Sunchase Vineyard Pinot Noir
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 3–10 years from the vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted duck, pan-seared pork chops with cherry reduction, wild mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Sunchase Vineyard is nestled high in the Petaluma Gap AVA, positioned on the extreme slopes of Sonoma Mountain at an elevation of 1,400 feet. This unique site sits right at the fog line, meaning the vines bask in intense California sunlight while being constantly cooled by the howling winds sweeping in from the Pacific Ocean through the Petaluma Gap. Russell Bevan utilizes this dramatic terroir to craft a Pinot Noir of incredible intensity, richness, and structural definition. Unlike typical delicate coastal Pinots, Bevan's expression from Sunchase is opulent, deeply concentrated, and texturally luxurious, reflecting his signature bold winemaking style. The wine undergoes meticulous sorting, cold soaking, and aging in premium French oak barrels, resulting in a dramatic interplay of dark cherry fruit, exotic spices, and vibrant acidity.
🍾 About the Producer
Bevan Cellars was founded in 2005 by self-taught winemaker Russell Bevan, quickly ascending to cult status within California's fine wine landscape. Celebrated for an unabashedly opulent, hedonistic, and precision-driven winemaking style, Bevan partners with premier growers across premier microclimates in Napa Valley and Sonoma County. Sourcing spans esteemed terroirs such as eastern Oakville's red volcanic and alluvial soils at Tench Vineyard, the rocky slopes of Sugarloaf Mountain, and cool maritime sites in the Russian River Valley and Petaluma Gap. Viticulture emphasizes meticulous canopy control and sustainable vineyard management, harvesting fruit at optimal physiological ripeness. In the cellar, Bevan employs minimal intervention, indigenous fermentations, squeaky-clean sorting regimens, and customized French oak aging. Benchmark bottlings include his single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons such as Tench Vineyard and Sugarloaf Mountain, proprietary red blends like Ontogeny and EE, alongside textural, vibrant Sonoma Coast Chardonnays and Ritchie Vineyard expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Pinot Noir