Fahri Diner and his wife, Constance, purchased the estate in 2001 and immediately went to work making world-class wine as naturally as possible. Skipstone is Certified Organic through CCOF and they operate accordingly: “Nothing stands above our devoted partnership with the earth. This is more than a commitment to the vineyard and quality of our fruit, we believe it’s the right thing to do for our planet and future generations.” They don’t say this lightly either: Skipstone welcomes insects and predatory birds, uses organic compost, plants a dizzying number of cover crops (oats, peas, beans), and eschews chemicals of any form. They also make olive oil (Fahri is a proud Cypriot) and an impressive sparkling wine with the help of Champagne Diebolt-Vallois—one of my favorite Blanc de Blancs producers. 

Skipstone’s 200-acre property is planted to 30 acres of vines in curving valleys and steep hillsides within Alexander Valley—a short drive northwest of the border with Napa. Twenty different vineyard lots were used for this bottle, of which had to be harvested within an extremely small window in the second week of September. Despite the chaos, Skipstone’s dedicated team didn’t flinch at the daunting task and, as a result, came out with a beautifully ripe crop. The handpicked grapes fermented individually on their skins, some for an astounding 38 days, in stainless steel tanks and were then transferred into 72% new French oak for 19 months. The wine was bottled without fining or filtration in the middle of 2017, but wasn’t officially released until it had rested an additional 15 months!

Seeing as this bursts with purified explosions of decadent black, red, and blue fruits that are entwined with volcanic minerals, finely crushed spices, and brooding structure (guaranteeing a long life), this is one to go all in on. The 2015 pours a pitch-black and dark purple core moving out to a deep ruby reflection on the rim. It’s powerful, unafraid to swing for the fences when it’s a full count. Alluring, high-toned aromas blast out of the glass like a furnace, revealing créme de cassis and black raspberry liqueur, followed by huckleberry, black cherries, graphite, smoke, chocolate truffle, licorice, fresh violets, tobacco leaf, and a multitude of piquant baking spices. Though it has plenty of weight and density, there is a pronounced structure here that avoids a “tiring” sensation. Many cult-styled wines are either undrinkable in their youth or so overly extracted you need a knife to cut through it. Skipstone is neither. The full-bodied palate is indulgent and polished with plush dark fruit and a mineral intensity accented by a wonderfully fresh lift on the finish. A dense, mouthwatering structure and soft-shouldered tannins allow for a fully enjoyable wine right now, but there is no rush to consume should you want to track its evolution—expect this to keep 15+ years. When consuming, pour into large Bordeaux stems around 65 degrees (not room temperature!) and add to the “cheat day” with a medium-rare ribeye or the attached braised beef short ribs.