The story and the vineyard:
As most of you know, my tenure at Williams-Selyem winery from 1981-1998 is where I learned my craft, well most of it. That is where in 1988, we made our first Sonoma Coast wine—Scott and Joan Zeller’s Summa Vineyard. It knocked everybody’s socks off! Though we couldn’t make it every year because of the small quantity of grapes, in some vintages, there were full on bottlings—when Mother Nature permitted. These were the first 100-dollar Pinot Noirs in the state of California. Since 2010, Summa Vineyard was sold to Thomas Brown and is now produced under the Rivers-Marie label. Scott and Joan Zeller owned a property adjacent to the original planting of Summa, and in 2000, planted Starbridge vineyard from the old vine grafts from next door. Now there has been speculation for years about the clones in that particular parcel. Scott says he wants them called the “Summa clones,” and is keeping the clones a “secret.” “Someday I’ll tell you what the clone really is.” His words. Fast forward to harvest 2020, a heavy fire year, smoke hung low in most areas. Scott was informed by a local producer that they would not want the grapes for that year for fear of smoke taint. Hence, an unexpected phone call from Scott, which I feel was Burt’s divine presence guiding the energy. I truly believe that. Scott and I met, and me being a local boy understood that there was not going to be any perceptible “smoke taint” at the site, this vintage, and made a deal. That’s the story. And now going forward, we hope to be producing Starbridge on a yearly basis, though splitting it with another winery. I feel blessed as it is our first Sonoma Coast bottling. The naming of the vineyard is credited to Joan’s father/Scott’s father-in-law. One night while grilling and drinking wine under the stars at the property, he said, paraphrasing of course, “When I look up at the stars before I go to bed, I feel like I’m up in the stars myself! My bridge to the stars, you should call it Starbridge Vineyard.” And thus it was named. The vineyard is about two acres and around 1600 vines, its soil series is Franciscan, and it is 22 years old this vintage, with a view of the blue ocean on the Taylor Lane mesa, beautiful….

Tasting Notes
A light to medium bright ruby color. Heavenly honeyed baked spice aromatics, toasty oak, with manzanita flower, some citrus peel, and a grounded Douglas fir/pine forest floor perfume. Changes slowly to more red berries and perhaps lavender honey, subtle but intoxicating, mysterious, and sophisticated. Boasts forth on the palate with juicy red fruits, cardamom spice, blood orange, and earth. Not heavy, more ethereal. Mid palate entry has a delicate richness. Understated power which pleases the palate and a long silky finish—unlike anything else in our selection of wines. I could go on and on, but you be the witness of its grandeur. I decided to release this almost right away since it is speaking to me now. Not sure how it will age, although all my wines do. Only time will tell… Food? Well maybe a rare veal rib chop slathered in a fine EVO with rosemary and sage, or a duck breast brined in star anise and clove and grilled, tried both, OMG!
– Nikolai Stez, Winemaker

Harvest Date: September 14, 2020
pH 3.51
TA 6.6g/L
14.6% Alcohol
Unfined and Unfiltered
161 cases produced

Double Gold Medal Winner, 2022 Sonoma County Harvest Fair