Sonoma County Barrel Auction


Welcome to the 2023 Sonoma County Barrel Auction lots! The live auction events took place May 4-5, 2023 in Healdsburg, CA. Stay tuned for details of the 10th anniversary SoCoBA planned for May 2-3, 2024!

Download the Sonoma County Barrel Auction Catalog PDF


Lot #3 BANSHEE WINES

“Wind & Fog” is made from Pinot Noir that is grown in the Carneros region, which is influenced by the proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The climate of lingering morning and evening fog as well as cool coastal winds that flow through the…
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Lot #4 BALLETTO VINEYARDS

Using only California heritage clones, this wine comes from Balletto's esteemed estate vineyards scattered throughout the Sebastopol Hills. The clonal material was made possible by California's wine pioneers, who searched, begged and smuggled…

Lot #7 32 WINDS

The "Whole Lot o' Moonshine" auction lot was made from the winery’s best barrels of outstanding 2021 vintage Pinot Noir from the Moonshine Ranch vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. The 100% whole cluster fermentation adds many dimensions and…

Lot #9 BOB CABRAL WINES, JOSEPH PHELPS VINEYARDS

This unique bottling comes from a selection of the best Pinot Noir barrels produced in 2022 from special vineyards along the Sonoma Coast produced by Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Bob Cabral Wines. These two premier Burgundian style wineries have…

Lot #12 CONVENE BY DAN KOSTA

“Beginnings" represents the 25-year history of Dan Kosta as a Sonoma County vintner. Convene by Dan Kosta was launched on September 8, 2022, and has received much critical acclaim. Working closely with winemaker Shane Finley since their days…

Lot #13 DAVIS BYNUM

“Three-Piece Pinot Noir” is from single vineyard sites, blended together to make something sublime. The deep color and grace of the Swan selection carries the wine, with wild aromas of the hillside block old Wente and spicy barrel fermented…
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Lot #19 DUMOL

“Machair” refers to the fertile grassy and sandy plain found on the exposed west-facing shores of Scotland and Ireland. It is a unique habitat and one of the rarest in Europe. The landscape in Annapolis is very similar, although at a higher…
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Lot #20 EKTIMO WINERY

"Redolent Rubellite Rhapsody" comes from a one acre estate block of Dijon 115 Pinot Noir. The barrel that captured the essence of the 2022 vintage was selected for this auction lot, showcasing its youthful beauty while teasing with its alluring…

Lot #21 EMERITUS VINEYARDS

This wine is from an extraordinarily expressive barrel of 'Elite' selection Pinot Noir from the famed Hallberg Ranch. This coveted field selection was sourced as a “Clone de Valise” (suitcase clone) from Burgundy's legendary La Romanée…

Lot #23 ENROUTE WINERY

“I Spy a Northern Spy” is a play on words with the children's game "I Spy" and with EnRoute Winery’s Northern Spy Vineyard. The Northern Spy vineyard is named after a heritage apple variety and pays homage to the roots of agriculture prior…

Lot #24 ERNEST VINEYARDS

This Never Before, Never Again cuvée celebrates "Freestone's Hills and Valleys." Ernest Vineyards’ never-ending pursuit to capture the essence of terroir in the coastal redwood forests surrounding the Salmon Creek Watershed drives this beautiful…
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Lot #26 FORT ROSS VINEYARD & WINERY

The Terraces is a block in the Fort Ross Vineyard closest to the Pacific Ocean and planted 100% to Calera Clone. This block wraps around the mountainside and produces elegant, complex wines every vintage. “The Coastal Terraces” made from…

Lot #27 CHEV.

“The Workshop” is a one-of-a-kind CHEV blend, inspired by Michael Browne's time spent in his father's workshop. Fond memories of working side-by-side, investing time and passion into every project they pursued, led Michael to create CHEV,…
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Lot #30 GARY FARRELL VINEYARDS & WINERY

This special selection comes from two separate blocks at Rochioli Vineyard that have never been picked and fermented separately. One of them sings vibrant, bright, jubilant characteristics, while the other offers depth, with rich, dark, earthy,…

Lot #32 BENOVIA WINERY

This never before, never again wine comes from heirloom clones of Pinot Noir planted on the middle slope of Benovia’s Tilton Hill Vineyard. Mid-slope is a term used in Burgundy to refer to the portion of vineyards where winegrapes used predominantly…
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Lot #33 GUARACHI FAMILY WINES

This wine is made from very low yield Calera, Swan and 777 clones and aged separately in French Oak. “Top Secret” takes its name from the horse owned by Alex Guarachi’s daughter when she was 12 years old. This name was chosen because Guarachi…
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Lot #38 KOSTA BROWNE

Kosta Browne has created a captivating one-time exclusive from the historic Sebastopol Hills of Russian River Valley, meticulously focused on the iconic Marshall Ranch vineyard. When initially searching for inspiration for this wine, Winemaker…
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Lot #40 MARTINELLI WINERY

Never before has Martinelli Winery made a Pinot Noir entirely from one individual clone. To celebrate Lee Sr. & Carolyn Martinelli being honored with the 2023 Sonoma County Barrel Auction Icon award, Winemaker Courtney Robinett Wagoner has…
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Lot #42 THOMPSON 31FIFTY WINES

"Single All the Way" succinctly describes this barrel auction lot with its ONE barrel, ONE clone and ONE vineyard composition. Winemaker Patrick Sullivan selected one new French Oak barrel of Pinot Noir from Goose Vineyard, which is planted…

Lot #43 MACROSTIE WINERY & VINEYARDS, SOJOURN CELLARS

Like a power-ballad from two rockstars of Pinot Noir, this one-of-a-kind auction lot invites you to savor the skill and artistry of winemakers Heidi Bridenhagen (MacRostie Winery & Vineyards) and Randy Bennett (Sojourn Cellars) in an unforgettable…

Lot #47 MIGRATION

Experience the best of their Russian River Valley fruit with this year's “Running Creek Barrel Selection” lot from Migration Winery, a pinnacle Pinot Noir from The Duckhorn Portfolio. Migration's estate Running Creek Vineyard features 70…
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Lot #49 RAM’S GATE WINERY

“Rocky Road” is a cuvée created from three distinct vineyards in three AVAs that are usually reserved for the Ram’s Gate Winery single vineyard program. The name reflects a playful take on a delicious flavor of ice cream, yet it also…

Lot #55 SAINTSBURY

“ITG” is the first wine of its kind and was made specifically for the 2023 Sonoma County Barrel Auction. It is a blend of Pinot Noirs from the seven different growers Saintsbury sources from in Sonoma County, highlighting the craftsmanship…

Lot #56 WILLIAMS SELYEM, ROCHIOLI VINEYARDS AND WINERY, GARY FARRELL VINEYARDS & WINERY

The success of the Russian River Valley could not be possible without the pioneering spirit of Joe Rochioli Jr., who was the first grower to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay along the idyllic Westside Road, in Healdsburg, CA, in the late 1960s.…

Lot #58 SCHUG WINERY

Vierburgunder is a play on the German word for Pinot Noir, Spätburgunder. Vier means 'four' in German, and this never before, never again SoCoBA lot includes the winery's best barrels from four single vineyards throughout Sonoma County –…

Lot #59 SIDURI

"Groves to Coves" is a unique blend of two gorgeous West Sonoma Coast sites that lie perilously close to the chilly Pacific Ocean. Nestled between redwood groves and coastline coves lies a truly mesmerizing place to grow Pinot Noir – the West…

Lot #62 BROOKS NOTE WINERY, THIRTY-SEVEN WINES

"Wind and Sea" is a blend of two vineyards from the Petaluma Gap boasting an exceptional concentration of fruit. Taylor's Crown is at the northeast corner of the Petaluma Gap. It sits at the top of the ridge on the western side of Sonoma Mountain…

Lot #63 DOMAINE DE LA RIVIÈRE

This spectacular “4x4 by Vineyard Eleven” auction lot is made from a four-barrel selection of the four clones (Swan, Mt. Eden, Pommard and UV-Vosne Romanèe) planted at Domaine de la Rivière's Vineyard Eleven. This estate vineyard is located…
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Lot #64 TWOMEY

This unique auction lot is crafted from one individual block and clone at the Twomey Last Stop estate vineyard, marked by milepost Block 10 - Clone 115. Typically used as a portion of its single vineyard bottling from the estate, this specific…
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Lot #65 WALT WINES

WALT specializes in premier Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from the most coveted vineyards along the Pacific Coast spanning 1,000 miles. This “1,000 Miles of Pinot” auction lot is a wine of a place – incorporating special sites where…