The Red Dog Vineyard sits atop Sonoma Mountain on the cool, western side. It was planted in 2000 by Tom and Debbie Engel. It is planted mostly to Swan Selection with cuttings from the Mink Vineyard, with a smaller block of Dijon clones 777 and 115. The vineyard is situated on the eastern face of a ridge, and the top is just under 1000 feet elevation. At this height, the vineyard is almost continuously cooled by Pacific currents moving inland through the Petaluma Gap. The soils are some of the most ancient soils in Sonoma County and have been leached of nutrients by wind and rain for eons. It is a truly spectacular vista point, but a challenging place to grow grapes.

Tasting notes from Winemaker & Proprietor Ken Bernards: “A pretty, effusive floral nose of rose petals and lilac, infused with sage, cedar, tobacco, and cinnamon. The palate leads with ripe soft strawberries and sweet huckleberry, growing into a full-bodied and tannic mid-palate coated in rich, dark tones of plum, blackberry, boysenberry, cacao, and tobacco. Finished with a lingering earthiness under traces of the leading red fruits. This is decadent vintage for this vineyard, showing off the yin/yang nature of this wine in its fullest. …expect to enjoy this wine well into the next decade, as it continues to unveil new flavors of depth and additional aromatic nuance.”

Total Production: 267 Cases

Aging Potential: 3-9 years