We recently visited the winery to taste through an extensive flight of highly lauded vineyard-designate Pinots dating back to 2016, and the 2019 Angel Camp was unequivocally "the one." Among this collection of storied veterans, it emerged as the most alluring, vibrant, and fresh example, remarkably retaining that "crunchy" cranberry energy typically reserved for a new release.

This bottle is a testament to the twenty-five-year partnership between legendary grower Steve Dutton and Pinot master Dan Goldfield—a duo that has defined the bedrock of cool-climate viticulture in Sonoma and beyond. The Angel Camp Vineyard itself is a site of both immense beauty and "good karma," planted by Dan’s friend Brian Zalaznick on a gravelly knoll overlooking the Navarro River in Anderson Valley. This 10-acre masterpiece is a thoughtful "hodgepodge" of Pommard, 828, and 667 clones, each contributing a specific layer to the architecture: Pommard for its earthy richness, 828 for high-toned fruit, and 667 for deep concentration and focus.

Five years of careful bottle aging have transformed this 95-point Pinot into a masterclass of tertiary complexity. While the 2019 pulses with that signature vibrant fruit, it has now unfurled to reveal sophisticated layers of forest floor, exotic spice, and a voluptuous, velvety tannin structure. It is a supremely cool-climate expression—fresh, layered, and hauntingly aromatic—capturing the wild, coastal soul of Mendocino with precision and grace. This is a wine built for the table; pair it with grilled salmon or a roasted duck preparation napped with sautéed wild mushrooms to see its full brilliance.