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 The Semillon grape seldom gets to play the leading role in wine. Fortunately, vintners in the Hunter Valley of Australia have created a star in this single variety, unoaked wine with flavors of lemon, white grapefruit, Meyer lemon zest, and white peach with a touch of beeswax. With its cheerful freshness and liveliness, it belies its seven years of age and promises years of positive development to come. Australia’s Hunter Valley is the birthplace of the country’s wine industry in the early 1820’s. In 1823, the Busby family moved from Scotland to Australia where, because they were considered free settlers, they were allotted a plot of land in the Hunter Valley. In 1831 James Busby, considered the “Father of Australian Wine,” collected grape cuttings in Europe and South Africa to plant vineyards.
93 Rebecca Murphy
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Posted by Rich Cook on August 28, 2024 at 10:50 AM
One of the more recent perks of my wine gig is the occasional virtual visit with a single
estate. As we know, one of the global pandemic’s “silver linings” was massively expanded use of video meeting platforms, so now I sometimes get an opportunity to sit and taste with a winemaker even though we aren’t in the same room. No doubt this serves to reduce the carbon footprint related to my work, and the exchanges are nearly as enlightening as in-person tastings and interviews.
At Donum Estate I’m sure that’s something they’ve factored into their effort to get word about their exceptional products out to the world. It’s a rare thing to run across a producer that’s completely serious about proper stewardship of every aspect of what they do from ground to glass and beyond, and Donum succeeds in all facets of this endeavor.
 Winemaker Dan Fishman explains that the estate is one of a small handful of wineries worldwide to be certified by the ROA (Regenerative Organic Alliance) which carries a far more serious set of demands than just being certified organic or sustainable – and the dividends are already starting to show. Dan reports being able to cut water usage by fifty percent by using soil-appropriate cover crop in every block of vines, maintaining maximum moisture and allowing fruit sugar content to come down without compromising flavor profiles. While expensive to get set up, regenerative farming will pay off with longer vine life, perhaps by as much a double the usual 30-ish years for Pinot Noir. Imagine the benefit of cutting replanting costs by one hundred percent over a sixty-year time period. Additionally, overall improvement in vine health means that a high mildew pressure vintage like 2023 didn’t affect the Donum vineyards as badly as some neighboring sites.
Of course, all of this doesn’t mean much if the finished products aren’t excellent, and I’m happy to report that all the wines I’ve tasted from the property are worth seeking out. Here’s a quick overview:
 Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay “Single-Vineyard” 2021 ($75): This is very expressive right out of the starting blocks, with bright apple, pear and spice aromas taking the lead. A richly textured palate translates the aroma profile into lively flavors, and vibrant acidity washes the palate clean in the finish while leaving a lasting impression of toast and ripe apples. Beautifully realized and boldly stylized, from a vintage that delivered the possibility. 95
Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Single-Vineyard” 2021 ($95): Here’s a Pinot Noir with gravitas – from color to aroma to flavor, everything about this oozes seriousness. Deeply layered aromas of black cherry, damp earth and brown spices are alluring, and the palate delivers on that promise with a rich texture that makes it seriously enjoyable. It shows a little heat in the finish, which brings out a slight bittering character. This doesn’t offend, but rather adds an extra element to an already complex package. I’d enjoy this in the near term for its freshness. 94
Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay “Single-Vineyard” 2022 ($75): This displays a leaner style than the 2021, more restrained and elegant, but not at all lacking in flavor or aromatics. A combination of notes including bright apple, pear, dried herbs, light to moderate oak influence, and energizing acidity make this a great choice for pairing with seafood. Made without malolactic fermentation, yeast stirring, or racking. A very hands-off wine that you’ll be glad to get your hands on. 93
Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Single-Vineyard” 2022 ($95): Yet to be released, this shows wood influence that the fruit is still working to integrate. Again, this is not as ripe as the ’21 rendition, showing lots of dry earth and herb character. The fruit is rather shy at present, with mushroom and graphite notes in front. As this integrates, the lurking blackberry and cherry notes will shine. A suggestion of sarsaparilla shows, and that will gain traction over time as well. 93
Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Three Hills” 2022 ($95): This Pinot is sourced from the three evident hills on the estate. The first vintage of this bottling was the 2018, with the fruit selected from eastern/northern facing slopes that are exposed to less sun and heat. It displays very concentrated aromas, with a mix of damp and dry earth along with crushed rock and ripe strawberry fruit impressions. The earth tones shine on the palate, and a firm grip keeps the flavors dancing through the finish. Again, this is a youngster that will unfurl its fruit elements as its grip loosens with time. 94
Donum, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “TFV” 2022 ($95): The source for this is the Thomas Ferguson Vineyard, which was first planted in 1974, acquired in 2016, and then replanted. The site is marked by rocky soils, with a lot less clay content than other vineyards utilized by Donum. This is the third harvest released after the replanting. It will need some time to flesh out, as the tannins are more grippy than those in the “Three Hills” Pinot, but the wine already shows emerging notes of appealing raspberry and black cherry fruit. 95
 In addition to stewarding the land and the people working it, owners Mei and Allan Warburg are serious stewards of modern art, with the winery and vineyards housing over fifty monumental works by famous artists. So, whether it’s for the wine, the art, or both, a visit is in order if you can swing it, and you won’t be disappointed!
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Michael Apstein
Sept. 11, 2024: Indeed, I do not. During a week-long family vacation to Mexico City over Christmas last year, we drank a range of intriguing and excellent wines from Mexico, along with Tequila, Mezcal and beer, of course. My takeaway message, in addition to finding some surprisingly good Sauvignon Blancs, Nebbiolos, and orange wines, was the seeming attitude of 'let's see what works.' Although the availability of Mexican wines in general is limited in the U.S., I am writing about them because many of the ones I tasted show the promise of what that country can produce. So, consumers should be aware of Mexican wines because we're likely to see many more of them in the future.
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Norm Roby
Sept. 11, 2024: As the 2024 harvest was getting underway on the West Coast amidst stories of decreasing worldwide demand, there was one bright spot: Sauvignon Blanc. Marketing reports of sales trends in 2023 are finally in and clearly indicate that Sauvignon Blanc was the only one of the top ten varietals showing solid growth in both sales value (up 6%) and volume, up nearly 2%). What's behind the growing appeal of Sauvignon Blanc? Well, everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, so I'll offer mine. First, the Sauvignon Blanc name is now well-established and no longer needs to be 'Frenchified' as Fumé Blanc. In the 1980s, some of you may remember, it was both Robert Mondavi and Dave Stare of Dry Creek Vineyards who, sensing that the Sauvignon Blanc name was a liability, favored the Fumé Blanc name to jump-start sales. Second, several newcomers, mainly creative winemakers running their own wineries, have picked up the challenge and are experimenting with different interpretations of Sauvignon Blanc.
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June 19, 2024: I love lamb chops for many reasons. They cook quickly and simply. They can easily be dressed up or down with everything from a minty pesto to a serving of kimchee. They partner beautifully with a variety of red wines. And when flavorful lamb chops are paired with the right wine, the wine becomes itself more delicious. There are a couple of different types of lamb chops to choose from. Quick cooking loin chops, which usually weigh 3 to 4 ounces each, have a narrow bone that runs up the middle of the chop. Smaller rib chops, which are cut from the rack of lamb, may be single or double cut. I am partial to these small chops myself because they have more fat than other cuts rib chops and are therefore the most tender and tasty of all the cuts. For very small chops, use two (or more) of them for each serving.
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Mary Ewing-MulliganMay 7, 2024:
Within my household, I am the wine scholar - educator, wine school owner, Master of Wine - but my husband is Monsieur le Sommelier. He buys the wine and collects wine, and I share the drinking. Recent circumstances have made me the sole wine drinker in the family and separated us from our large cellar to boot. Now I am a wine buyer.
Short of time, I turned to my local wine shop in Harlem, The Winery, which is run by Eric White, a former student of mine who has done me proud. It's a small shop that by necessity offers carefully chosen wines from a thoughtful taster. I have had no end of delight in exploring its shelves. The following wines are a few examples.
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Quality Mexican Wine? Surely, You Jest?
Sauvignon Blanc Rises Again
Happy Surprises from a Local Harlem Wine Shop
