Sonoma: The Final Chapter of Our 2024 Cultivation Trip

This post is my fourth and final installment about the 2024 cultivation trip for the Atlanta High Museum Wine Auction. My wife Dio and I have been exploring wine country for nearly a week now, representing the High Museum in meetings with numerous wineries. If you're interested in catching up on the background and what we've been up to so far, check out my first post about our initial self-guided days in Napa, the second post covering the official start of the High Museum cultivation activities, and my third post about our second day of official Napa vineyard visits.

Since the remainder of our winery visits would be in Sonoma over the next two days, our group moved to hotels in the charming town of Healdsburg. We started the day by checking out of our hotel in Yountville and making the scenic drive over the mountains. The official plan for the day included two wineries for two official tastings. However, even though we visited two wineries, it ended up being just one tasting! More on that later…

THE RUSTIC CHARM OF LIMERICK LANE

We turned down a rustic, charming road called "Limerick Lane" thus immediately answering my question, "Why is the winery called Limerick Lane?" Our destination: Limerick Lane Cellars. Once we entered their charming tasting room, we were immediately poured the 2021 Limerick Lane Rosé.

After a few sips of this lovely wine with its melon notes and slightly sour edge - with me scoring it 90 points - we met the owner, Karen Francis DeGolia. She invited us outside for a short walk. We enjoyed our tasting in the middle of their historic vineyard just steps from the winery and tasting room. This marked the second "Historic Vineyard" I'd visited on this trip. Having become somewhat versed in head-trained vines after seeing those old "gnarly" vines at Palisades Canyon a few days earlier in our Napa explorations, I recognized them immediately here as well.

We immediately began discussing the wine auction. Limerick Lane had participated in the past and was eager to re-join as a participating winery. This was music to our ears! We told them we wanted them back, and they confirmed their interest. With business matters settled, it was time to get to know them better and drink some more wine from these gnarly vines!

We tasted their 2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Block 1910, a Zin-dominant blend. This elegant, not-jammy Zinfandel was very nice, earning 91 points from me.

Karen explained that Limerick Lane's current winemaker came from making Pinots, which are known for their elegance, so he produces more refined Zinfandels rather than the jammy style many associate with California Zins.

Karen then shared her remarkable journey with the winery. In the early 90s, she helped establish Limerick Lane Cellars alongside her fiancé Tom Collins, even etching their initials in the concrete floor when the winery was built in 1993. Their work together bringing these historic vineyards back to life created the foundation for what would become one of Russian River Valley's most respected producers.

Tragically, Tom passed away unexpectedly, and since they weren't yet married, ownership went to his brother. Karen left to pursue her career elsewhere, though her heart remained connected to this special place. She returned in 2002 hoping to reconnect with the winery, even living on property and working various roles from harvest to the tasting room.

When that chapter didn't feel quite right, Karen found another way to keep ties to the land she loved - purchasing the neighboring Ricci vineyard. This allowed her to remain part of the wine community while building her primary career elsewhere. When Jake Bilbro, the winery's then-owner, decided to relocate permanently to Idaho in 2022, Karen seized the opportunity. Almost three decades after helping build it, she returned as owner of Limerick Lane Cellars—now a 53-acre estate that stands as one of Russian River Valley's iconic properties.

After this story, she showed us where she and Tom had engraved their initials in the concrete floor right outside the winery. The initials are still there today! I took a picture of Dio at the winery near where the initials are, but the story Karen told was too personal so I didn’t feel right snapping pics of the actual initials themselves.

We then went back into the winery to taste their third wine - 2021 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Squatter's Hill. This easy-drinking Zin was very good, earning 90 points from me.

I told Karen I'd like to share a bottle of their wine with our group at dinner and asked for a suggestion of what their "signature" wine would be. I bought a bottle of that signature Zin, the 2021 Limerick Lane Estate Cuvée.

A WINE BOTTLE-SHAPED POOL

After learning they would be participating in the wine auction, Karen mentioned she'll be donating a stay at their "Vineyard Farmhouse" as an auction lot. This is a house she owns close to the winery. They also have an “Estate Home” that is available for stays. She asked if we had time to see that home, and we enthusiastically agreed!

We took a quick couple-minute drive over to the Estate Home and toured the grounds and the home of this wonderful home. My pictures and videos don't quite capture the beauty of the property, but Limerick Lane has some fantastic videos on their website that showcase both properties perfectly. Check out these videos of the properties.

The Guest house that we saw:

Her'e’s a video of the inside and outside of the farmhouse that you can bid on at the Auction in March 2025! The property’S marketing describes it perfectly: "Wake up to breathtaking vineyard views, savor your morning coffee with the soft rustle of the vines, and unwind by our one-of-a-kind wine bottle-shaped pool. Located just minutes from downtown Healdsburg, it's your gateway to the best of Sonoma County."

And if you want more information about ththeis farmhouse, check out their website.

Although we knew it would happen, we later learned that Limerick Lane will officially be participating in the auction!

LITTORAI: NO TASTING, BUT A PROMISING ANNIVERSARY

After a quick lunch at Pizzando back in Healdsburg, we drove to Littorai and met with Ted Lemon, owner and legendary winemaker. This was actually Dio and my third time meeting with Ted. We initially met him at a High Museum winemaker dinner back in Atlanta, which I described in my first wine country adventure post. That meeting led us to join his wine club and later visit the estate for a proper tasting. Today's visit marked our second time at the property.

However - and this was a first for us - in both the 2023 cultivation trip (you can read about that visit here) and so far during our current cultivation adventure, this is the first time we weren’t offered a tasting! Instead, we were just hanging out in Ted's office with him and his dogs, talking about the wine auction and his "potential" participation. Ted explained that they're frankly just not really doing too many events like wine auctions anymore. But Ted clearly has a soft spot for us - and especially for Caryl, our former High Wine Auction co-chair who joined us for this visit. The fact that she drove with us all the way out to see him definitely scored some points.

One of the things Ted said he was considering donating, if he decided to attend, was an auction lot going back years - magnums of his wine from their library for their 30th anniversary. The lot would include magnums from various vintages throughout their winemaking history. Wow!

Even though we didn't share any wine during the meeting, Ted graciously offered us wine to share at our group dinner that night. He asked if we wanted reds or whites. I immediately spoke up and said "White!" I chose this because I've been a Littorai member since that first winemaker dinner in Atlanta and now have mostly Littorai pinots in my cellar - so I wanted to drink their Chardonnay! It was a lovely visit and it was so nice of Ted to share his wines with our group.

Note that after we returned home, we learned that Ted confirmed they will be attending and donating an auction lot of 9 of his magnums (plus several other wines in different formats!) Plus, Littorai will be participating in a Thursday winemaker dinner!

LAST SUPPER WITH THE CULTIVATION CREW

We then headed back to Healdsburg for our next group event: dinner at Arandas in Healdsburg. This would be our last official group dinner of the trip.

With dinner, I opened the 2021 Limerick Lane Estate Cuvée that I'd purchased at the tasting room earlier that day. As I mentioned earlier, Karen had recommended it as their "signature wine" when I mentioned wanting to share something with our group. It turned out to be heavy and bit syrupy with prominent dark red fruit notes. While it paired nicely with the steak and potatoes I ordered, this particular style isn't really my cup of tea, so to speak. I still gave it 91 points as it was a well made expression of Zin.

We also did our own Gemstone tasting with the "tasting kit" that Gemstone gave us (you can read about how we received this kit in my post about the official start of our cultivation trip). No detailed notes on these wines, but they were really good showings and everyone enjoyed them.

The two Littorai Chardonnays that Ted gave us were - of course - fabulous. Littorai makes some of my favorite new world Chardonnay. I remember someone at the table wanting to skip trying this wine for some reason, maybe due to all the wine we'd already tasted that week. I told them, "You should really give this a try, it's some of the best California white wine that's being made today." Of course, then that person relented and loved it! We also enjoyed various other wines that other folks brought - too many to remember them all, but they rounded out an excellent dinner experience.

It was a really good meal and great to catch up again with everyone, including our friends Dain and Lauren Reeves. If you recall, they had joined us for the first part of our trip (mentioned in my first post about this journey) and are 10-year veterans of the auction. They've been participating in the auction even longer than Dio and I have been collecting wine!

We took a group pic in the restaurant to commemorate our last time all being together during this trip.

And then outside, right before we went our separate ways to our various hotels, we took a fun group pic.

A FORTUITOUS TEXT CONNECTION

Around this time, I received this text from winemaker and friend Adrian Manspeaker:

"Brad meet GW, GW meet Brad. I wanted to connect you guys since Brad and his wife Dio are in town. I gave both of you guys a little background on each other. GW makes killer Pinots and Brad and Dio love wine and happen to be involved in the High Museum Wine Auction in Atlanta. Brad is wrapping up a lunch at 2ish in Healdsburg and headed to Red Car around 3:30 so there might be time if your schedule allows for you guys to meet. Hopefully you guys can connect."

I texted G.W. and told him I thought we could make it work and would check with our final day tasting group for their availability.

BEHIND THE SCENES: FERRARI OF BOTTLING LINES

During that dinner with Adrian at Cyrus Restaurant earlier in the trip, he had surprised me with an incredible invitation to join him at Raymond Burr Vineyards to witness their first use of a newly installed Italian bottling system. This was exactly the kind of behind-the-scenes experience that makes wine country so special, and I immediately accepted.

I was super excited, especially since the closest I had ever been to a bottling line was at Fratelli Serio and Battista Borgogno in Barolo back in 2023 (you can check out that post HERE).

So, I woke up early on August 15th and made the 15-minute drive from our Healdsburg hotel to Raymond Burr Vineyards. The tasting room at Raymond Burr was closed that day, but I took pictures and a 360-degree video of the outside of the tasting room and views of the vineyard. Stunning!

After arriving, I texted Adrian to let him know I was there, and he told me to "walk around back." That's when I saw it! Basically a big tractor-trailer scale enclosed bottling plant.

I hung back and just watched what was happening for several minutes as Adrian was super busy. He was working with the bottling plant tech/rep, helping get everything working, troubleshooted, calibrated, and dialed in. It was fascinating to witness the behind-the-scenes reality of a winery's first day with new equipment - complete with all the adjustments and fine-tuning that rarely gets seen by visitors.

When the bottling line started running a bit more smoothly, I asked Adrian if he could describe, in a video for my blog, what was going on and how this thing worked, along with whatever else he thought would be interesting to share. I didn't really know what kinds of questions to ask because I've never been this close to a bottling line, much less present for a bottling. This was completely new to me.

It's funny, there were a couple of false starts with the filming because as soon as we started filming, things would stop working or would need fine-tuning. Talk about getting the authentic "first day" experience!

Once things finally got moving well, we were ready to film for the blog! Adrian walked me through the impressive new Italian bottling system, explaining how it transforms empty glass bottles into finished, labeled wine through a series of precise steps. The process begins with preparation - dust is removed from bottles and nitrogen is added to create a protective environment. The bottles then move to filling stations before being perfectly leveled to ensure the exact 750ml volume.

He showed me the corking mechanism and then the labeling system, which requires carefully calibrated timing to ensure front and back labels are perfectly positioned. What struck me was both the complexity of the system and Adrian's obvious enthusiasm for this significant upgrade to their production capabilities.

It's no wonder owner Don refers to this expensive Italian machine as his "Ferrari" - the precision engineering was impressive to witness firsthand! After the video tour, I found out that the bottling plant's location that day was just its temporary home. They are digging out an area to install it permanently.

Soon, the owner of Raymond Burr, Don, wandered over to where I was watching. He turned out to be not just incredibly knowledgeable but also absolutely hilarious. He told me that Adrian had apparently convinced him to buy this Italian bottling line. Considering the machine costs around $180K (which is roughly the same price as that particular exotic sports car - a car that he would now not be able to buy!) and because of the line’s Italian craftsmanship, Don had taken to calling this line his Ferrari.

TASTING STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE

Adrian then asked if I'd like to taste some wine out of the tanks since the tasting room was closed, including the wine they were currently bottling. Of course I said yes! The first wine we tried was the 2022 Raymond Burr Cabernet Sauvignon Gustafson Vineyard. This was the wine they were actively bottling. Adrian pulled a glass directly from the tank, allowing me to taste what was flowing through the red hose over to the bott;omg line at that very moment. It showed nice red fruit characteristics and was surprisingly approachable for such a young wine, though it did have somewhat noticeable tannins. I scored this very nice cab 92 points.

Adrian then moved to another tank and offered me a taste of their 2022 Raymond Burr Grenache Old Vine from Mendocino County. As I sipped, he shared a fascinating story about this wine's creation. It turns out this wine represents a blend of what were originally intended to be two separate wines - a Joseph Jewell Grenache and a Raymond Burr Grenache. The Raymond Burr portion was made with whole cluster fermentation while the Joseph Jewell wasn't. Adrian explained that neither wine was quite hitting the mark on its own, but after some experimentation, they discovered they tasted much better blended together. The resulting wine had spent 8 months in barrel and comes from vines in Mendocino County that are almost 70 years old. I was really impressed by the final result and scored it 93 points.

I then took videos following the hose line from the tanks back to the bottling plant, tracking the wine's journey from storage to bottle.

After the tasting, instead of continuing to stand around watching everyone work, I asked if I could jump in and help on the bottling line. Don's girlfriend was on the station that takes the finished bottled wine and puts it into the box. She was SO up for me to take over that she literally ran away once she gave me the quick training! I was there packing boxes of wine for about 20 minutes, wondering if she would ever return! Luckily, she did!

Since the tasting room was closed that day, I asked if I could still buy a bottle of the wine they were bottling. Adrian said yes, so I just Venmo'd him for the purchase and grabbed myself a bottle - which means I purchased the first ever estate bottled wine from Raymond Burr!

Adrian also let me grab an unused cork, an unused capsule, and some unused stickers as souvenirs.

These are now all proudly displayed in my home. I won't ever open this particular bottle of wine because it's too special, but I'll definitely buy some of this wine once it's on sale to the public and will share it along with this story to anyone who will listen!

As I was about to depart, Adrian told me the Joseph Jewell Vermentino we fell in love with at the Jewell Lunch in Atlanta (you can read about that event HERE) comes from this very vineyard! I hadn't put one and one together, but I googled it quickly - there it is (Raymond Burr Vineyard) right on the label of the Vermentino!

As I drove away, I grabbed a pic of the vineyard of Vermentino next to the winery's sign.

MAISON HEALDSBURG: A THANK YOU LUNCH

Next was another "Thank you" lunch that the High Museum hosted to thank wineries for their past support of the auction. This one was at Maison Healdsburg Wine Bar.

It was good to catch up with Sam Lando of Lando Wines, whose Russian River Valley Pinots and Chardonnays have become some of our favorites since discovering them a few years ago. We also got to know Steve Friend and his wife, owners of Collectible Fine Wine and Maison, also long-time supporters of the High Museum Wine Auction.

The wine selection that Steve put together at Maison was particularly impressive. I started with a pour of 2017 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru - Morgeot that immediately caught my attention. When it comes to white Burgundy, I can be pretty picky, but this one delivered on all fronts - I ended up scoring this lovely wine 94 points.

Next came the 2022 Lando Halo Proprietary Blend Russian River Valley Chardonnay that same brought, which offered a nice contrast to the Burgundy. Sam's wines never disappoint, and this domestic Chardonnay was no exception, earning 91 points from me.

We also sampled offerings from Three Sticks and Brick & Mortar that rounded out the tasting nicely. The entire lineup showcased exactly why these producers have been such strong supporters of the auction over the years.

Sam told the story of his winery to the group and was very proud that his son Henry is helping out with harvest and getting into the family business! What a great guy and amazing storyteller.

ALL ABOARD THE RED CAR JOURNEY

While at Maison, we met up with our tasting group for the rest of the afternoon and confirmed plans to visit Lussier Wine Co. after our Red Car Wine appointment. We'd need to make the Lussier visit quick though, as several members of our group had flights and travel arrangements scheduled later that day - it was, after all, our final day of the trip. With plans set, we drove to Red Car.

Upon entering the tasting room, we were struck by its stylish yet rustic ambiance.

Our host started us off with a pour of 2023 Red Car Rosé of Pinot Noir. He explained how it spends some time in neutral oak, which contributes to its light, refreshing quality with beautiful balance and creamy texture. I immediately appreciated how accessible it was - scoring it 92 points.

As we settled in, an attractively arranged charcuterie board appeared at our table - perfect for pairing with the wines to come.

During our tasting, our host shared Red Car Wine's fascinating origin story. The founders were wine enthusiasts who decided to start a winery focusing initially on Syrah. Their first vintage in 2000 was just 50 cases from purchased fruit, but it sold out quickly. They continued with that model through 2005, maintaining Syrah as their signature grape.

The turning point came when they acquired an estate property and planted Syrah in 2006, while also beginning to work with Pinot Noir. After receiving significant recognition from Wine Spectator, they strategically shifted their focus toward Pinot, though they still maintain about 15% Syrah production as a nod to their roots. Their rosé program started in 2011.

The 2021 Red Car Chardonnay Estate Vineyard came next. While beautifully made, I found it fruitier and more acidic than I typically prefer, giving it 89 points.

Our host explained that they now maintain two estate vineyards while leasing several other sites, working with a dedicated vineyard management team and insisting on hand selection for all their grapes.

The 2021 Red Car Pinot Noir Estate showed interesting cherry and pomegranate notes with surprisingly firm tannins for a Pinot. Its complexity earned it 92 points from me.

I was curious about the winery's distinctive name, and our host showed us a book titled "Ride the BIG RED CARS" about the Los Angeles trolley system that would take city residents from downtown to the beach - a perfect metaphor for their wines' journey.

We tasted the 2021 Red Car Pinot Noir Heaven & Earth next, which our host indicated had historical significance as the wine that convinced them to pivot toward Pinot Noir. Its expressive cherry nose, bright ruby color, and 13% alcohol made it super approachable - another 92-pointer.

We finished with their 2019 Red Car Syrah Estate from vines planted in 2006. Growing in ancient marine uplift soils, this wine displayed fascinating blue fruit characteristics with notes reminiscent of magic marker and Dr. Pepper. Its medium tannins and spice gave it a substantial presence with a dry finish. I initially scored it 90 points, but when paired with the charcuterie, it elevated to 92 - settling on 91 overall.

We then discussed the wine auction and their potential participation.

LIGHTNING ROUND WITH LUSSIER: FASTEST TASTING EVER?

Next, we drove to see G.W. of Lussier Wine Co. for a "quick tasting." This might be the quickest tasting I've ever done!

We arrived and met G.W. Lussier, a military vet who makes wine for Moshin Vineyards where our tasting was taking place. He also makes his own wine at this same facility. G.W. poured through his lineup with impressive efficiency - we were literally tasting at lightning speed.

He started with something different, pouring the 2023 Lussier Old Vines Chenin Blanc Green Valley from Solano County. This was actually the third Chenin Blanc I'd tasted during our trip - an uncommon variety to find in California compared to Chardonnay. As he poured, he mentioned it was made from organically farmed fruit. The wine delivered lovely lemon tart notes that immediately grabbed my attention. I was impressed enough to give it 93 points and made a mental note to grab some for my cellar.

Barely had I finished jotting down my thoughts when the next wine appeared - the 2022 Lussier Pinot Noir Signal Ridge Vineyard from Mendocino Ridge. G.W. noted he did about 25% whole cluster fermentation on this one as I swirled and sniffed. It was showing beautifully even as a pop-and-pour, with spicy notes and a complex profile that carried good weight. This earned a solid 92 points from me.

"And now for something special," G.W. said with a slight smile as he poured the 2022 Lussier Pinot Noir Golden Fleece from Anderson Valley. One sip and I knew this was the standout of the flight. Despite noticeable tannins, it had a lovely balance and depth that clearly distinguished it from the others. This was easily worth 94 points and definitely something I wanted in my cellar back home.

As we tasted, we told G.W. about the High Museum Wine Auction. While he was familiar with wine auction events in general, he hadn't participated in this one before. His eyes lit up as he shared details about his family's property - not just a vineyard, but a working farm with farm-to-table vegetables and ample area for bird hunting. We brainstormed how these unique elements could create a compelling auction lot combining wine, food, and sporting experiences. By the time we finished our tasting, the High Museum representatives had exchanged contact information with G.W. to continue exploring participation possibilities.

We then got a quick tour of the Moshin winery facility where G.W. makes his wines. I snapped a few photos of the barrels and of G.W. explaining his winemaking approach.

I think our visit was maybe 20 minutes long? If that...

BACK HOME WITH TREASURED BOTTLES

Since we didn't have time to purchase wines at Lussier, and because I was really impressed with the wines, especially given the price point, I ordered a case once I got back to Atlanta - six bottles of Chenin Blanc and six bottles of Pinot Noir.

Also, when G.W. reached out about participating in the auction, there were not enough slots initially. But in a turn of events, a winery cancelled their participation a few months before the auction, so we were able to get Lussier in to participate and he created that amazing auction lot we spoke about!

Since then, I've helped Adrian of Joseph Jewell and G.W. of Lussier arrange a private tasting of their wines together in Atlanta during the Wine Auction week.

REFLECTING ON AN EXTRAORDINARY WEEK

Looking back on this incredible journey through wine country, a few experiences stand out above the rest. The visit to Palisades Canyon was easily my favorite winery experience, tasting some of the most extraordinary wines from 60-year-old vines. The unforgettable meal at Cyrus was a gastronomic masterpiece that I'm still thinking about. And the most unique experience had to be helping with the bottling line at Raymond Burr - a true behind-the-scenes look at winemaking that most visitors never get to see.

Other standout moments included meeting legendary winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, experiencing two amazing established producers on Pritchard Hill (Chappellet and Continuum), and being one of the first to taste wines from one of my favorite winemakers, Nigel Kinsman, at his Annulus project.

For my complete tasting notes on all the wines mentioned in this post, check out my CellarTracker notes:

EXPERIENCE THESE WINERIES AT THE HIGH MUSEUM AUCTION

If you're interested in experiencing the magic of these incredible wineries yourself without leaving Atlanta, mark your calendars for the High Museum Wine Auction happening March 20-22, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. I highly recommend purchasing a benefactor package to attend one of the winemaker dinners featuring many of the amazing wineries I've written about in these posts.

Check out the wineries participating in the winemaker dinners: