Description
Founded by Joe Donelan, who now runs the business alongside his sons Cushing and Tripp, Donelan is a small, boutique Sonoma winery producing Syrah, Grenache, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Roussanne and Viognier. Producing just 8,000 cases per year they prize quality over all other factors. They are becoming known for their exceptionally small-release bottlings of vinous experimentations: clonal varietals, site specific variations and the like. This factor has turned them from being a first-class winery into also being internationally recognised for leading this type of small-batch production.
"Medium ruby-purple, the 2017 Syrah Cuvee Christine has a nose of chargrill, roasted meats, coffee beans and spicy blackberries, with wafts of sage and dried herbs. The palate offers nuances of pepper and herbs with savory, dark fruits and an abundance of fine, grainy tannins, finishing long." 93 Points, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate, 2014-2043