Greetings from Donum! Each member letter is a pleasure to write, but if I am being honest, the fall letter is probably my favorite. All the hard work our vineyard team has put in throughout the growing season is finally paying off during the most exciting time of the year: harvest. What started out as a late vintage has gradually accelerated thanks to July’s warm temperatures, and right now we’re about a week behind the average year. As I write this, we are about to finish picking for sparkling wine and rosé and will soon be picking our Pinot Noir for our lighter style wines like Three Hills, Ten Oaks, and White Barn. The current weather forecast looks incredible, with highs in the 80s and low overnight temperatures—ideal conditions to finish out the ripening process. Of course, we know not to count any grapes before they are picked, but so far, this vintage is shaping up to be incredible—low yields, slow ripening, and moderate harvest weather provide the precise formula for superior quality.

This year, the fall release is focused on the 2022 vintage, particularly on wines from our home ranch in Carneros. Unlike this year, 2022 started early, with drought in the winter leading to an early budbreak and warm summer temperatures resulting in our earliest harvest ever. For many producers, the story of 2022 changed due to the Labor Day heat wave, which we saw six days in a row over 100 degrees and leading to overripe fruit. However, at Donum, we began harvest early and finished picking right before the heatwave hit, sparing us from its side effects. As a result of our early harvest, the 2022 wines are lighter in style, with elegant fruit and firm structure, meaning they will age beautifully.


Most of our Members will be receiving the 2022 Carneros Estate Pinot Noir, which, to me, epitomizes what Donum is all about: concentrated dark fruit, intense yet silky on the palate, and wonderful savory components. It’s ready to drink now, but will also age beautifully, making it a great wine to cellar. 

Next up is the 2022 West Slope Pinot Noir, a classic single-block reserve wine from our oldest and last remaining original plantings at Donum. These older vines don’t produce as much fruit as they used to, so the quantity of juicy keeps diminishing and they produce less sugar as they age, resulting in a slightly lighter Pinot Noir. However, what these vines have lost in terms of pure power they’ve more than made up for in depth, producing a wine of incredible complexity.


Also, in this release is one of our newest single-block wines, the 2022 Hypersonic Pinot Noir, made from a hillside block of Mt. Eden clone. Similar in flavor profile to our Calera clone used in our East Slope Pinot Noir, this clone is a richer, exhibiting darker black and blue fruit.

Lastly, for those interested in receiving a white wine, the 2022 Carneros Reserve Chardonnay represents the best barrels of Chardonnay from our Estate. It’s a wine with precision, intensity and a beautifully fresh finish.

As always thank you for your continued support. I look forward to sharing an update about vintage 2024 next time.

Cheers!

Dan Fishman
Director of Winemaking & Vineyards
Winemaker