the vineyards
Dutton Goldfield 2001 Devil's Gulch Ranch Pinot Noir, Marin County:
"This wine is a WOW! Wine from the first sniff. Deep rich ripe berry aromas a concentration that explodes on the palate. This wine has fruit, has body richness, has enough tannin for a real backbone, and balanced to age a good while in the bottle. A rare, special find. This wine has lots of everything." -- Narsai David
Devil's Gulch Ranch in PinoFile Vol 4, issue 34
Located on a steep, convoluted hillside adjacent to the Point Reyes Peninsula in Western Marin County, Devil's Gulch is a pioneering planting. Mark primarily grows Pinot Noir grapes, but the vineyards also contain a small amount of Chardonnay, which is used to produce sparkling wine, and a very small amount of Gewurztraminer.
Vineyard Management:
Mark has been farming winegrapes since establishing his first vineyard in 1980. He now manages and/or consults for much of the winegrapes grown in Marin County. He sits on the boards of the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Petaluma Gap Winegrowers Alliance, and the Marin County Winegrowers Association.
ABOUT THE PINOT:
Pinot Noir fans appreciate exotic vineyard sites and eccentric vineyard owners. Mark Pasternak and his Devil's Gulch Vineyard fit the bill on both accounts. The ranch combines steep terraces, shallow soil, an extremely cool location, protected exposures, and well-chosen Dijon clonal selections to produce a small crop of unique Pinot Noir. This Pinot jumps out of the glass with vivid aromas of cranberries, raspberries, leather, and nutmeg. It is a wine to be quaffed with good and great friends!
ABOUT THE GEWURZTRAMINER:
At ripeness the tiny berries show a beautiful pink color and burst with floral fruit flavor. The Gewurztraminer is a collaboration between Mark & Dan Goldfield (Dutton-Goldfield Winery) with only a very few cases going to a very few favorite customers. And Mark has assured the winery that he will consume any of the small production not scarfed by the rest of them. The intensity and beauty of the aromas from this wine are obvious the moment the cork is pulled. Lilacs, grapefruit, ripe peaches and granite are just some of the descriptors that might come to mind. A wine to be enjoyed, well chilled, on the deck with good friends.