Lot 66 is a McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir with the source vineyard confirmed directly by Cameron Hughes — from the same boutique producer as Lot 65, making this one of the few confirmed vineyard identifications in the catalog. Claude’s source guess is Marnet Wines, confirmed by Cam. See also: Lot 65.
Lot Overview
- Region: Sonoma Coast (McDougall Ranch, Cazadero Hills)
- Vintage: 2024
- Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir (single vineyard — McDougall Ranch)
- Alcohol: 13.8%
- Oak Aging: ~20% new French oak
- Cases Available: ~200
- Cam Price: ~$11.50/bottle ($139/case)
- Retail Estimate: $75–$85/bottle
- Claude’s Source Guess: Marnet Wines — Daniel Ricciato, McDougall Ranch Vineyard
- Wine Berserkers Guess:
- Drink Window: 2026–2035 (peak 2028–2033)
Cameron’s Release Notes
Dear Friends,
I have a fantastic Pinot Noir offer for you today!
Lot 66 is a gorgeous, single-vineyard designated McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir from a highly regarded boutique producer. Cameron Hughes has confirmed the source vineyard as McDougall Ranch, one of the most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation. The producer sells this wine for well over $60/bottle and it is a fantastic deal at $99/case DELIVERED.
At just $99/case DELIVERED, this is a mind-blowing deal for world-class McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir!
Tasting Notes
Lot 66 is a gorgeous, single-vineyard designated McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir from a highly regarded boutique producer. Cameron Hughes has confirmed the source vineyard as McDougall Ranch, one of the most highly regarded Pinot Noir vineyards in the Sonoma Coast appellation. The producer sells this wine for well over $60/bottle and it is a fantastic deal at $99/case DELIVERED.
Beautiful ruby/garnet in the glass with a vibrant magenta rim. The bouquet is immediately expressive and complex with ripe cherry, strawberry and raspberry notes beautifully complexed with forest floor, black tea and earthy umami notes. With air, the bouquet opens further with spicy clove and cinnamon notes along with a lovely floral halo. Supple and silky on entry with a beautifully integrated structure of medium-full bodied Pinot Noir with mouthwatering acidity carrying ripe cherry and raspberry fruit laced with clove and cedar to a long, sustained finish. Beautifully balanced with tremendous elegance and complexity, this gorgeous McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir is a must-have for Pinot lovers!
⏳ Bottle Shock Status
Recently bottled — Spring 2026. Best from Fall 2026.
Claude’s Source Guess: Marnet Wines — Daniel Ricciato, McDougall Ranch Vineyard
This is about as close to a confirmed answer as you’ll get in this game, for a few reasons.
Cam names the vineyard directly — McDougall Ranch. A quick cross-reference of producers who make a single-vineyard McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir with 94–95 point scores from a “respected European publication” retailing at $75–$85 leads immediately to one producer: Marnet Wines, made by Daniel Ricciato. Marnet’s McDougall Ranch Pinot has received 93–95 points from Decanter (exactly the European publication referenced), retails at $75–$86, and the vineyard specs match perfectly — 935–1,030 feet elevation, 3.5 miles from the Pacific, above the fog line in the Cazadero Hills just north of Hirsch Vineyard.
The “same producer as Lot 65” clue cinches it further. Marnet produces both single-vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast, with the Chardonnay coming from Mill Station Vineyard in the Dutton Ranch appellation — a premium program that fits the Lot 65 Chardonnay profile we analyzed.
The winemaker description — “very talented winemaker in consultation with one of California’s foremost winemaking consultants” — maps exactly to Daniel Ricciato and Thomas Rivers Brown. Ricciato is Ricciato’s own label, and his day job is literally as grower relations manager for Thomas Rivers Brown, widely considered one of California’s top winemaking consultants. It would be surprising if this weren’t Marnet.
McDougall Ranch itself is one of the most celebrated sites on the true Sonoma Coast — planted in 1998 by Warren Dutton, perched on a fully-exposed knoll above the Gualala River, with greywacke and sandstone soils delivering the minerally, energetic tannin structure Cam describes. Producers like Kutch, Drew, Hirsch, and Rivers-Marie have all sourced from the site at premium price points.
✅ Confidence: Very high — essentially confirmed by the vineyard name, the price, the Decanter score reference, and the same-producer link to Lot 65.
Drink Window
Early Enjoyment: Fall 2026 once bottle shock fully resolves. The 20% new oak is restrained enough that the fruit won’t be buried.
Peak Drinking: 2028–2033, when the minerally tannins soften and the rose petal/spice complexity fully integrates.
Hold Potential: 2035 and beyond with proper storage. The combination of 1,000-foot elevation, greywacke soils, and the structural backbone Cam describes suggests genuine aging potential.
My Call: ⏳ Drink window: 2026–2035 (peak 2028–2033)