🏷️ Lot Overview
Region: Sonoma Coast (65% RRV, 33% Sonoma Coast, 2% Petaluma Gap)
Vintage: 2023
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
ChatGPT Original Source Guess: Failla Wines (Alt: Ramey Wine Cellars)
Wine Berserkers Guess: Patz & Hall Pinot Noir, Cam’s Custom Blend, 2/3rds entry, 1/3 SVD
Alcohol: 14.2%
Oak Aging: ~40–45% new French oak
Cam Price: $129/case ($10.75/bottle)
Retail Estimate: $60–$70
Drink Window: 2025–2031 (peak 2026–2029)
🍷 Cameron’s Release Notes
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Sourced from the same winery as Lot 30 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay — one of Sonoma County’s finest “Burgundian” Pinot & Chardonnay producers with a colossal array of single-vineyard bottlings.
The blend: 62% from their $40–$50 appellation Pinot + 38% from their $65+ vineyard designates (65% RRV, 33% Sonoma Coast, 2% Petaluma Gap). 100% first-run juice, no press lots, no declassified barrels.
New ownership is downsizing, and Cam was able to purchase bulk Pinot at a steal — then assemble this final blend himself. Bottled July 25, 2025 and already drinking beautifully.
Tasting Notes
Bright cherry red with a purple sheen. A fresh, spicy, complex bouquet of strawberry, cherry, clove, purple florals, forest floor, and black soil. With air, cranberry, cedar, and cinnamon spice join in.
Supple, ripe, and medium-full-bodied, with clove-laced mineral tannins carrying cherry and strawberry fruit into a long, elegant finish. A perfect interplay of fruit and savory elements — a classic Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir from a picture-perfect vintage.
100% Pinot Noir (65% RRV, 33% Sonoma Coast, 2% Petaluma Gap)
~40–45% new French oak
14.2% alc.
~300 cases produced
🧠ChatGPT says:
🔍 Source Guess: Failla Wines (Alt: Ramey Wine Cellars)
🎯 Rationale:
- Same producer tie-in: Cam explicitly connects Lot 18 to Lot 30 Chardonnay, which we’ve already identified as Failla (Burgundian style + Pinot & Chardonnay expertise).
- House style fit: Failla emphasizes balance, minerality, and energy in both Pinot and Chardonnay — consistent with tasting notes describing “fresh, spicy, vibrant, clove-mineral tannins.”
- Pricing alignment: Failla’s Sonoma Coast & RRV appellation wines sit in the $40–50 range, and vineyard designates $65–70+, matching the blend tiers described.
- Oak regimen: 40–45% new French oak is spot-on for Failla’s élevage.
- Ownership shift: Cam mentions “new ownership downsizing” — Failla has recently transitioned operations and may be moving bulk juice, which fits the narrative.
🧠Alternative:
Ramey Wine Cellars — equally known for Chardonnay but less for Pinot, which makes them a weaker candidate than Failla here.
⏳ Drink Window
Early Enjoyment: Fall 2025 onward, post-bottle shock. Fresh, spicy red fruit will be compelling right away.
Peak Drinking: 2026–2029, when savory/earthy notes integrate with the fruit and oak.
Hold Potential: 6–8 years (to ~2031). Past that, fruit will taper into more earthy, tea-like notes.
My Call: ⏳ 2025–2031 (peak 2026–2029)
🧑‍🤝‍🧑🍷 Wine Berserkers Guess: Patz & Hall Pinot Noir, Cam’s Custom Blend, 2/3rds entry, 1/3 SVD