After an incredibly rainy and cold winter, we are excited to be heading into spring here at Donum. The cold weather helped push the vines into a much longer dormancy than we have seen the last few years, resulting in a late bud break which is generally better as it helps shorten the potential frost season. And while the huge rain storms caused chaos on California’s roadways, they were a blessing for our vineyards as our soil profiles and reservoirs were completely replenished. All in all, 2023 is off to an excellent start, and we are looking forward to the growing season.

Another exciting update is that towards the end of 2022, Donum achieved our Regenerative Organic Certification® (ROC®) which certifies not only our commitment to organic farming, but also taking care of the piece of land we are responsible for, including not just the soil and plants, but the people and animals that share this estate. By focusing on bringing more to the land than we take from it each year, we not only make the best possible wines - as healthy vines with a deep root system produce the best fruit - but we also ensure that Donum will continue to be able to produce great wines far into the future.





We have several exciting wines featured in your Spring Allocation. Due to the challenges of the 2020 vintage, we did not produce a great deal of reserve wine, but the ones we did produce are outstanding, as we were extremely selective with the final blends. The first is the White Barn Pinot Noir, which uses whole cluster fermentation and early harvesting to show off the savory, earthy side of Carneros Pinot. With plenty of tannins, this wine pairs beautifully with heavier dishes despite being lower in alcohol. Next is the Mikado Tree Pinot Noir, which features California heritage clones Swan and Mt. Eden. These California clone selections are perfectly suited for our climate, setting a small crop of very small berries yielding a very dense, concentrated pinot noir while maintaining an elegant, balanced finish. Last up is the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir blended from multiple blocks across our Angel Camp Vineyard. With 2020 being picked a little bit earlier than usual, this version of the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir is particularly balanced with beautiful red and black fruit joined by floral and mineral elements.

As always, thank you for supporting Donum, and we hope to see you at our Spring Member Experience, May 19 - 21, 2023, where you will have the opportunity to taste a selection of our library wines and preview wines from the 2021 vintage.

Dan Fishman
Vice President of Winemaking & Vineyards
Winemaker