Tyler Thomas, our Winemaker, has said before of the elusive notion of terroir:

“Here is my working definition: Terroir is a confluence of soil, microclimate, material (Syrah, Grenache, etc.), and deft touch that produce unique changes to the governing components of a wine’s taste.”

We think this is just about perfect, since we are all about the journey of wine – the experience. The whole picture (or glass, as the case may be) is complex, never truly final, always evolving, and lives on in the palate of memory long after the bottle has been recycled.

Winemaking in California is its own special journey. We feel especially blessed that our diverse Sonoma County sites allow us to produce distinct and – hopefully – world class wines. After sampling some terrific Cote Rotie or Chambolle-Musigny, and then bottling our own Cuvee Christine Syrah or Two Brothers Pinot Noir by way of a few tastings (someone has to…), our love for these varietals has become more intoxicating than all those little sips put together.

Tyler was asked in an interview not too long ago if it is our goal at Donelan Wines to try and make wines like those from the Rhone Valley? Or Cote Rotie, Châteauneuf du Pape, Burgundy?

The short answer: Nope.

Rhone Valley and Burgundian wines have certainly supplied ample inspiration for our winemaking: cool sites, native yeast, stem inclusion, zero racking, and limited amounts of new oak. But we think that Californian winemakers have done themselves a disservice by constantly linking our wine to kindred regions in Europe.

This is especially true if the region does not easily translate to our consumer’s palate consciousness. If we believe in terroir, then let us discover and promote California terroir. Our goal is to use the diversity of Sonoma County and a variety’s (e.g. Syrah) ability to manifest itself along a mysterious spectrum of savory and fruity flavors to unveil unique and unequaled terroir right here.

Syrah wine in particular has some of the most palatable diversity of any red variety we have had the opportunity to imbibe and Pinot Noir is notorious for its unmatched ability to express a sense of place. In cool areas Syrah can have a decidedly meaty, brothy, and earthy tone along with flavors like oregano, black pepper, and lavender. Examples include Cuvee Keltie, Richards Vineyard, and Kobler Vineyard Syrah In warmer areas like Obsidian Vineyard or the sites that make Cuvee Chrsitine, we’ve observed a general shift in the core of the wine from savory to fruitier and sweeter associations – think baked berry crisp.

Burgundian varieties demonstrate similar shifts in flavor profile – earthy to fruity – but with more nuance, subtlety, and overall finesse. Our goals with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is to find sites that express diverse flavor profiles, but without sacrificing the core element of great examples of these varieties: crisp structure. With the right balance in any wine, wonderful fruit expression can be complimented with meaty and spicy flavors that add layers to elevate the pleasure of sipping.

If in our process of discovery and distillation of what about a particular terroir makes a wine taste the way it does people remark how our Californian wine reminds them of a reference point such as Hermitage – fabulous! We love and are inspired by those wines, and any association with them is a compliment. But we are not setting out to make Burgundy; we are searching for sites right here in Cali that produce peerless Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Roussanne.

We can all drink to that. Enjoy!