Our 15th anniversary, 2022 was a banner year for Wine Spies.

It was also our first year at SoCoBA, the prestigious Sonoma County Barrel Auction, held annually for select members of the trade. We won a couple of AWESOME lots!

All for you, dear Operatives, for YOU.

We sleuthed each and every lot, leaving no stone unturned, and no drop untasted. In the end we uncovered not just the best-tasting ones to snatch up, but also those that ended up delivering the best value, too. As unique as they come, our winnings showcase the absolute best that Sonoma can grow and make.

North Bay Business Journal reported that “the auction featured special one-time lots to entice buyers, some of whom represented international markets from Nordic countries, as well as Asia” which turned the competition up a few notches, adding that “Pinot Noir continued to be popular” - resulting with some fetching over $200 per bottle!

We believe that this, the first of our exclusive lots, is up there with the best. The fruit is 100% Pommard clone from 2021, a harvest that will long be remembered as one of the recent best. It was handpicked from the very best barrels of Domaine de la Rivière’s Starr Ridge, El Diablo, and Eleven vineyards, all in the Middle Reach widely acclaimed as the ‘tenderloin’ of Russian River Valley.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate elaborates that “this neighborhood is home to the oldest plantings of Pinot Noir in Russian River Valley, including Rochioli’s famed West Block that was planted in 1969” with neighbors including Williams Selyem, Copain, and Baciagalupi - the family who grew one of the historic winners of The Judgement of Paris in 1976.

The winemakers that collaborated for this unique lot are Kale Anderson (of Domaine de la Rivière, ex-Cliff Lede, Pahlmeyer) and Frederic Delivert (of Tolosa, ex-Tuck Beckstoffer, Clark-Claudon) with over three decades of combined experience blending some legendary wines.

The result? One of the best Pinots we’ve ever had. Vivid, alluring ruby, extravagantly fruity, opulent, and layered with intense, concentrated red and black cherries, wild raspberry, and blackberry fruit. Firm and well-structured, it finished long and complex, with vivid nuances of minerals, and oak spices.

Oh, lastly, only 240 bottles were made (minus one because we had to drink one to write this, sorry!)

Hope you make it to checkout fast enough to secure some because we only have a few bottles left! Sharing is caring, please be considerate!