Wait till you see the bottle Madson Wines’ 2019 Pinot Noir comes in! It has to be one of the most beautiful art pieces in the Santa Cruz Mountains appellation. Totally handmade by potter Drake Bialecki of Pacific Stone Pottery, the bottle is filled with an outstanding Pinot Noir by Cole Thomas, winemaker/owner of Madson Wines. An amazing collaboration of potter and winemaker, lovers of fine Pinot and skillfully made pottery will truly appreciate and treasure each bottle.
The family-owned Toyon Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains produces superb Pinot grapes, which Thomas snaps up when they’re ready to harvest. Although the vineyard is not certified organic, everything is organically farmed. What matters to the Toyons is the quality of the soil and their environmentally conscious farming practices. Only three miles from the ocean, the Pinot grapes get the right amount of cooling temperatures and cloud coverage that they need. After Thomas turns them into wine, the end result is bright aromas of strawberry, raspberry and plum with intense flavors of red fruit, peppercorn, spice–complete with a warm layer of characteristic earthiness. In a nutshell, as well as the bottle, Thomas’ 2019 Toyon Vineyard Pinot Noir is also a work of art.
This 2019 Pinot Noir in a beautiful handmade bottle is $180, but you can also buy it in a regular bottle for $50.
Visit madsonwines.com and for tasting appointments contact Chelsea Howells at in**@ma*********.com, or call 831-454-6045.
For information on Drake Bialecki, visit pacificstonepottery.com.
Perrucci Family Vineyard
A wine tasting at Perrucci Family Vineyard recently with my Wild Wine Women group was an absolute delight. Not only did we taste some impressive award-winning wines, but owner Greg Perrucci also made pizza for all of us in his wood-fired oven. Unfortunately, Perrucci is not open to the public, but this family-run business holds events for wine club members, and also ships its wines. Visit perruccifamily.com for info.
