Donelan Wines: Where Winemaking and Family are One and the Same
If you think the Donelan family succeeded in creating wines that flawlessly epitomize six of their maverick personalities, then you’re absolutely right. The Family Labels are a beautiful series of vintage notes and stunning textures that you’ll crave time and time again. From ancient herbs and exotic fruits to robust acidity and minerals, there’s no structure or palate this family can’t tame and cork.
The New Classic
Joe Donelan paid beautiful homage to his mother with the Nancie Chardonnay. It’s equally as exhilarating and earthy as it is classy and clean. Old Russian River roots intertwine with the Donelan family roots in wild, summertime notes of honey, melon, and crème brûlée. The essence of clone 4, famous for its acidity, pairs heavenly with seafood and fresh peppers. The Nancie Chardonnay’s elegance is truly unmatched among the Family Labels.
A Tribute to the Boys
Balanced to a tee. Complete, utter, and genuine harmony between two sides of the same coin; that is the Two Brothers Pinot Noir. Exactly like their namesake, Tripp and Cushing Donelan are strapping reciprocals that, when together, are a force to be reckoned with. Two Brothers is an artistic alloy of masculine bouquets and feminine notes. Think old-world forest fruits and Southeast Asian spice meet velvety strawberries. Powerful yet light-bodied, this vintage is a brotherhood of flavors whose only competition is Tripp and Cushing themselves.
For the Firstborn
The Cuvée Keltie Syrah is infused with the heart and soul of Donelan. It embodies the pure, one-of-a-kind nature of the Donelan’s’ eldest child and daughter, for whom it’s label was christened. Crafted from several corners of Sonoma Valley’s prolific Earth, the Cuvée Keltie radiates darkness with tense blackberries and warm tobacco. The patience poured into this Syrah is so undeniable, you can practically taste it.
An Ode to Moriah
The Donelan’s bottled a juxtaposition of old soul and youthful vigor in the Cuvée Moriah. Yet another perfect expression of one of the Donelan’s daughters, this Rhône-style red wine is fierce but delicate. The Grenache’s feminine pomegranate touches work in sync with the wild herbs of the Mourvedre. Straight from the grinning mouth of Joe Donelan himself, the Cuvée Moriah is “kick-ass.”
The Mother of Them All
At the head of the table sits the Cuvée Christine, rightfully named after the matriarch of the Donelan clan. This Syrah blend is a daring mosaic of grapes hailing from both the Russian River and Knights Valleys. It has no problem owning it’s silky consistency of blueberries, dates, and espresso, punctuated with notes of vanilla. Much like the Donelans’ leading lady, this wine earns its throne by being charmingly complex and unique at a molecular level. The Cuvée Christine is at its own level of vintage selection.
To fit such a colorful spectrum of vintage elements into this lineup is impressive to say the least. These wines pay deep and intimate reverence to the names on their labels, and likewise, the Donelan’s connect with their wine from the vine to the barrell to the last drop. The craftsmanship harnessed in these bottles is the chorus to an anthem that the Donelan Family has long been singing; winemaking and family are one in the same.