Hi Berserkers, we’ve been working on something new at DuMOL that a) could be interesting for pinot noir lovers / RRV fans and b) we would appreciate your feedback on.
The DuMOL Dirt is a quarterly publication taking you—issue by issue—into the vineyard, under the ground, into the bottle, and onto your table. Every element, from soil to barrel and everything in between, impacts the quality of the wine.
Each issue is a deep dive into one aspect of winegrowing (e.g., soil, barrel selection, harvest, fermentation, etc.), sharing what we’ve learned over 25+ years of experience in the Russian River Valley. The first issue, published in March, is on the topic of Soil. Issue No. 02 is due out in June.
I’d very much like your feedback on how we can make this better, and if you have any suggestions for future topics.
I thought it was interesting as an overview, if the following issues give a deeper dive on soil by label and differentiation in each Pinot, Chard, and Syrah bottling and the character/style it contributes and offered Dirt Sampler packs of 3/6 bottles of varying soil types in same vintage.
That’s a nice introduction to the topic. An issue that goes into different soils and what you want to bring out of wines planted in each would be interesting I think.
Thanks for your input, Kris! Great thought to do a deeper dive into soil and how it contributes to the finished wine – especially the way some soil types are better suited for certain varietals.
We are hyper-focused on the Green Valley region of the Russian River Valley and many of our pinots and chardonnays are grown in Goldridge Sandy Loam soils. I love the idea of a sampler pack that shows the influence of soil – we’ve also found that barrel samples are a great way to experience this.
The following issues will cover a wide range of topics related to winegrowing, not just Dirt/soil (I can see how the name might imply a more narrow focus). Next up is Fog!
Thanks John! This is a great idea as a follow-on to highlight site selection and what we decide to plant/grow in different soil types and the influence it has on the characteristics of the wine.
First, congratulations on a great article! I found it very informative. To the extent that I’m your typical target audience (forty-something suburban woman with disposable income who likes winetasting with my hubs, knowing what I like but needing to be smacked in the face with a plum to identify it vs red currants in wine flavors) — here are my thoughts:
First, great ideas from @Kris_Patten and @JohnMag above. It’s very relevant to me when the winery connects educational content to real-life examples, while keeping the general info tone. Maybe even throw in a famous vineyard or wine familiar to all. E.g., “For example, DuMOL’s 2020 Pinot Noir from McIntrye Vineyard has more concentrated fruit because of the low water-holding capacity of its almost clay-free soil, similar to (insert famous Burgundian vineyard/wine). Contrasted with duMOL’s 2019 Nebbiolo sourced from a tiny cobblestone-filled plot on June Mountain about X miles away …”
Any pictures of your soil itself showing texture - maybe photos of different soil for your different wines. Idea for the tasting room: I was at Nickel & Nickel about five years ago. At their tasting room entrance were glass jars with soil from each of the twelve vineyards from which they produced cab sauv, along with description and effect on wine. It was almost like a sophisticated school science diorama. So interesting that I remember it to this day.
Start or Supplement with “Top 5 Questions to Ask About Soil When Winetasting.” A “Top 5” (or whatever number) can grab casual readers and help search engines drive visitors to your content.
This is a really well-written article. Consider getting some extra marketing mileage from it by submitting this article to a magazine like Travel & Leisure or local Sonoma publication for visitors. I usually see a little blurb about the author or winery proprietor, like: “(Insert name) is the (insert title) of duMOL Winery in Sonoma County, producing vineyard-focused Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from distinctive sites in the cool-climate Russian River Valley, plus additional award-winning varietals from premier vineyards across Napa and Sonoma Counties. To book a private tasting at duMOL’s Windsor, CA tasting room, or to explore more articles from our wine experts, visit www.duMOL.com.”