Dutton Ranch Shop Block Pinot Blanc
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Typically best enjoyed within 1–5 years of vintage release.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Fresh oysters, roasted chicken with herbs, goat cheese tart
✨ wine.spec_sheet
The Dutton Ranch 'Shop Block' Pinot Blanc is sourced from one of California's most historic vineyard sites. Planted in 1971 by the legendary Warren Dutton in the cool, fog-influenced Russian River Valley, the Shop Block represents some of the oldest Pinot Blanc vines in the United States. While Pinot Blanc is often overlooked in California in favor of Chardonnay, winemaker Pax Mahle champions this rare parcel to craft a white wine of striking energy and texture. Embracing a philosophy of minimal intervention, the fruit is gently whole-cluster pressed and fermented using native yeasts in a combination of concrete pebbles and neutral French oak barrels. This traditional approach coaxes out a beautiful tension between saline minerality, bright orchard fruit, and a rich, old-vine texture that pays homage to the deep roots of Sonoma County viticulture.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 2000 by Pax and Pamela Mahle, Pax is a pioneering Sonoma County winery celebrated for redefining California Syrah through a lens of elegance and restraint. Based in Sebastopol, California, the winery sources fruit from cool-climate, coastal-influenced vineyards across Sonoma and Mendocino counties, such as the acclaimed Alder Springs and Castelli Knight Ranch. Pax's winemaking philosophy centers on minimal intervention, employing whole-cluster fermentation, native yeasts, and aging in concrete vats and neutral French oak to highlight pure terroir. The estate is highly renowned for its savory, structurally complex Syrahs, alongside vibrant, terroir-driven expressions of Gamay, Chenin Blanc, and Mondeuse.