2012 Zepaltas DeVoto Vineyard Pinot Noir

Zepaltas was founded by Ryan Zepaltas, a self-described Wisconsin beer drinker who moved to the Russian River Valley in 1998 and started working at wineries. A serious skateboarder, Zepaltas found he liked wine and wineries. For a while he worked at entry level jobs and harvest in other countries before returning to California and working as a winemaker. Zepaltas makes a wide range of wines from grapes sourced from numerous northern California appellations.

Sonoma Coast AVA runs from San Pablo Bay in the south to Mendocino County in the north. It includes 7,000 vineyard acres and earned AVA status in 1987. Its proximity to the Pacific Ocean means it gets double the rainfall of nearby inland appellations and the ocean gives the appellation a relatively cool climate. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can thrive in these conditions, and there are numerous producers making critically acclaimed Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.