For nearly 20 years, Red Car has been on a journey—one that started in sunny Los Angeles and marched steadily northward toward a vision of cooler vineyard sites and the complex, aromatic wines they can express.

Red Car was founded by Mark Estrin, Carroll Kemp and Richard Crowell in 2000 with 50 cases of wine made from a single ton of Syrah grapes vinified in a Culver City garage. In a nod to their California roots, the new venture was named Red Car after the trolley line that ferried riders across Los Angeles for the first half of the twentieth century.

“While our wines were met with early critical acclaim, we knew that to truly excel we would need to farm our own vineyards, and in a cooler climate location,” says Richard. “So, we started looking.”

In 2004, the partners purchased 125 acres of land and began developing vineyards in the wild coastal ridges north of Sonoma County’s Bodega Bay, a region now known as the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. Here, the interplay of warm sunshine, cool Pacific breezes and sandstone soils would yield the age-worthy wines of structure and complexity that had captured their imagination.

Unfortunately, in 2005 the three were reduced to two with the passing of their inspiring friend Mark Estrin. He is deeply missed to this day. It was Mark who led Red Car to produce Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah on the West Sonoma Coast, and it was Mark who exhorted his partners to develop the Estate vineyard as the heart of the winery.

Today, Richard and his wife Alison, now the sole remaining founders, are dedicated to promoting Red Car’s wines and the excellent people who make up the team including General Manager Jesse Mackey, Winemaker Tanner Scheer and Viticulturist/Farming Manager Greg Adams.

The wines are produced in limited quantities and with a conscientious approach that speaks to the mission of the winery as a whole.

“At Red Car, we believe that we are stewards of the land—dedicated to being environmentally and socially responsible to our community,” says Richard. “To us, sustainability goes beyond farming practices in our vineyards; it's who we are.”

It’s my absolute pleasure today to offer you a lineup of Red Car wines that represent both the high-quality of their output and the story for which they are known.

All three wines are being listed at exclusive wine club pricing, and so this is the best value you are going to find for this lineup.

As always, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions regarding today’s offer. Thank you for your support!

Cheers!

Carey Vanderborg - Wine Director

2017 Red Car Estate Chardonnay

Suggested Retail Price: $62 | Mayacama Member Price: $55

2015 Red Car Estate Pinot Noir | 95pts James Suckling

Suggested Retail Price: $75 | Mayacama Member Price: $67

2014 Red Car Estate Syrah | 94pts International Wine Report

Suggested Retail Price: $55 | Mayacama Member Price: $50

Click here to learn more about the wines.