise a sense of place and revamped hospitality spaces meant to reflect a respect for the land, demonstrate the producer’s bold vision for the future.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for nine wines from Flowers Winery

Flowers takes root

‘Wild’, ‘fog-drenched’, ‘forested’, these are just a few words that describe Flowers’ two estate vineyard sites – Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge.

Just 3.2 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean on the Sonoma Coast, amid rolling hills and forests, where vineyards had never been planted before, Joan and Walt Flowers made a pioneering decision that would change Sonoma viticulture. 

Before their foray into wine, the pair owned Moon Nursery in Pennsylvania – the oldest plant nursery in the United States. Established in 1767 – and owned by the Flowers since 1971 – it is renowned for its high-quality plants and meticulous pruning and growing techniques.

Frequent visits to California to drink Pinot Noir became the catalyst behind the couple’s intention to branch out into wine. The couple saw an ad in a wine magazine for undeveloped land and seized the moment. And so Flowers Vineyards & Winery, now one of Sonoma County’s revered Pinot houses, was born.

Organic viticulture shows the way

Within the greater Sonoma Coast American Viticultural Area (AVA) lies the much smaller AVA of Fort Ross-Seaview. There are only 27 vineyards in the appellation, each with its own particular character. What truly defines the tiny region is its proximity to the ocean and the high elevations – the Flowers estate vineyards sit between 450-550 metres above sea-level. 

It is long said that great wine is made in the vineyard, and these features are key to the distinct profile the Flowers coax out of their Pinots.

Respect for the land is another approach that has always been central to the Flowers’ philosophy. Old sheep-grazing pastures became the estate vineyards, in line with an ethos of letting nature have its place alongside the vines.

The Flowers have practiced organic viticulture for the last 15 years, although they were only officially certified in 2020. Likewise, they have gradually introduced some biodynamic principles and practices into their vineyard repertoire. 

Flowers terroir: a diversity of soils

The newest addition to Flowers range, are the ‘Site Series’ wines, the product of a long-term partnership with consultants Pedro Parra and Brenna Quigley.

Parra is well known in wine circles for his intensely terroir-focused approach to viticulture and oenology. He’s not a geologist in the technical sense, he holds qualifications on terroir and precision viticulture, but wineries from around the world call on him to help better understand their terroir and bring the fullest expressions of their wines to the fore.

He starts by mapping the entire vineyard site. The device he uses spits back a colour gradient map expression to delineate the differences in various vineyard areas. Parra pointed out a great deal of variability for both the Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View sites. Based on the mapping, he began digging soil pits to understand what lies beneath. The soil pits allowed him to determine the presence of substrates, as well as root density and structure, to profile the soil’s compositional properties properly.

Quigley, meanwhile – very much a trained geologist – was named Decanter’s Rising Star of 2023 for her work on terroir in California, where she has gained an impressive client portfolio.

Tailoring the winemaking approach

‘Beginning to understand the soils from each polygon on the map was a “lightbulb” moment that helped me to adapt winemaking to soil types,’ says Chantal Forthun, director of winemaking at Flowers Winery.

‘Previously, we tailored farming by block, but the grapes were treated the same when they came into the cellar: we picked at the same ripeness, applied the same extraction techniques, and pressed at the same time. My thinking at the time was that uniformity of the winemaking process by block would allow the vineyard to show its true character,’ she continues.

‘We now specialise our farming and winemaking techniques based on what we know about the soil, to allow each block to reveal its true potential. Every single block has a specific winemaking strategy (i.e. fermentation, vessels, timing) that matches the farming strategy because, from the very beginning of the season, we are wine-growing these blocks to become a very specific wine.’

The fresh geological insight gleaned from Parra and the soil pits not only led to the creation of the Site Series but a radical rethink in how the estate approached the harvesting and vinification of its wines as a whole.

Brenna Quigley in Burgundy, where her work has included providing geological mapping. Credit: Michel Joly

Geological origins of terroir

Quigley has also been integral to Flowers’ relentless pursuit of unearthing its sense of place. She began working with Flowers in 2019 after Forthun decided to ‘bring in a geologist.’ However, her job is different to Parra’s, as she’s tasked with answering questions about what the soil compositions might be and how they might have got there.

After Forthun learnt of Quigley’s specialisation at the intersection of viticulture and geology, she was brought on board. ‘There were geologists and soil scientists, but it was rare to find someone connecting these sciences to wine,’ says Forthun.

Quigley proved to be an invaluable asset to the Flowers team. She noted that the sites sit on a confusing geological terrain called the Franciscan Complex, which was directly related to the formation of the San Andreas Fault. That created subduction zones, where tectonic plates recede back into Earth’s mantle. This has, in turn, not only established coastal ridges but intermingled various soil types into one another in a complex and highly diverse array.

Forthun’s winemaking extends Parra and Quigley’s work

Every decision made in the production process is now laser-focused on emphasising this coastal terroir.

‘At Flowers, the wines are crafted without compromise,’ says Forthun. ‘We aim to make wines that capture the wild beauty and the land and the spirit of the Sonoma Coast.’

One of the ways in which this is done is through the use of native yeasts on a block-by-block basis. Both primary and secondary fermentations are done without the use of inoculation with cultured yeast strains – although this leads to more work and a lot more variance.

‘Each vintage is a little bit different,’ says Forthun. ‘Figuring out where the balance of acidity is for that particular vintage comes in when we begin tasting barrel by barrel. We’re still picking the vineyard separately by block. We’re pressing all the juice separately; all the juice goes separately by block into the barrel.’

This has dictated that more pump-overs (and fewer punch-downs) are employed in the winemaking process. Forthun believes pumping over is gentler on the grapes grown in rockier, more rugged soils. Flowers also made the decision to use larger format vessels for ageing. Instead of 228-litre barriques, about 25% of the wines are instead matured in 500-litre puncheons and 1,000-litre casks, allowing longer ageing and helping to retain fresher flavours in the wine.

The bedrock of the Flowers brand has always been the Sonoma Coast. And this obsessive dive into their soils, the renewed energy behind finding what lies beneath this rugged landscape – between coast and redwood forest – is driving ever greater elegance in these wines. Thirty years on, Flowers Vineyards & Winery continues to flourish.

Flowers: Nine wines to try

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The deal includes six estate vineyards spanning a total of 454ha in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations.

Deirdre Mahlan, chair and CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio, said: ‘Sonoma-Cutrer is an iconic, highly acclaimed winery brand with a long history of crafting exceptional wines in a timeless style and is a perfect addition to our thoughtfully curated portfolio of luxury wines.’

Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded The Duckhorn Portfolio in St Helena, California, in 1976. It has spent the past 46 years establishing itself as one of the leading producers of Napa Valley wines. The group owns 10 wineries, seven tasting rooms and more than 440ha of vineyards spanning 32 estate properties in California and Washington State.

However, it lacks a meaningful presence in Chardonnay, which is the most popular white varietal in the US market, so this deal should plug a major gap in the portfolio.

‘Sonoma-Cutrer is among the fastest-growing major brands in the luxury Chardonnay category,’ said Mahlan, who is also the group’s interim president. ‘We see opportunity to further accelerate that growth and enhance operating margins of the combined business. This transaction expands our presence and visibility, diversifies our portfolio of luxury American winery brands and dramatically increases our position in the luxury Chardonnay category.’

The Duckhorn Portfolio went public on the New York Stock Exchange in March 2021, with NAPA as its ticket, after raising $300m in an IPO [Initial Public Offering]. Its wines are available throughout the United States and they are exported to more than 50 countries around the world.

In the 12 months to 31 July 2023, unaudited financial reports estimate that Sonoma-Cutrer had approximately $84m in net sales. The Duckhorn Portfolio believes that it can operate at similar margins to the other wineries within its group.

Management also expects to achieve $5m in annual cost savings by merging its operations with those of Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. These savings will be realised in full during the 2025 fiscal year. Brown-Forman, which produces Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve and many more famous spirits brands, will receive cash and stock as part of the $400m deal.

A Brown-Forman executive will also sit on The Duckhorn Portfolio’s board. ‘The Duckhorn Portfolio has some of the world’s most-respected luxury wine brands and Brown-Forman looks forward to participating in its future growth through a minority equity stake and board membership,’ said Lawson Whiting, president and CEO of Brown-Forman.

In May 2022, The Duckhorn Portfolio bolstered its presence on California’s Central Coast by purchasing 107 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in the Paso Robles AVA in the shape of Bottom Line Ranch in the San Miguel District.

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The second most renowned North American wine region, Sonoma, has long suffered the fate of being compared to the more famous wine valley that runs parallel to it: Napa. But outside of sharing a border, these two regions couldn’t be more different.

Sonoma wine country is actually double the size of Napa Valley, extending far beyond the town of Sonoma to worthwhile destinations like Healdsburg and the Russian River Valley, the funky town of Sebastopol, and even the Pacific Ocean.

While Napa Valley has zeroed in on Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties, Sonoma is far more diverse.

Home to more than 60 grape varieties (though Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the stars) and upwards of 400 wineries spread throughout 19 AVAs, Sonoma is also known for its abundance of farms, creameries, breweries and distilleries.

Due to its vastness, there are two common mistakes visitors to Sonoma make. They either plan only a day or two, hardly scratching the surface, or they schedule winery appointments, meals and hotel stays without realising it can easily take an hour to get from one to the next. As a result, they’re constantly running late to reservations on what’s supposed to be a relaxing holiday. By focusing instead on a specific area, you can spend time experiencing rather than rushing, and really immerse yourself in the best of what Sonoma has to offer.

The town of Sonoma: The perfect place to begin

Understandably, most people who visit Sonoma wine country start with the town of Sonoma. An easy, one-hour drive from San Francisco, Sonoma is anchored by the charming and historic Sonoma Plaza. The birthplace of the California flag, this square played a pivotal role in the state’s declaration of independence from Mexican rule. The historic buildings and adobes are now occupied by shops, wine tasting rooms, hotels and restaurants. Miles of vineyards and winery estates surround the town, offering a plethora of tasting options.

Thursday

Check into the MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa for the weekend. Located in the heart of Sonoma and within a mile of the Sonoma Plaza, this idyllic resort recently completed a massive transformation.

The Spa at MacArthur is accented with modern, luxury elements, new treatment rooms, locker rooms complete with steam showers, an outdoor Hydrotherapy Spa Garden and Lounge, and a brand-new outdoor pool space complete with private pool cabanas. The Spa at MacArthur’s treatment menu offers a range of unique, bespoke therapies including skincare, body renewal treatments, massage techniques and 100-minute Journeys that include holistic healing elements.

Relax at the pool or spa before dinner at Layla, MacArthur’s Mediterranean restaurant, and then enjoy a nightcap at The Bar, a Gatsby-era lounge serving signature cocktails and late-night nibbles.

Friday

Morning

Embark on an easy stroll to the Sonoma Plaza for a Lavender Mist mimosa and breakfast in the back garden of Sunflower Caffé, known for simple and healthy dishes made from hyper-local ingredients. Afterwards, take a walk around the square, pop into interesting-looking shops, and visit Sonoma State Historic Park, where, for a $3 admission fee, you can access six historical sites, including the Mission San Francisco Solano, the last of the 21 California missions built.

Lunch

Book a lunchtime tasting at Three Sticks Wines, housed in the Vallejo-Casteñada Adobe, the longest-occupied residence from California’s Mexican Period. The food and wine pairing ($110) includes a flight of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (crafted by Bob Cabral, former winemaker for the renowned Williams Selyem) paired with five bites from Sonoma Plaza restaurant El Dorado Kitchen. Or, you can make it a three-course private lunch.

Afternoon

Schedule a second wine tasting in the intimate salon of Sojourn Cellars, which sources fruit for its Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from some of the top vineyards in Sonoma County. Moreover, Sojourn is unique in that it also crafts Cabernet Sauvignon from both Sonoma and Napa. Through Sojourn’s comparative tasting format, you’ll learn to identify the nuances of each vineyard source.

Evening

Dine at Valley, an unassuming, French-inspired wine bar, restaurant and bottle shop that opened inside an adobe in 2020. Valley’s list is focused on natural and minimal intervention wines and simple, shareable plates. It combines seasonal ingredients with international flavours like XO eggs, Don Bocarte anchovies, and lamb with garlic yoghurt and za’atar. End the night with a glass of Champagne from Sigh, a glamorous bubbly bar located just around the corner from Valley.

Saturday

Morning

Following a light breakfast at The Porch at MacArthur, a grab-and-go café, drive out to the bucolic Carneros AVA, which spans parts of both Napa and Sonoma. Start the day at Donum Estate; even though it’s only a 10-minute drive from the hotel, once there, it feels like a totally different world. The Explore Experience ($200 per person) includes an ATV tour of Donum’s impressive open-air art sculpture collection, working farm, lavender fields and vineyards, culminating in a private tasting of its finest wines. Crafted with minimal intervention, Donum’s lineup showcases the diversity and uniqueness of California’s top-producing Pinot Noir regions, including the Russian River, Anderson Valley and its home base of Carneros.

Lunch

Turn left back on Highway 12 and, after a few miles, pull over at the old country roadhouse that reads Lou’s Luncheonette. No reservations, so you may have to wait for a table out on the back patio (often shared with a few chickens), but the array of fried chicken options is worth it.

Afternoon

Lou’s hearty fare has probably whetted your appetite for something a bit different, so a trip to Carneros might be the right choice. Among Gloria Ferrer’s many tasting offerings is the Extended Tirage Experience ($125), a tasting of all of the house’s vintage and longer-aged sparkling wines. The experience showcases the ageability of sparkling wine over a 90-minute tasting session.

Evening

The first wine country outpost from world-renowned chef Michael Mina, Wit & Wisdom has been the talk of the town since opening in 2020. From seafood towers to handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas and hearty meats, the best strategy here is to order several plates and share, though the craft cocktails and duck wings are a must-order. You’ll leave feeling stuffed, but your bed at MacArthur is less than a mile away.

Sunday

Return to Sonoma Plaza for brunch at the girl + the fig, a Sonoma staple. This buzzing and classic French bistro serves up comforting country food made with local ingredients – croque monsieur, quiche Lorraine, duck confit – that will soak up all of the weekend’s imbibing. Before you leave, take one last stroll around the plaza to digest and purchase last-minute souvenirs.

Original story by Jess Lander updated October 2023 by J’nai Gaither

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The first established AVAs were named in the 1980s, with new designations coming as recently as 2022. 1983 was a particularly important year, as the majority of Sonoma’s appellations were founded during that time, however even today there remain a few proposed AVAs for Sonoma County currently awaiting approval.

Diversity is key in Sonoma County. Amongst 24,000ha of vines, over 60 grape varieties grow and thrive. Sonoma is most known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay however, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grow alongside Gruner Veltliner and many more.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 10 Sonoma County wines

The region’s heterogeneity doesn’t stop with its varieties – because of the sheer size of the region, a myriad of micro-climates exist. Rugged, coastal terrain along the Pacific Ocean adds a saline, mineral character to certain wines, while a heat-trapped inland locale creates wines that are fruit-forward and plush. This dynamism captures the overwhelming bounty of the region.

High elevation regions

Pine Mountain-Cloverdale Peak

The PMCP appellation is very rarely discussed although it should be. The part of the Mayacamas range that separates Sonoma from Napa is where you’ll find PMCP atop Pine Mountain. The elevations are extreme and go from 480 to 915m, which makes it among the highest-elevation wine-growing regions in the entire state. The appellation also encompasses two counties: Sonoma and Mendocino.

Due to its atypical location, the conditions here are amplified. PMCP’s location above the fog line ensures a longer growing season with lots of sun exposure. The volcanic soils are very well draining, a melange of mostly shale and sandstone. High winds and heavy rainfall (more rain than the valley floor) also characterise this appellation.

Fort Ross-Seaview

This appellation is a kind of nested sub-appellation of the Sonoma Coast AVA. Established more recently, in 2012, it is also one of the smallest, with only 225ha planted. Only at elevations beginning at 280m, above the fog line and along ridges, is the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation delineated. It’s very coastal in that part of its identity is the rugged terrain within mere miles of the Pacific Ocean.

Rockpile

The Rockpile Grape Growers Association touts the appellation as Sonoma’s ‘most rugged and spectacular AVA.’ It distinguishes itself by its elevation requirements, which begin at 240m and climb to about 640m and its rough terrain, hence its name. Located on the western side of Lake Sonoma, it is pure vineyard land with no wineries. It was designated an official AVA in 2002.

Sonoma Mountain

Sonoma Mountain is a 745m mountain range. It is a nested, hillside AVA within the Sonoma Valley AVA that starts above the Sonoma town of Glen Ellen, and was established in 1985. Like Rockpile and Fort Ross-Seaview, the elevation differentiates it from other appellations, as well as the very steep vineyards without the fog and craggy terrain. Many varieties grow here, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, but Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety.

Sonoma’s warmest regions

Knights Valley

On the opposite end of the temperature spectrum, the Knights Valley AVA is the warmest of all. It’s surrounded by the Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley. Its geographic position and its mountainous surroundings prevent the maritime influence from the Pacific Ocean from cooling the area. The 809ha of vineyards are planted to mostly Bordeaux varieties, with a smattering of Zinfandel and Merlot.

Alexander Valley

In 1984, the Alexander Valley AVA was established. Here, Cabernet Sauvignon reigns supreme. Another inland appellation, it, like Knights Valley, is very warm yet the proximity to the Russian River Valley tempers the weather in the evening, allowing the fog to cool things down in the vineyards. Soils here are alluvial, formed by the Russian River, whose eponymously named valley abuts Alexander Valley.

Chalk Hill

Though the Chalk Hill AVA was established in 1983, to this day, it still only has five wineries. It is one of the sub-appellations of the Russian River Valley, so named because of the white, chalk-like soil that’s prevalent in the region. However, the overall elevation of the appellation is higher than that of the Russian River Valley. White wines grapes including Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc thrive in the appellation, along with some Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel.

Fountaingrove District

This is an easterly, lesser-known appellation, perhaps due to its small size at only 202ha of planted vines. It’s named for an old winery, which no longer exists, but has historic roots and was in fact, an original ‘cult’ winery producer.

Fountaingrove sits just outside of the town of Santa Rosa. Largely the vineyards sell their grapes to larger wineries, as there are only five producers in the area. Its 15,400ha were granted AVA status in 2015.

Moon Mountain

Moon Mountain District sits inside of the greater Sonoma Valley appellation, between 120m and 670m in elevation. The district has a long history of grape growing, with the first plantings for sale beginning in the 1880s. Yet it took until 2013 before an AVA designation was granted. Its most planted varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Chardonnay. The highly-regarded Monte Rosso vineyard also sits in the Moon Mountain District.

Sonoma’s coolest sites

Green Valley

Green Valley calls itself the ‘coolest, foggiest region of the Russian River Valley.’ It is yet another sub-appellation of the large Russian River Valley and one of the smallest appellations in all of Sonoma County. The fog is its defining characteristic, which starts forming in the Petaluma Gap before moving to Green Valley. Goldridge soil is the dominant type, prized for its good drainage. Despite a whopping 7,700ha of planted vines, there are only 100 growers and nine wineries. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the most prevalent varieties, and sparkling wine is a common style made here.

Sonoma Coast

The Sonoma Coast is the county’s largest AVA by area. It starts in the south, at the San Pablo Bay and reaches far north to the start of Mendocino County. It’s no surprise that with the word ‘coast’ in the name, the region skews colder. Heavy rainfall accompanies the cooler climate, but there is still enough warmth to ripen grapes for the wonderful complexity of flavour.

West Sonoma Coast

The West Sonoma Coast AVA is Sonoma County’s newest, established in 2022. It is so named because of its unique position on the western edge of the Pacific Coast. Some of the 50 planted vineyards here are mere miles from the ocean and benefit from the cool, windy ocean breezes and salinity, which can appear in the wines. The West Sonoma Coast would be a milder example of extreme winegrowing, as the weather profile is cold with dense fog. Elevation requirements range between 120m-550m and it’s no surprise that cool climate varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are prevalent and thriving.

Carneros

The Carneros AVA was established in 1983. It is the southernmost appellation of Sonoma County. Carneros is one of the few AVAs that straddles two counties: Napa and Sonoma. It is also the coolest appellation of both counties and the first AVA ever established based on climate alone. Since it is in the south, it benefits from the cooling influences of the San Pablo Bay and Pacific Ocean. Cool climate varieties are de rigueur here, so Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate. A myriad of sparkling wines are made from the fruit of this area as well.

Petaluma Gap

Like Carneros, it, too, straddles two counties: Marin County and Sonoma County. As one of the newest AVAs established in the region in 2017, the Petaluma Gap is characterised by its consistently windy weather and dense fog, which influences the ripening ability of the grapes. Cloud cover and cooling breezes ensure a longer hang time for cool climate varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Smaller Sonoma appellations

Bennett Valley

The Bennett Valley AVA is centred around the Sonoma County city of Santa Rosa. It is a small appellation, set among three mountains, with only 265ha planted to vines of just over 3,275ha in total. There is a break in the valley that allows the ocean influences and fog to settle in to ensure the grapes develop flavours that are Bennett Valley’s signature. It is known mostly for Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc.

Dry Creek Valley

The no-stoplight, 25km stretch of land between Healdsburg and Cloverdale is home to the Dry Creek Valley. Unlike the rest of Sonoma County, this valley is Zinfandel country and has been since its inception with prevalent old, gnarled Zin vines. Seventy family-owned wineries make their home in the appellation, with just 3,650ha of planted vines.

Russian River Valley

The famed Russian River Valley is named after the eponymous river that runs through it. Pinot Noir is RRV’s claim to fame and what solidified its reputation as a wine region of note. But its 6,000ha of planted vines also comprise a sizable amount of Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet.

The Russian River Valley reached AVA status in 1983. It is divided into six ‘neighbourhoods’ or sub-areas within the AVA. Today, around 70 wineries call the Russian River Valley home.

Sonoma’s larger AVAs

Northern Sonoma

At 133,000ha and Sonoma County’s second-largest appellation, Northern Sonoma, along with the Sonoma Coast and Sonoma Valley AVAs, comprise the entirety of Sonoma County. Established as an AVA in 1990, the Northern Sonoma AVA has a myriad of topographical, geologic and climatic variances. Many of the more than 60 grape varieties grown in the county are grown within this appellation, too.

Sonoma Valley

The town of Sonoma is the namesake town of the Sonoma Valley appellation, which was formed in 1981. The appellation encompasses more than 400 wineries and over 25,000ha of planted vines. As the Sonoma County region is the oldest wine region in California, Old Vine Zinfandel still has a stronghold, with some vines nearing or surpassing 100 years of age. Cabernet Sauvignon is, however, now the dominant grape variety.

Sonoma County: 10 wines to seek out

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With a changing climate, new appellations defining nuances in terroir, and ever-growing insights into soil-vine interplay, more attention is paid to Cabernet Sauvignon in Sonoma than ever before.

Cabernet Sauvignon has been planted in Sonoma since the late 19th century. In the early 1970s, wineries such as Jordan and Silver Oak made the variety central to their portfolio. After the Judgement of Paris in 1976, attention shifted to the Cabernets of Napa, but the grape’s popularity still carried on in Sonoma.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for 12 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon wines worth seeking out

Cabernet plays a vital role in the mosaic of Sonoma varieties. It is often described as savoury and mineral-driven, with a darker fruit profile and more austere tannins in its youth. Warmer appellations such as Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, and Dry Creek Valley AVAs contain the most significant plantings.

Still, a smattering of vineyards can be found in cooler appellations, such as the Waterhorse Ridge Vineyard in the foggy coastal area of Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. And as the climate changes, producers continue to explore the potential for Cabernet.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the region’s producers focusing on Cabernet:

Anakota

If Verité is Pierre Seillan’s homage to Bordeaux, then Anakota is his nod to the Grand Crus of Burgundy. Cabernet Sauvignon is expressed through two different vineyard bottlings: Helena Montana and Helena Dakota.

Knights Valley is one of the warmest appellations in Sonoma and is known for Bordeaux varieties. Cool breezes from the ocean temper the heat but the Mayacamas mountain range block the fog intrusion or marine layer that blankets other areas.

Contrary to the common belief that a climate gets warmer the further south you go, the opposite is true in Sonoma. South leads to the cooling winds through Petaluma Gap and the San Francisco Bay. But venture north, and vineyards, landlocked by the mountain ranges, see more heat.

For Anakota, it’s a tale of two terroirs: the Montana Vineyard, at about 24 hectares, is predominately sandstone and volcanic ash, while the Dakota Vineyard, a mere 4.8 hectares, attributes the red hue of its soils to the high iron content. Both vineyards were planted in 1997.

Harvest usually wraps up by the second week in September. ‘It could be a long growing season if our goal were to force maximum ripeness in the fruit,’ says Trey Christy, marketing brand manager. ‘But Pierre’s always looking for that balance, that tension in the wines. He wants the natural acidities, he wants the firm tannins, and the fruit in the wine to balance that, not outpace it.’

Hamel Family Wines

Half of a hectare of Cabernet Sauvignon on the Kenwood property purchased by the Hamels in 2006 led to their winemaking odyssey.

Cabernet comes exclusively from two sites. Nuns Canyon Vineyard resides at 366 to 488 meters on the western slopes of the Mayacamas, while Hamel Family Ranch sits at a lower elevation. Both contain volcanic soils dating back three to five million years, with some variations at each site, but the soils overall provide great drainage and are rich in iron.

Hamel Family farms biodynamically and implements dry farming. Typically, the estate sees 700mm of rain from November through April, then drought conditions in the growing season. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon is well-suited to Sonoma because it is a drought tolerant cultivar that can stay balanced in a warm and dry environment and make elegant wines in those conditions,’ says John Hamel II, director of winegrowing.

When it comes to Cabernet’s future, Hamel sees potential in the eastern part of the county and around the Mayacamas. ‘Sonoma’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean to the west and the bay on the southern end allows for a moderation of the heat accumulation and provides excellent diurnal shifts throughout the growing season,’ Hamel says. ‘With conditions becoming more erratic with climate change, and in general warmer and drier patterns compared with historical averages, the proximity to the coast will hopefully continue to be an asset for moderating heat peaks and providing refreshing humidity.’

Skipstone

Skipstone sits on 81 hectares, 11 of those under vine, in the proposed Pocket Peak appellation in Alexander Valley. Originally planted in 1993, grapes were sold to other wineries before entrepreneur Fahri Diner bought the estate in 2001. The first Skipstone vintage was bottled in 2005.

Philippe Melka has served as consulting winemaker since 2006, and in 2022, Laura Jones, who previously worked at Aubert, Cliff Lede, and Domaine Armand Rousseau, among others, joined as head winemaker.

Part of the terraced vineyard sits on a 50% gradient slope, a level of steepness that can’t be planted today, according to Sonoma County of Agriculture rules. Due to their placement, the backside of the vine sees more morning sun. ‘We love the exposure, and the shallow soils on the hillsides really make the vines work and help concentrate the fruit,’ says Jones. Sophia’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, a barrel-select wine, comes from blocks of old vines on this portion of the property.

The lower portion of the slope called the Faultline Vineyard, is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Between 2003 – 2009, about half the vineyard was replanted with clones and rootstocks better suited for the site.

Certified organic in 2008, Skipstone received its sustainable certification in 2018 while simultaneously began implementing biodynamic practices.

Skipstone Vineyard in the fog. Credit: Skipstone

Stonestreet Estate Vineyards

‘I think people who truly understand Sonoma County world-class expression, Bordeaux varieties, understand that in many cases, time is your ally,’ says second-generation proprietor of Stonestreet Estate Vineyards Chris Jackson. Thus, the foundation for the ambitious program to hold back the release date of wines by ten years.

The native flora and fauna give the wines a distinct herbaceous character, which unfurls over time, according to Stonestreet’s winemaker Kristina Shideler.

‘I think part of the ageing of the Cabernets, in particular, is how they start to reveal, aromatically, parts of the mountain,’ she says. The Rockfall Vineyard, for example, reveals notes of violets, Shideler describes, along with blue fruits and aromas of tea.

Fruit comes from mountain vineyards within Alexander Valley, which sits as high as 731.5 meters above sea level. At this elevation, a marine inversion layer means vineyards are generally warmer at night than the valley floor. At the same time, exposure to the sun creates thicker skins with a higher tannin content. This is steep, rocky terrain battered by coastal winds.

The specific characteristics of the terroir spurred winemakers from Aperture Cellars, Foley Family Wines, Stonestreet Estate, and others to petition for a new AVA called Pocket Peak, further solidifying Cabernet’s place in the Sonoma grape canon.

Verité

Founded by Jess Jackson of Jackson Family Wines and French vigneron Pierre Seillan, the focus has always been on Bordeaux blends as expressed through three cuvées: La Joie, Le Desir, and Le Muse.

Now at the helm of the next generation – Chris Jackson and Helene Seillan, who is slowly taking over from her father – the estate continues to follow the philosophy set by the previous generation of creativity and freedom of expression.

Fruit comes from four sub-appellations in Sonoma County—Alexander Valley, Knights Valley, Chalk Hill, and Bennett Valley—sourced across approximately 50 lots. Within these sites, they farm by what they call the ‘micro cru’ concept.

‘There are blocks that are literally divided into two or three sections, where the row goes all the way down, but we actually stop halfway,’ says Seillan of their harvesting techniques.

Seillan compares the vinification of each cru to raising a child just to be themselves, allowing each’s unique qualities to stand on their own. Lots are then blended, and the ratio changes every vintage in order to create their signature wines. ‘What’s so amazing is we don’t have any limits,’ says Seillan. ‘It’s a very Old World way of making wine and of viticulture. But at the same time, we have so much liberty to create.’

Verité’s Alexander Valley Vineyards. Credit: Jackson Family Wines

Waterhorse Ridge Vineyard

Fort Ross-Seaview AVA on the Sonoma Coast is primarily Pinot Noir country. Still, Waterhorse Ridge Vineyard boasts 0.8 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and serves as the source of fruit for Enfield Wine Co. and Unturned Stone. Sitting at 518 meters in elevation, the vineyard was planted in the late 1990s and, to this day, is farmed organically. It’s somewhat of an outlier geographically, but vintners say stylistically, it aligns with the markers of great Cabernet.

‘The high-elevation, coastal climate produces Cabernet that has the fullness of colour, flavour, and mouthfeel at a moderate level of ripeness,’ says Erin Mitchell at Unturned Stone. ‘Grown here, it can show off the powerful fruit that California Cabernet is known for, along with bright acidity and a herbal character similar to what you might find in a classic Bordeaux wine.’

Is this the future of Sonoma Cabernet? John Enfield believes interest in cool sites like this is on the upswing. ‘As the climate continues to warm, medium to cooler climate sites that were previously considered marginal for Cabernet will begin to thrive,’ he says. ‘A broader range of styles, both in winemaking and vineyard sites, and a meaningful uptick in quality as some of these sites will become more celebrated.’

12 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon wines worth seeking out

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Gaither officially joins our US team of writers; she has contributed significantly to Decanter over the past few months including our April and May issues. An enormous fan of Champagne and sparkling wine, Gaither initially fell in love with wine through Pinot Noir, and Sonoma is undoubtedly known for making some of the country’s best.

She has been an assistant digital editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine and a researcher working with Karen MacNeil on her well-known book, The Wine Bible.

Gaither’s experience with the wines of California and proximity, living nearby in Napa, means that Decanter will have someone well-placed to cover and visit the region. She will also play a significant role in Decanter’s ability to increase its Sonoma coverage, including compiling an annual vintage report from one of America’s most critical fine wine regions.

‘Pinot Noir is the grape that got me into wine, so it seems apt that I’ll delve into an American region for which it is known. This is such an incredible privilege and one that I will treat with the utmost gravitas. I can’t wait to get started,’ said Gaither.

Outside of tasting and reporting on wine, Gaither is working on re-learning the cello. She enjoys spending her time travelling, enjoys fine dining and is seriously considering learning how to pilot a plane.

Sign up to the new Decanter US newsletter here

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Today, working alongside Seillan, second-generation Chris Jackson and assistant winemaker Hélène Seillan (daughter of Pierre) continue the vision of the estate, and the new winery is part of the evolution.

Like the wines, design elements pull from both France and the surrounding natural area. Nicolas Seillan (son of Pierre and brother of Hélène) is credited as the architectural creative for the project. He counts the Abbaye de Moissac in southern France as inspiration, particularly its concept of symmetry and use of cloisters.

‘This [winery] feels like it’s been here a lot longer than it has, and I think a hundred years from now, it’s going to look and feel very much the same way,’ said Jackson. The aim is to make Vérité a multi-generational wine brand. ‘Creating something that’s an architectural destination that can withstand the test of time, with that type of iconicism and that type of timelessness to it, is important.’

Design elements of the winery aim for both warmth and elegance. The stonework of both the building’s exterior as well as interior flooring is a design nod to the mineral qualities of Chalk Hill soils. At the same, the wooden beams used in the foyer’s ceiling are an ode to the surrounding forests.

The chai, the centrepiece of the winery, indeed feels like the courtyard of a European abbey – albeit enclosed – with balconies encircling the upper level. Barrels were just installed at the end of March, the final piece of the project.

Nearby, three separate cellars will store future vintages of Vérité’s signature cuvées: La Joie, Le Désir and La Muse. ‘We open and taste library wines quite often so we can advise our collectors how different vintages are evolving and showing in the current moment,’ said Hélène Seillan.

‘Library wines are an important part of our hospitality programme and our collector programme, so having a full library onsite and visually showcasing it is really important. We have a long-term vision for Vérité, so when the next generation is here making the Vérité wines, we’ll have a space to showcase and enjoy vintages going back to the beginning,’ Seillan added.

With the new building, Vérité increased its capacity for hosting guests with several tasting parlours on both the upper and lower levels. Large windows on the ground floor look out into the vineyards while infusing the front room tasting spaces with natural light. Further back, a large table on the mezzanine level overlooks the chai.

Downstairs spaces, designed to host collector events, include a dining area that can seat up to 18 guests as well as a nook intended for smaller parties.

The new building contains a large kitchen and Vérité is able to offer a culinary component to its tastings, something the winery couldn’t do before. Options range from small bites served with a flight of the current vintage to a three-course wine-and-food pairing option. The team plans to host more dinner and large-scale events as well.

Along with growing their hospitality programme, the expanded space means Jackson and the Seillans can experiment with new wines. Currently, three stainless steel eggs sit in the back of the barrel room, each containing a single variety from a single cru. Jackson and the Seillans plan to release these wines through their direct-to-consumer channel in Spring 2024 and if successful, may grow the portfolio of these mono-varietal, vineyard bottlings in the future.

Jackson wants the physical space to reflect their winemaking philosophies; timeless is an oft-used expression when speaking about the brand.

‘Everything we do in wine is thought of with decades of consideration as to where it’s going to be [20, 30, 50 years from now]. It’s more forward-thinking and multi-generational thinking, in the Old World sense,’ he said.

However, he wants the ideas of ingenuity and creativity – two markers often associated with New World winemaking – to also be expressed. ‘Vérité is also very American in the sense that, in France, we would never see apex micro crus blended together,’ he continues. ‘They’re all separate. But in Sonoma County, that’s exactly what we’re doing, by blending top sites from throughout Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley and beyond. So it’s got that creativity of expression and liberty of expression at the heart of it.’

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While much of California’s Sonoma County is warm all year round, the maritime climate of its coastal wine-growing regions is a viticultural sweet spot, combining cool, even temperatures, cold winds and fog. A Pacific marine layer cools down those appellations closest to the coast each morning, lingering in some places before burning off in the midday sun. Cold ocean air funnels its way inland from the coast through corridors, resulting in high winds that affect grape-growing conditions.

Scroll down to see a selection of Sonoma County’s top cool-climate wines

The AVAs (American Viticultural Areas) acknowledged as the most heavily influenced by coastal conditions are West Sonoma Coast, Petaluma Gap and – moving inland a little – the Green Valley of Russian River Valley. While they are by no means the only regions in Sonoma County where cool-weather vineyard sites can be found, they are the AVAs that focus almost exclusively on the cool-climate, Burgundian varieties of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Beyond temperatures

Other than a cool climate, there are other factors that impact grape ripening in Sonoma County. The first thing to note is that ‘cool’ does not just mean temperature. While it certainly plays a starring role, you can’t base ripeness solely on heat or degree-day accumulation. Geological and topographical factors, as well as slope aspect, can significantly impact ripeness, while elements such as sunlight and wind are essential to the fruit’s maturation. ‘Wind, in particular, has a few noteworthy effects,’ says Brian Maloney of DeLoach Vineyards in Russian River Valley. ‘At high enough wind speeds, photosynthesis shuts down so the vine can conserve water and avoid dehydration. Wind can also delay a shift in flavours from vegetal to ripe and seems to induce a longer growth cycle.’

Maloney says aspect, exposure and air drainage are also interrelated and just as important as temperature in terms of wine quality. The Sebastopol Hills is the coolest sub-region of the Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA, in which DeLoach has two vineyards: Pennacchio and Maboroshi. Maloney says they demonstrate the importance of these factors clearly.

‘The vineyards are close to each other. But there’s a small creek by the Maboroshi Vineyard in a low spot along a ridgeline which acts as a natural spillway for the cold, damp air making its way inland from the Pacific through the Petaluma Gap.’ This ‘small but significant difference’ in aspect and exposure results, he says, in the Maboroshi Vineyard fruit needing more time on the vine than Pennacchio. ‘This gives rise to a more aromatic and lush flavour profile due to the additional environmental stressors and longer maturation period. In essence, these other factors act like the treble and bass to the overall volume, which is temperature. They can accentuate or compensate for too much or too little heat and provide the nuances that contribute to the distinctive differences between wines grown in sites with similar temperature conditions.’

West Sonoma Coast

Home to about 30 wineries and 50 vineyards, the West Sonoma Coast AVA – with its three sub-regions of Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, Annapolis and Freestone-Occidental – is defined by its proximity to the Pacific ocean and cooler marine-coastal climate and growing conditions.

Its picturesque coastal ridge vineyards, perched atop the Andreas fault line, have widely varying elevations, from 122m to 549m, with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah the main grapes planted. Protected sites at higher altitudes, like Fort Ross, enjoy more direct sunlight and less wind. Those closer to the gusty Pacific, such as Annapolis and Gualala, are colder and see more fog. Diurnal temperatures are more extreme in West Sonoma Coast than further inland, ensuring slower, longer and more consistent ripening, and resulting in grapes that reach phenolic ripeness at lower sugar levels. In general, wines have brighter acidity, more moderate alcohol levels and purer flavours than those from warmer sites further inland.

Notable sites Peay Vineyards’ plots in Annapolis, Walala Vineyard in Gualala, Dutton Ranch’s Freestone Hill Vineyard in the far southeast, and the BA Thieriot Vineyard and Littorai’s The Haven, both in Occidental.

West Sonoma wines to seek out:

Fort Ross, Estate Chardonnay, West Sonoma Coast 2020

Three Sticks, Walala Vineyard Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast 2020

Peay Vineyards, Scallop Shelf Estate Pinot Noir, West Sonoma Coast 2019

Fort Ross, Bicentennial Pinot Noir, Fort-Ross Seaview, West Sonoma Coast 2018

Petaluma Gap

The Petaluma Gap AVA covers 80,937ha, but only about 1,821ha is under vine. The appellation is partially within the Sonoma Coast AVA and encompassed by the larger North Coast AVA. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the key varieties, with Pinot Noir accounting for 75% of plantings.

Whereas surrounding areas are protected from Pacific breezes and fog by the 30km stretch of rolling hills that run from Bodega Bay in the north to Tomales Bay in the south, a gap in this coastal range means vineyards here get the full force of these cool, windy conditions. Additionally, the elevation of this coastal range never goes much above 240m, setting it apart from the region’s more mountainous areas.

‘The wind that blows off the Pacific and rattles the Gap every afternoon is critically important to the terroir and essence of Gap wines,’ says winemaker Kerith Overstreet of Bruliam Wines. ‘First, the wind keeps the grapes cool, so Petaluma Gap grapes maintain their acidity. At the same time, Gap wines get plenty of warmth from afternoon sunshine.’

This combination of greater wind exposure and sunshine helps thicken the grape skins. Petaluma Gap Pinot Noirs tend to be more robust, fuller-bodied and slightly higher in alcohol than those from cooler West Sonoma Coast and Green Valley. Notable sites Gap’s Crown, Chileno Valley, Azaya Ranch and Sangiacomo Roberts Road Vineyard.

Picks of Petaluma Gap

Dutton Goldfield, Chileno Valley Riesling, Petaluma Gap 2019

Gary Farrell, Terrade Promissio Vineyard Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap 2018

Keller Estate, La Cruz Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap 2018

Bruliam, Sangiacamo Vineyards Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap 2018

Green Valley of Russian River Valley

Approved as an AVA in 1983, Green Valley is in the southwest of the Russian River Valley AVA. Though one of the smaller AVAs in Sonoma, there are more than 100 growers and 1,457ha under vine.

Green Valley is defined by its access to the cool coastal air and fog that travel north from the coast through the Petaluma Gap, as well as its high concentration of Goldridge soils. The region enjoys long, cool mornings as the first place in the Russian River Valley to get the morning fog and the last place where it burns off.

Vineyards here get plenty of sunlight but less direct sun, as well as fewer temperature extremes than surrounding regions. Consequently, grapes enjoy a longer, slower ripening period. The cooler average temperatures (between 11°C and 30°C in peak growing season) mean fruit retains plenty of acidity and produces wines with lower alcohol levels. Pinot Noirs are generally bright and aromatic, with lifted floral notes and plenty of red fruit. Notable sites Heintz Vineyard, Hallberg Vineyard, Maboroshi Vineyard, and the estate vineyards of DuMOL and Freeman.

Star wines of Green Valley

Williams Selyem, Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay, Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2019

DuMOL, Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2020

Gary Farrell, Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir, Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2018

DeLoach Vineyards, Maboroshi Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sebastopol Hills, Russian River Valley 2019

Brooke Herron’s pick of cool-climate Sonoma County wines

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It’s no exaggeration to say that in 2022, the majority of wines I sampled – and many that I drank and enjoyed – were Napa Cabernets.

Looking back over my notes during the months compiling the 2019 Napa Cabernet vintage report, I spent valuable time tasting with several of Napa’s top winemaking talents.

I spent time with Jean Hoefliger, Nigel Kinsman, Thomas Rivers Brown, Atelier Melka’s Maayan Koschitzky, consultant winemaker Julien Fayard, Harlan’s Cory Empting and Bob Levy, just to name a few.

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for Jonathan’s top fine wines of 2022

My top wines from that report are out in the world.

In February, I sampled Kosta Browne’s groundbreaking Burgundy project and wrote an exclusive for Decanter.

In March, I wound up at Beaulieu Vineyard thanks to Gary Rieschel, whose Auction Napa Valley winning bid unlocked the doors to a weekend of drinking—not sampling—Georges de Latour Cabernet bottles dating back to 1967.

In May, vintner Tor Kenward of TOR treated a small gathering at Wheeler Farms in Saint Helena to wines from his cellar: a 1945 Beringer Red that, topped up in 1993, tasted of dark fruit, tobacco, walnuts, raisins and was salty and briny and quite alive! A 1974 Heitz Napa Valley was remarkable, and Tor claimed it was a Martha’s Vineyard bottling, but ‘they ran out of labels,’ he said. It was all cured meat, tobacco, black olive, and liquorice.

Beyond Napa

So many of these tastings and bottles should qualify as my year’s top wines. But I’ve focused on my favourite producers, most consumed at home in Novato in the San Francisco Bay Area, mere miles from the Sonoma County border.

I love Sonoma wines. I can’t get enough of Benovia, Three Sticks, Merry Edwards, and Convene (Dan Kosta’s new project). My adoration for California wine extends south into Santa Barbara, the Santa Ynez Valley, and Sta. Rita Hills.

I drained many bottles of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah from Dragonette Cellars and Liquid Farm—pleading at times for bottles of Liquid Farm’s Champagne—a collaboration with Pertois-Moriset in Le Mesnil-sur-Ogier.

But my standout wine of the year was a 2012 Matthiasson Napa Valley Red enjoyed at a home in St. Helena. While the winery’s Claret-like, elegant, age-worthy reds show restraint in their youth, winemaker Steve Matthiasson’s focus on early picks and higher natural acidities means the wines age beautifully. At ten years of age, this 2012 is finally moving from restraint to a veritable fireworks show.

Finding focus

Above all, 2022 was a year to recalibrate and find focus in wine writing. I would be remiss not to express my gratitude to the talented editorial team at Decanter for all their support and honouring me with the responsibility of becoming Decanter’s Napa correspondent.

From what I’ve seen and tasted living in the San Francisco Bay Area these past seven years, Napa’s light – and the light from around California’s wine regions – is burning brighter by the hour. The early power brokers who have shaped it are now fine-tuning it. Its aura is a seductive siren calling for a battery of new onlookers, chroniclers, vintners, and hospitality mavens, all looking for a piece of the action – some for better, some for worse.

Whatever the near future holds, that California light is shining bright. I carried it with me on a recent visit to the east coast to see Chris Bischoff, an old New York City friend who has planted vines on a steep hillside in New York State’s Upper Hudson Valley.

From his cabin in Cambridge, New York, peering out a bay window, we could see the vines he’d planted five years earlier and vast swaths of rolling hills beyond them. I brought a bottle of Jesse Katz’s 2018 Devil Proof Malbec from the Alexander Valley – talk about rays of light.

We talked for hours about this doppelgänger of a wine and its effusive neon beams of structure. It seemed to morph minute by minute in the glass as Bischoff, and I tracked the setting sun over shapely hills, themselves changing colours, their shapes shifting as nightfall draped each snow-covered hilly crest in new angles and forms.

As Katz is fond of saying, ‘Live well, drink well, and the devil can’t get ya.’

Jonathan’s top wines of 2022

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The Colorado native was 21 years old when he realised he knew what he wanted to do with his life. But his love for vineyards and the world of wine started much earlier.

As a child, Jesse had the unique privilege of travelling with his father, professional photographer Andy Katz. Including visits to the world’s most renowned wine regions–from Napa and Sonoma to Burgundy and Tuscany.

Watching his father work with famed winemakers and wine publication editors, and visiting some of the world’s most beautiful vineyards and estates left its mark on Jesse. He saw early on that working in the world of wine was a pretty great gig.

Scroll down to see Brooke Herron’s tasting notes and scores for seven Jesse Katz wines

Today, the winemaker presides over his winery, Aperture Cellars, and a second label, Devil Proof Vineyards. He’s also a partner and the winemaker for The Setting; his newest venture is a joint project with partners and a winemaker to the stars, thanks to a debut project early in his career making wine for friends Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake’s wedding.

Unique beginnings

Raised in Boulder, Colorado, Jesse Katz moved to California at 18 to attend business school in Santa Barbara.

After taking a part-time job at a local winery, he felt the calling to build a life in wine and transferred to Fresno State, where he spent two-and-a-half years in a winemaking programme. He graduated in 2007 with a B.S. in Enology and Viticulture and a minor in Chemistry.

He then began travelling back and forth between Argentina and California, garnering experience in different cellars and hemispheres. This experience enabled him to land an enviable place on the winemaking team at Screaming Eagle in 2009.

Then it was a winemaking role at Lancaster Estate in the Alexander Valley, where he was the youngest to hold the title of head winemaker.

Having started his brands, Aperture and later Devil Proof, while working at Lancaster Estate, Jesse always wanted to build a winery of his own.

Then and now

In comparing what he did in the past versus today, Jesse says the main difference is his winemaking practices. He has free reign to do what he wants in the vineyards and winery. He also uses more site-specific techniques versus having a standard protocol.

Asked to elaborate, Jesse explains that ‘many wineries, for better or worse, treat everything the same in the cellar. ‘There’s a recipe or procedure that you follow.

‘For myself and my winemaking team, we will craft a winemaking technique based on a specific site. So, for instance, our Devil Proof Rockpile Ridge Malbec comes from the Rockpile Ridge AVA. It has a pronounced profile of volcanic rocks.

‘The fruit we get from this site is incredibly intense. It would be easy to over-extract and make a powerful wine from this site, but it’s more difficult to make a wine with richness and elegance.

‘So what we do is we go through the sorting process, but instead of putting the wine into normal fermentation vessels, we get these larger puncheon barrels. We pop the heads off, and berry sort right into the barrel. We do light punch downs for lighter extraction, barrel by barrel.

‘It’s a labour-intensive way of doing things, but it helps soften the tannins. This is just one of many examples of how we make site-focused wine making decisions.’

Tools of a modern winemaker

Winemakers have access to more and superior technology, information and equipment than was available just a decade ago.

Asked whether this has changed how he makes wine, Jesse says, ‘Yes, the best wines we’ve ever seen we’re making right now. Because we’re working with better fruit and the technology we have in the winery helps us make better wines.

‘First, it all starts in the vineyard. We have a much better understanding of water stress, cover crop, canopy load, crop management, and all that good stuff now than we did 15 years ago.

Secondly, the more advanced technology and equipment we’re now able to use helps us to get at the core of that fruit and eliminate extremes on either side.

An example is in California, where we are worried about heat spikes, which inevitably lead to some grapes being overexposed and dehydration, resulting in rising brix during maceration.

‘If we can eliminate the dehydrated grapes through optical sorting, we’re looking at less brix soaking up during maceration than we’d get without the optical sorter.

On the other side of things, if we’re working with fruit that’s not quite as ripe or has green berries or shot berries, we’re also able to eliminate those and get to the core of the fruit, leaving us with better, more uniformly ripe fruit.

It results in a less altered wine because we’re eliminating these variables before fermentation rather than having to correct them later. In essence, technology allows us to work with a better and less altered finished product.’

A rising star

On the topic of recognition and fame so early in his career, Jesse shares the most significant tipping point – making a special wine for Justin Timberlake to serve at his and Jessica Biel’s wedding in 2012, which happened entirely organically.

‘I went to school and was friends with Jessica’s younger brother, so I knew her and Justin by that time. When Justin proposed to Jess, he called me up and said we’d love to serve your wines at our wedding, and I had this idea to do two barrels of wine and do a custom bottle, label, name-custom everything.

‘We called it Blue Ocean Floor from one of the songs on Justin’s album at the time, which he had written about Jess, and we used a painting one of his friends had done based on the song and used that for the label. So this was something I did as an exciting project with and for friends, but then the PR that followed was huge, which I didn’t expect at the time.’

In the two years that followed, Jesse garnered more national recognition. He made lists in major publications in 2013 and 2014. He was approached to make wine for celebrities and earned the title of head winemaker at Lancaster Estate.

In the years since, Katz has continued to work on projects with several professional athletes and celebrities such as Tony Hawk, Ellen Degeneres, and The Lakers. In November of 2021, one of the winemaker’s bottles (a six-litre of The Setting Glass Slipper Cabernet) sold for a record-breaking $1 million at an Emeril Lagasse benefit auction event.

Asked whether the notoriety/visibility has ever felt like too much, the winemaker confidently states that he wouldn’t change anything up to this point. ‘The projects I’ve done over the past ten years have given me a lot of visibility and the ability to fund my winery myself and support some great causes. I’m thankful that I’m now at a point in my career where I can say yes and no to projects, and I’ve got my winery built, and it’s in a good place.’

The family connection

When asked about his father’s involvement in the business, Jesse says, ‘My father is our biggest fan and loves the wines. He also has an incredible eye and vision. He had some amazing ideas for some of the winery and hospitality space’s aesthetics and design. Anytime we create a new wine, for instance, we’re intentional in picking out the photo that will be on the label of that wine.

‘So every time a new wine comes out, my father is involved with selecting a photo from his collection for its label. Usually, it involves a few cases of wine and probably 30 or 40 photos that we go through before we come down to the final one, and then we’ll create a label around that.’

What lies ahead

Starting at 220 cases in its first vintage and using purchased fruit, Aperture Cellars is now a full-fledged state-of-the-art winery with a hospitality space and 140 acres (57ha) of estate vineyards.

While proud of his accomplishments thus far, Jesse clarifies that this is not the ceiling. ‘I want to continue establishing Aperture as one of the great Bordeaux houses in the world, and I truly think we can do that with the team I have behind me.’

See Brooke Herron’s tasting notes and scores for seven Jesse Katz wines

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Not long ago the cheese and charcuterie board was considered the gold standard for a high-end wine tasting experience. Today, wineries in California’s Napa and Sonoma Counties are bringing wine and food pairings to a new level, offering multi-course tasting menus in private settings embellished with fine linens, stemware and bespoke service to showcase premium cuvée wines at their best.

All 10 experiences recommended here feature food and wine but no two are the same, differing in everything from the style to the setting. What they do have in common (aside from being a marvellous way to enjoy wine country) is an emphasis on the wine, first and foremost, and using carefully prepared food to enhance it.

‘You can get cheese and charcuterie anywhere in wine country,’ says Hamel Family Wines executive chef Clinton Huntsman. ‘It’s not special any more. It is much more meaningful to show guests our wines with an experience that has a true dinner-party feel.’

Hamel Family Wines

15401 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, CA 95476

Reserve Experience

Set aside two hours for this visit, which begins with a splash of Hamel’s Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and a garden-inspired amuse bouche (think herb and preserved lemon parmesan crisp with ricotta, topped with English pea purée) followed by a private tour of the vineyard, winery and cellar (including barrel tastings). Winery chef Clinton Huntsman’s four courses play to the season’s strengths, with dishes such as a poached egg with green garlic cream, porcini, sunflower and fried onion, or a decadent bacon-wrapped rabbit loin with lentil and watercress. The setting is an opulent, but not stuffy, private winery library overlooking the grounds, so you’ll feel like the lord and lady of the manor. Available daily, $150 (£123) per person.

Gloria Ferrer

23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476

Taste on the Terrace

Sparkling wines dominate Ferrer’s more casual five-course experience, but also expect to see a Pinot Noir or two. You’ll be seated on the winery’s sunny terrace and looked after by a wine educator (who also tends to other private groups enjoying the patio) for this 90-minute experience. The five courses are broken down into a main starter (we had prawns stewed with ouzo, tomatoes, fennel and feta) paired with the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blancs, followed by a plate featuring three unique bites to pair with three additional sparklings. The finale features a demi-sec and dessert fizz. Executive chef Raymond Schafer tailors his changing menu to the seasonality of ingredients and encourages the mixing and matching of bites and bubblies. If not on the pairings list, be sure to seek out a taste of Ferrer’s delicious Carneros Cuvée bottlings. Available Thursday-Sunday, $95 (£78) per person (maximum six guests).

Joseph Phelps

200 Taplin Road, St Helena, CA 94574

Bountiful Table

This communal experience lasts almost three hours and features seven courses paired with the wide-ranging offerings in Phelps’ portfolio of wines with selections from the far Sonoma Coast to Napa Valley. Joseph Phelps was as much gourmand as winemaker, and this menu reflects that. It is an intimate experience (no more than 12 guests) hosted in a private dining room that boasts sweeping vineyard views. You’ll kick things off with canapés outside on the patio and then progress to the lavishly set table for your first course (think Kaluga caviar with corn pudding, parsley emulsion and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc). A parade of dishes and fine wines follows – branzino, Thai curry, dry-aged strip loin – narrated by your tasting guide who will elaborate on the wines, the pairing and the winery history. Available Wednesday-Sunday, $300 (£247) per person.

Ram’s Gate

28700 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, CA 95476

Seasonal Wine & Food Experience

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the stars here, but you’ll also see Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc during your two-hour, four-course culinary journey. It begins in the courtyard with a welcome glass of wine followed by a private tour that highlights the farming techniques and winemaking philosophy of Ram’s Gate. Executive chef Ruby Oliveros dishes up artisanal pairings such as the Estate Chardonnay with oyster and wakame in burnt miso consommé with smoked trout roe and crispy rice pearls. Available Thursday-Monday, $160 (£132) per person (max. six guests per party).

Opus One

7900 St Helena Highway, Oakville, CA 94562

The Art of the Table

Michelin-star sensibilities join a gastronomically focused wine tasting here. After enjoying canapés and 2010 vintage fizz from sister company Champagne Barons de Rothschild on the winery’s rooftop overlook, you are taken on a tour that ends at the winery’s swanky new tasting spaces overlooking the vineyards. Tables are artfully appointed with Frette linens, Baccarat crystal and Zalto stemware – even the floor, made from Jurassic limestone, has panache. The meal is a four-course ballet featuring library wines from Opus One and a selection of French wines from the Baron Philippe de Rothschild portfolio. Expect dishes such as a Dungeness crab salad over an avocado mousse with blood orange, or game bird crépinette with black trumpet mushroom and Jerusalem artichoke puree. The service, like the wine, is impeccable, and chef Sara Scott’s cuisine expresses the season with a pitch-perfect balance of acid and salt on the palate. Available on request, $750 (£616) per person.

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

5766 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558

The Cellarius Kitchen Experience

Wine, storytelling and cuisine come together in this extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon-focused experience. The setting is in a private glass-walled dining room that looks out into the gardens, and the kitchen has a theatrical feel, separated from the guests by two oversized glass doors that open into the dining room. Settle into your plushly padded seat for chef Travis Westrope’s dazzling two-and-a-half-hour tasting menu paired with Stag’s Leap wines. Westrope, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the winery (ask about the Foucault’s pendulum) invites questions and discussion from his guests. Stepping into the kitchen is encouraged; take pictures of the preparation and truly enter into the culinary experience. Pairings are inspired, such as a rosehip tea-steamed Loch Duart salmon with ocean microgreens and shiso alongside a Fay Cabernet Sauvignon. Available Saturdays and Sundays, $245 (£201) per person.

Round Pond Estate

875 Rutherford Road, Rutherford, CA 94573

Il Pranzo

Round Pond’s executive chef Fernando Arias has access to ample seasonal fodder for his four-course tasting menu by working almost exclusively with the winery’s 1.2ha of gardens. The pairing journey begins in the winery garden, where you can get up close and personal with the very produce you are about to enjoy. After the garden tour, you can opt for a private table on the terrace (which boasts 360° vineyard views) or in the dining room. Expect the unexpected, as Arias relishes the unorthodox, such as his Lyonnaise salad that showcases farm eggs poached in a sauce of brown butter and farm olive oil, paired with Round Pond’s bold Proprietary Left Bank red. Says Arias: ‘With the gardens and the wines we have, I feel invincible!’ Available Thursday- Sunday, $225 (£185) per person (max. six guests).

Hess-Persson

4411 Redwood Road, Napa, CA 94558

Wine & Chocolate Experience

Chocolate and wine lovers should book this two-hour interactive experience with Hess-Persson winery’s in-house chocolatier Jason Collins. You’ll explore flavours as you create your own chocolate bar. Afterwards, take a seat and discover how to pair wine and chocolate with a tasting featuring truffles created by Collins. Available Friday- Monday (not every month – check website), $160 (£132) per person.

Darioush

4240 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558

By Invitation Only

The winery’s imposing column-lined entrance sets a regal tone for this shared tasting experience. It begins with a sumptuous start in the winery library (clad with a draped velvet ceiling), where you’ll enjoy a glass of the Darioush Sauvignon Blanc. A short tour, led by your winery host, leads the way to owner Darioush Khaledi’s private underground cellar where the chef waits, presenting a table bedecked with four dishes. All of the courses and wines are offered at once to allow guests to experiment with the pairings. Umami is central to this tasting, for the wines and cuisine alike. Local mushrooms with parmesan foam or a mesquite-grilled ribeye are paired with a selection of Darioush’s Cabernet-focused wines, including its exclusive Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon, usually only available on allocation. Available Wednesday- Sunday, $150 (£123) per person.

Lynmar Estate

3909 Frei Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472

Collectors Lunch Pairing

Quiet little Lynmar Estate is a jewel-box setting nestled in one of the most vibrant vineyard and winery gardens in Sonoma. Take your seat at a private table overlooking the buzzing botanical splendour and let a host guide you through an elevated four-course lunch prepared by estate chef David Frakes. Frakes does a marvellous job of bringing Lynmar’s dainty but powerful Pinot Noir wines into focus with pairings such as grilled lamb with Israeli couscous, rose harissa labneh and braised torpedo onions. Most of the menu features wine and food grown on the estate. Available Thursday-Sunday, $200 (£164) per person (max. six guests).

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AXA Millésimes has expanded its footprint in California by purchasing Platt Vineyard on the western reaches of Sonoma Coast for an undisclosed sum.

The French insurance giant’s wine division made its first foray into the Golden State when it bought Napa Valley winery Outpost back in 2018. Managing director Christian Seely has been on the hunt for a vineyard of similar quality to produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay ever since.

AXA Millésimes jumped at the opportunity to snap up the 111-hectare Platt Vineyard, which is located eight miles from the Pacific Ocean on California’s Sonoma Coast.

Seely said: ‘Our attention was drawn to the exceptional quality of the terroir of Platt vineyard by Thomas Rivers Brown, who is our consultant winemaker at Outpost Vineyard. He has been making outstanding Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays at Rivers-Marie from grapes he has been buying from Platt for several years.

‘After tasting these wines, and after several visits to Platt, we were convinced that this was the site we had been looking for.’

AXA Millésimes, which owns Château Pichon Baron, the prestigious Pauillac Grand Cru Classé estate, had identified Outpost Winery in Napa as another location ideal for producing Cabernet.

The team has followed the same logic with its purchase of Platt Vineyard. It owns Domaine de l’Arlot in Burgundy – which has Premier Cru sites in Nuits St Georges and Vosne Romanée, and Grand Cru sites in Romanée St Vivant. It believes Platt Vineyard offers ‘similarly exceptional terroir for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay’.

Russian River Partners, a vineyard investment fund managed by Eric Flanagan of Flanagan Wines in Healdsburg, has owned Platt Vineyard since 2015. It has invested in developing the vineyard over the past seven years and it currently sells grapes to leading producers in the region. Just 15ha is currently planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but there are permits in place for a further 4.5ha.

‘This part of Freestone is slowly becoming the greatest area for Pinot on the Sonoma Coast,’ said Seely. ‘We believe that the potential for making great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines here is immense.’

While Napa Valley, home to some of the most famous names in California, has long enjoyed a reputation for stellar wine experiences, Sonoma Valley is finally getting a share of the spotlight it deserves.

With both regions located less than two hours’ drive north of San Francisco (97km), wine lovers are spoilt for choice when it comes to picturesque vineyard views, five-star dining options and unforgettable wine activities.

Generally, Napa Valley is seen as offering more of a luxurious getaway, with some spectacular, well-established wineries as well as high-end hotels (120) and restaurants (150), while Sonoma Valley is more laid back and rustic, with smaller, family-run estates and casual tastings led by younger winemakers.

Getting around:

Napa

There are two main roads that cut through the Napa Valley floor, running north to south. The less-travelled Silverado Trail is on the east side and Highway 29 is on the west side. Highway 29 is the most frequented road connecting the city of Napa and Calistoga (through Yountville and St Helena) and where the most renowned wineries are located. On either side of the highway you’ll see an array of wine-tasting venues, shops, restaurants, delicatessens and seemingly never-ending vineyards. You’ll also be flanked by rolling hills at the base of the Vaca Range, which forms the valley’s eastern boundary, shielding vines from the heat of the Central Valley. The Mayacamas Range on the valley’s western side, separates it from the cooler, marine influences experienced in neighbouring Sonoma Valley.

Napa has 16 appellations, known as American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) spread through the mountains, valley floor and outlying areas, all with a vinous voice of their own as the vineyard elevation and terroir changes.

Sonoma

Sonoma Valley is larger and more spread out than Napa Valley, and almost double the size. This can make visiting several wineries in a day a little harder but, with 18 AVAs from diverse terroirs, it’s a fascinating place for wine tourism. Whether you take the highway, or scenic back roads, the drive from San Francisco should be about an hour and a half.

A fantastic base to explore the region is the charming town of Healdsburg, situated in Russian River AVA in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country.

Tasting rooms are dotted off the main square, and it’s a short drive to the Dry Creek, Alexander Valley, Russian River and Chalk Hill AVAs.

Mendocino travel guide: classy wineries and stunning places to stay

A brief history of change

Winery visits have changed dramatically over the past two decades. Experiences have become more sophisticated in almost every major wine region around the world, with tours, tutored tastings and wine and food pairings offered almost as standard.

For a long time California was lauded as one of the standard bearers in how to host wine lovers. Cellar doors, wine clubs and tasting rooms overlooking stunning vineyards have become an enjoyable way of life and an effective way of selling wine.

Yet, following the global pandemic, both Napa and Sonoma have reopened with an increased vigour to cater for tourists. Napa Valley is more polished than ever, and Sonoma’s once casual wineries have also matured into their own distinct boutique style.

As the range of activities has grown so have prices – many more than double those quoted in a Decanter article in 2016. But that hasn’t quelled wine lovers, with the region attracting more than 3.85 million visitors in 2018 with a cumulative spend of over $2 billion. Given the interest in these wine regions, booking an appointment for a winery visit is now the rule rather than the exception, and all should be done well in advance.

More of Decanter’s top wine travel activities

Wine experiences

Where once it was simple tastings and cellar door purchases, wineries are now creating what are broadly referred to as ‘wine experiences’, ranging from helicopter rides over vineyards, fine dining with personal chefs and wine and spa days.

This change was largely driven by the pandemic. With international travel restricted, California and interstate locals began looking at places closer to home to spend their money. And wine may not have been the primary reason for visiting these world-renowned regions – many were simply looking to experience the lifestyle these areas offered.

Napa and Sonoma Valley wineries, keen to nurture this new-found enthusiasm added ‘wine experiences’ to their booking rosters. Making their offerings more premium also helped to deter hen and stag parties and all-day winery crawls and further raise the profile of their regions.

The second big change was the widespread use of online booking systems. This was necessitated by hygiene and health reasons amid the Covid-19 pandemic and helped ensure staff levels, control the flow of visitors. Despite this more formal arrangement, many wineries were fully booked out months in advance, especially in peak season.

Similarly, there was a boom in wine clubs, where winelovers could join and order wine online from their favourite wineries and be kept abreast of news and offers, even if they were unable to visit the estate in person.

Decanter’s dream destination: Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley

Top tip

Make a short list of wineries you really want to visit, budget for each experience and book in advance.

Each winery’s website should have a page linking through to a booking system. Tock was one of the more popular and useful reservation websites for seeing all your appointments in one place.

Many wineries are only open Thursday through Sunday, mainly to cater for local and interstate visitors who come up to the valley for the weekend.

Top Napa and Sonoma wineries to visit:

We’ve broken down the following visits and experiences into themes, selecting some of our favourites, with a strong bias on the quality of wines themselves.

For the wine tasters

Corison

Cathy Corison founded her eponymous Rutherford winery in 1988 and has remained true to her vision of producing balanced, ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting takes place in a barn overlooking her lauded Kronos Vineyard. The name is a hint to the Greek roots of Corison’s husband. The wines are elegant and long lived showcasing each vintage’s character, making vertical tastings some of the most thought-provoking in the Napa Valley.

Tastings starting from: $75

Website: www.corison.com

Address: 987 St. Helena Highway, Saint Helena, CA 94574

Ridge

Paul Draper, another giant in the California wine industry, produces the acclaimed Monte Bello Cabernet from a site south of San Francisco and has also built a following for making some of the best Zinfandels in Sonoma. You can find the Ridge tasting room overlooking the Lytton Springs vineyard, just 15 minutes’ drive from Healdsburg. One of the best value tastings in the area, flights will include the Estate Chardonnay, different site specific Zins, perhaps a Mataro (Mourvèdre) and even a precious drop of Monte Bello.

Tastings starting from: $25

Website: www.ridgewine.com

Address: 650 Lytton Springs Road Healdsburg, California 95448

Schramsberg

Jack and Jamie Davies took this historic site near Calistoga and turned it into a winery that produces benchmark California sparkling wine using the traditional method. And after a few days of tasting Cabernet Sauvignon, an elegant fresh fizz can be a welcome relief. Their tour takes you into the cellars hand-carved into rock more than 100 years ago, explains the method of production, and ends with a tasting of both younger and older cuvees. You can also add the Davies Vineyard wines (Pinots and Cabernets) to your tasting experience.

Tastings starting from: $50

Website: www.schramsberg.com

Address: 1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga, California 94515

Spottswoode

This picturesque, historic, family-owned estate by Spring Mountain is one of the Napa Valley’s references for classic, elegant, ageworthy Cabernets. Their Sauvignon Blanc is also one of the best in the valley and cellars well.

Tastings starting from: $75

Website: www.spottswoode.com

Address: 1902 Madrona Avenue, St. Helena, California 94574

For the high-enders

Opus One

The project between Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi started in the 1970s and is now one of the most iconic names in the Napa Valley. The regal building is a luxurious place to taste a real collector’s wine. The basic Courtyard experience starts at $100, but for truly breathtaking views, opt for the Partner’s Room tasting. With a private chef on site, expect further fine dining options in future.

Tastings starting from: $100

Website: www.opusonewinery.com

Address: 7900 St Helena Highway, Oakville, California 94562

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars

Located off the Silverado Trail, this is one of the estates that put California wine on the map, its 1973 Cabernet coming top in the acclaimed Judgment of Paris red flight in 1976. The Fay visitor centre has stunning views of the vineyards and Stag’s Leap District where you can try the winery’s three top bottlings: Fay, SLV and Cask 23. But not all tastings will feature these wines, so check the descriptions. If you have deep pockets, indulge in a full culinary experience with a seasonal four-course tasting menu.

Tastings starting from: $50

Website: www.stagsleapwinecellars.com

Address: 5766 Silverado Trail, Napa, California 94558

Robert Mondavi Winery

A name synonymous with California, this renowned Oakville winery has a diverse offering of art, food and wine experiences to choose from. You can sample the Estate Collection for $65 while gazing over the famed To Kalon vineyard and art sculptures. (Note: if you want to try the To Kalon range, it’s $125 and rising…)

Tastings starting from: $65

Website: www.robertmondaviwinery.com

Address: 7801 Saint Helena Highway Oakville, California 94562

For the experimenters

Tank Garage Winery

The experimentation going on here in this old 1930s gas station is refreshing, offering a welcome break from Cabernet. The hip restoration of the garage, the one-off bottlings, the beautiful labels – yes, the marketing is slick, but there is the same level creativity in the wines, from pét-nats to whites made using carbonic maceration from El Dorado County and natural wines. You won’t like all of them, but you’ll love some of them – and that’s part of the fun!

Tastings starting from: $30

Website: www.tankgaragewinery.com

Address: 1020 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga, California 94515

Matthiasson

A proper wine-tasting experience for those who really want to focus on what’s in the bottle. There are very good, leaner versions of California Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay but this sustainable champion also makes fantastic reds from Schioppettino (a grape that many wouldn’t have even tried in its Italian guise) and white blends using Ribolla Gialla, a variety more commonly found on the Italian-Slovenian border.

Tastings starting from: $65

Website: www.matthiasson.com

Address: 3175 Dry Creek Road, Napa, California 94558

Unti

A small, family-run farm in the heart of Sonoma’s Zinfandel country that is influenced by the wines of Tuscany and Campania. It has a real Italian vineyard charm, which really helps you understand what they are trying to achieve with their Mediterranean varieties. The tasting is held in a barn, where GSM blends and Zinfandels sit alongside juicy Sangioveses and Aglianco.

Tastings starting from: $25, but free with a purchase

Website: www.untivineyards.com

Address: 4202 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, California 95448

Idlewild Wines

A tasting room in the charming town of Healdsburg that focuses on varieties from Italy’s Piedmont and northwest. Whites made from Arneis and Cortese and reds from Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo – all from Mendocino County. Enjoy a plate of antipasto (cheese and hams) with your flight, and expect detailed commentary on the wines themselves.

Tastings starting from: $40

Website: www.idlewildwines.com

Address: 132 Plaza Street, Healdsburg, California 95448

Lola

A popular recommendation from wine industry locals, Seth Cripe’s boutique tasting room is in a small, historic house in Calistoga. Expect pure-fruited and natural wines – a refreshing change from big Cabernets. And the Pinot Noirs, Chenin Blancs and even a Malvasia are at much more accessible prices than you’ll find elsewhere in the region.

Tastings starting from: $35

Website: www.lolawines.com

Address: 916 Foothill Blvd., Calistoga, California 94515

For the view

Far Niente

Arguably the prettiest tasting room in Napa where you can see the family’s links to the plant nursery business in full bloom. The planting around the historic house is stunning, and the tasting is set next to water overlooking vineyards. Don’t miss the classic car collection either. Many Far Niente bottlings are only available to wine club members, so if you aren’t, this is a rare chance to try them. The Chardonnay is lean and serious, and in stark contrast to the more crowd-pleasing styles of other wineries in the stable, which include Bella Union, Dolce and Nickel & Nickel.

Tastings starting from: $90

Website: www.farniente.com

Address: 1350 Acacia Drive, Oakville, California 94562

Mayacamas

Another historic name that has a fabulous tasting room in downtown Napa, but a visit to the 192ha estate and winery up on Mount Veeder has a truly breathtaking vista. A new tasting room here was completed in 2021, following the destruction of the old house by fires in 2017. Enjoy a tour, then taste the Chardonnay, Merlot and flagship Cabernet, along with a selection of library wines.

Tastings starting from: $125

Website: www.mayacamas.com

Address: 1155 Lokoya Road, Napa, California 94558

Chateau Montelena

Montelana’s 19th-century stone castle, winery and cool cellars are among the Napa Valley’s architectural icons. Tastings start at $45 with a Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Cabernet, but to try the Estate and Library wines you’ll need to fork out a little more. Unfortunately, you’ll be hard pressed to find a bottle of the 1973 Chardonnay that triumphed at the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting.

Tastings starting from: $45

Website: www.montelena.com

Address: 1429 Tubbs Lane Calistoga, California 94515

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Every country has bureaucratic impediments, and America’s wine producers are saddled with their AVAs: American Viticultural Areas. It’s simple enough: a geographical entity with defined borders. One of the problems is that, like a Russian doll, one large AVA can shelter lesser ones.

The Sonoma Coast AVA is the perfect example of this, stretching from Marin County up to Mendocino. Within it nestle other AVAs such as Green Valley and Chalk Hill.

Scroll down to see Stephen Brook’s tasting notes and scores for 14 top West Sonoma Coast wines

Not surprisingly, the growers of the very distinctive coastal ranges flanking the Pacific shoreline argue that their region has nothing in common with hotter Sonoma sub-regions such as Alexander Valley. So in 2015 they petitioned the government to create a West Sonoma Coast AVA, which should be approved imminently.

These coastal ranges are complex. When, many years ago, I mentioned to the late Jess Jackson (of Kendall-Jackson) that I would be visiting the area, he replied: ‘The only way to see it is from the air.’ A few weeks later I was purring over the mountains in Jackson’s helicopter as the pilot explained the topography below.

History

Growers planted the first vineyards on the West Sonoma Coast in the 1970s. Today there are 29 wineries and growers petitioning for the new AVA. They include powerful figures such as the Jackson family, Steve Kistler, Helen Turley, Chuck Wagner of Caymus, and Phelps, as well as adventurous grape-growers such as David Hirsch and brothers Andy and Nick Peay, who subsequently established their own labels.

Key factors

So what is special about these sites? Maritime influence, rather than the varied soils, is the key. Proximity to the Pacific is crucial, as well as elevation. The heat spikes that can drive temperatures in Napa up to 38°C are rare here, and summer temperatures at Flowers’ vineyards range from 22°C to 29°C.

However, many vineyards are above the fog line and receive constant sunshine. I’ve stood in Hirsch Vineyards at 460m, with sweat pouring down my back. But it’s fair to say the West Sonoma Coast enjoys a cool climate, even though in some locations – around Freestone and Occidental – the grapes can struggle to ripen, especially if yields are high.

Cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Cool conditions make this ideal territory for Burgundian varieties. Indeed, growers in Burgundy, now struggling with unprecedented ripeness levels, might look with envy at many Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from here, with alcohol levels below 12.5%.

Stylistically, this is a welcome development after the 1990s, when producers such as Kosta-Browne released wines at over 15%. They were acclaimed by some American critics, but clearly lacked varietal typicity.

However, modest sugars and alcohols can be too much of a good thing, and there are wines which may be delicate and fragrant but are also decidedly skinny. Moreover, not every producer follows this template. DuMol and Freeman, for example, release wines with around 14%. They are richer and weightier than many others, yet they work well in their own stylistic frame.

Ted Lemon of Littorai, once the winemaker at Domaine Roulot in Meursault, has described West Sonoma Coast wines as having ‘more backbone and angularity, and they’re less voluptuous and fruit-driven than those from Russian River Valley’.

Although the West Sonoma Coast AVA will, at 575km2, be smaller than the existing Sonoma Coast AVA at 2,000km2, it’s still pretty large. Embedded within it will be the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA (established 2012), and two other sub-zones to the south. These lower, cooler areas – Annapolis and Freestone/Occidental – also have their own identity, although they are not AVAs, so more confusion is guaranteed.

But at least the West Sonoma Coast producers themselves have gained recognition for the quality and typicity of their wines.

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A first for a Sonoma-based winery, the NFTs entitle investors to own three bottles of Judge Palmer Cabernet Sauvignon wine signed by the winemakers.

‘Wine has long been the ultimate collectible, so I think the NFT space is a natural extension for the wine market,’ said Emmitt. ‘An NFT is the perfect way for collectors to retain a digital record of a favourite vintage of wine, a reminder of the experience long after the bottle has been consumed.’

The wines – Judge Palmer 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Ellis Alden Vineyard, Alexander Valley; Judge Palmer 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer To Kalon, Napa Valley; and Judge Palmer 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, Beckstoffer Georges III, Napa Valley – are extremely rare. Less than two cases are left at the winery and Vint claims that no stock is available for purchase through alternative channels.

‘We are trying to push the wine industry with tech forward,’ said Vint’s head of wine Billy Galanko. ‘We are continually trying to push these new technologies to foster accessibility from one side and give extra visibility to producers on the other.’

Alongside the wines, which can only be shipped within the US, the NFTs include two tasting experiences. The experiences consist of a virtual tasting of the wine from the NFT collection led by Emmitt-Scorsone owners and winemakers, as well as a private, in-person tour of the winery and vineyard topped off by a tasting of select wines.

Buyers will also be provided with an invitation for two guests to attend a “harvest winemaker dinner” and first right of refusal to acquire the next vintage wine NFT offering from the producer.

‘Once they have drunk a bottle, a lot of people who like and collect wine peel off the label and stick it on a book almost like a scrapbook to show people,’ said Galanko. ‘But with our NFTs, investors first have this virtual cellar that they can show to people. Then, after the wine has gone, they can tell people about its aggregate value: ‘I went to this vineyard’ or ‘I got to meet the guy and he talked me through the wine’.’

Galanko believes that such added value is making NFTs increasingly popular among winemakers, who see them as an opportunity to tap into a new market. ‘The NFT is a vehicle. A lot of our investors are people that understand wine is a good investment, but also buyers that are just getting into wine and trying to diversify their portfolio but need an extra nudge,’ he said.

The NFTs will be auctioned on ethereum-based platform Rarible and sold in USDC, a digital stablecoin pegged to the United States dollar. Auction bids will kick off at 7am Pacific Standard Time (PST), or 3pm GMT, and begin at $600 USDC for the Alexander Valley wine, and $675 USDC for the Napa Valley labels.

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