The winery was originally established in 1975 by Cecil De Loach, a firefighter from San Francisco and his wife Christine, in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. In 2003 the estate was acquired by Burgundian Jean-Claude Boisset, who recognised the similarities this cool climate Californian area had with his native Burgundy and the potential it held for the Pinot Noir grape variety. They have 7 hectares under vine which are farmed organically [certification in 2008] and biodynamically [certification in 2010], planted with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel, but Pinot Noir is their passion and their flagship variety. De Loach also partner with other like-minded growers and source grapes from some of the oldest vineyards in the Russian River Valley. With Boisset having two generations of Burgundian winemaking experience behind him, it is not surprising that De Loach employ the Burgundian techniques of small lot winemaking and punch-downs. They also use open-top French wooden fermentation barrels, whilst most Californian winemakers use stainless steel to ferment their wines, De Loach believe that wood brings out the best from their varietals. These terroir-driven award-winning wines, are true representations of their vineyards, expressing the nuances of each site, and for wines of this quality represent terrific value for money!
www.deloachvineyards.com