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The Dehlinger family has been growing grapes and making wine in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley since 1975. Tom Dehlinger planted the initial 14 acres on Vine Hill Road and was one of the first winemakers to revive western Sonoma County as a winegrowing region after prohibition.
This past May, I was invited to the property just outside of Sebastopol, on the corner of Vine Hill Road and Guerneville Road, to tour the vineyard, learn their story, and taste some of their classic wines.
 The Dehlinger Family
Situated just 13 miles from the Pacific Ocean, the vineyard land (once an apple ranch) is defined by its distinctive and diverse soil structure. Known as the Sebastopol series, the makeup of the property is split between two soil types: Goldridge and Altamont. 
The latter is prominent at the higher elevations of the vineyard whereas the former can be found in more abundance at the bottom of the slopes.
Both soils produce excellent, unique, and distinctive wines which reflect the way that the land supports plant growth and fruit development. Wines from the Goldridge soils tend to be fruit-forward, aromatic, and supple on the palate (especially in the case of Pinot noir). The Altamont soil wines are often more brooding, denser, thick, and firm.
Since the mid-1990s, Dehlinger has been making Pinot noir and Syrah bottlings from the property under the label designations Goldridge and Altamont in homage to the Goldridge soils on the bottom of their vineyard site and the red gravelly Altamont soils on their hilltops.
 Eva Dehlinger, General Manager
Dehlinger are largely considered a reference point for Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. Luscious and balanced, with a striking purity of fruit, these wines capture the potential of this great winegrowing region. At the same time, the family has long been recognized for its Russian River Valley Chardonnays, which provide balance, fresh acidity, and unctuous flavor.
Production also consists of a small amount of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Dehlinger is home to one of the few vineyards in the coastal Russian River Valley that grows Cabernet Sauvignon. Their current four and a half acres of the variety were planted in 1982 and 1983, and are positioned on a privileged piece of red, gravelly soil that faces south and invites the autumn sun. Careful viticulture and meticulous thinning of the crop load are necessary to grow successful Cabernet in the region, and their hillside Cabernet vines ripen at the very end of the growing season, with the cold nights and mild days of late October.
It’s my honor to provide Mayacama members with access to three small-lot Dehlinger bottlings: 2020 Chardonnay (1150 cases produced), 2019 Altamont Pinot Noir (775 cases produced), and 2017 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (500 cases produced).
We’re excited to be partnering with the Dehlinger family directly for this offer and so all wines will be coming straight from their estate winery.
As always, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions regarding these wines and thank you for your continued support.
Cheers!
Carey Vanderborg, Wine Director
THE WINES:
2020 Dehlinger Estate Chardonnay ($45/btl)
2019 Dehlinger Altamont Pinot Noir ($65/btl)
2017 Dehlinger Estate Caberenet Sauvignon ($70/btl)
Click here to view more information on these wines. |