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Deauratus

To be frank, there are a lot California wines out there right now. Very few matter. This one does. This is what happens when 2 world renowned winemakers break off and start their own project.

It was recently brought to our attention that there is a new project out of California, started by two of the most highly disciplined winemakers who have stealthily been the masterminds behind one of California's most revered wines to ever exist-- Ridge's Montebello. Eric Baugher and Shun Ishikubo helped define Ridge’s modern era, garnishing multiple 100 point scores for their wines, and helping to maintain Ridge as one of the top wineries to ever exist on the west coast.  Now with their new project, Deauratus, and their longstanding connections, they have been given the chance to work site-by-site, cherrypicking off top vineyards across California to craft their wines. This is not a side project. It’s their deliberate return to site-driven California wines, sourcing one vineyard at a time.

Deaurātus is Latin for “golden.”  And these two guys have the midas touch.

We recently tasted their first releases and were taken back by not just the quality and deliciousness of the wines, but what they delivered for the low price point as compared to wines of the same pedigree. They are precise, structured, and quietly powerful, more about balance than excess, in the same way that Ridge has held steady in their ways for so many decades. Dare i say it, but these were picture perfect wines, that speak fluently of the grape variety in which they came. They have soul, energy, California sunshine, mountain fruit, it's as if they could capture the pure essence of cabernet, zinfandel, and chardonnay and captured it in a bottle. 

Everything is single vineyard sourced, old vines, high elevation fruit, and aged in oak...

The Cabernet "Jillian" is all mountain Paso fruit from 2000 feet of elevation, vines grown on limestone and chalk-rich shale. Massive diurnal swings in temperature, preserve native acidity and are key to the profound aromatic detail. 

The  Zinfandel "Zabaco Rancho" is all Dry Creek Valley from this historic Sonoma site that shows what Zinfandel looks like when it’s not pushed, from 60-year-old, head-trained vines on the famous St. George rootstock from a mountainside Dry Creek parcel full of iron-rich soils.  If you love Ridge zins, this is similarly classic, sharpened snd pedigreed, with spice, structure, and lift instead of excess.  A zin you can surely age.

The Chardonnay "Michaud Vineyard" is tucked into the Gabilan Mountains, the Chalone AVA is one of the most isolated and geologically distinct winegrowing zones in California. with an elevation of 1,800 feet on an open, wind-battered plateau, it is dry, with high-diurnal temperature swings keeping this mountain fruit ripe but with acidity locked in. 60 year old vines grown on limestone make this clearly one of the great sites of California.

We have a small drop of these wines available, as most of their production is being eaten up by Europe and Japan. At these prices, we think Deauratus  is one of the smartest buys in serious California wine right now.  I hope you agree.  

We are really excited to get these into your wine glasses!

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