2023 RAEN - Pinot Noir Sonoma Freestone Occidental Bodega Vineyard (750ml)
RAEN Winery was founded in 2013 by brothers Carlo and Dante Mondavi, sons of Tim Mondavi and grandsons of the legendary Robert Mondavi. After their family sold the original Robert Mondavi Winery, the brothers set out to build something distinctly their own on the rugged western hills of the Sonoma Coast, focused entirely on cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from a handful of singular vineyard sites. Working alongside winemaker Melanie McIntyre, they have built a reputation for wines defined by tension, savoriness, and a strong sense of place rather than sheer power.
Bodega Vineyard sits just behind Bodega Bay between the coastal villages of Freestone and Occidental, close enough to the Pacific that fog and constant ocean breezes shape the fruit each morning. At just 1.8 acres, it holds the oldest meter-by-meter planting of Pinot Noir on the Sonoma Coast, farmed entirely by hand due to its steep slope and dense vine spacing. The 2023 growing season ran unusually long and cool, pushing harvest into early October, and the grapes were fermented with one hundred percent whole clusters before aging in neutral French oak and bottling without fining or filtration.
The wine shows red cherry, red plum, and raspberry fruit intertwined with violet, wild herb, and wet stone notes, carried by bright, steely acidity. The palate is concentrated yet lifted, with a long, mineral-driven finish. Pair it with roasted duck, grilled quail, or a wild mushroom tart.