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 his investors, 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 clones really are.” 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 23 years old this vintage, with a view of the blue ocean on the Taylor Lane mesa, beautiful….

Production of this wine is going to be intermittent due to varying factors.

Tasting Notes

A clear medium ruby color with a remarkable brightness. Nose in glass is of the red fruit spectrum, mostly of berries. Some violet, rose, lavender and pennyroyal aromatics, ripe raspberries, and orange peel in there too as well as Baharat spice (a Persian spice mix), and earth. On the palate, it is firmly assertive with blood orange, red plum, red apple skin on a substrate of fir needles. A pronounced juiciness mid palate, medium tannins, medium long finish. Unlike the previous vintage which is more honeyed, this one is more structured and assertive. A little cellar time would reward even more.

My picks for food pairings would be Veal Escalope or Persian Lamb Shanks, or even a parchment wrapped Baked Petrale Sole or Atlantic Cod with herbs (thyme, marjoram and parsley).

Cheers,
Nikolai

Harvest Date: Equinox-September 22, 2021
“Summa Vineyard Clones” Undisclosed
pH 3.47
TA 6.3g/L
13.7% Alcohol
Unfined and Unfiltered
Bottled May 15, 2023

140 cases produced.

Double Gold and Best of Class Winner, 98PTS, 2024 Sunset International Wine Competition.

Gold Medal Winner, 2024 SF Chronicle Wine Competition

Gold Medal Winner, 2024 Orange County Fair Commercial Wine Competition