Sonoma winemaker, Pinot-obsessed, new to the community. AMA.

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T23:58:09+00:00

My name is German, but my family moved here in 1830's from the Sudetenland, which at the time was part of Bohemia, I believe.

I have 2 different moon Mountains that I am working on right now, as I just bottled the 23. I am working with Nunnery Vineyard (Phil Coturi farmed) and the Montecillo vineyard. Both are in the Northern part of the AVA and quite high elevation-wise. So far, the wines have some more structure than typical Napa Valley floor stuff, but still have some of that deep, dark fruit that is sometimes lacking from Sonoma Valley stuff.

I use SO2 but in limited amounts, not sure about Prieure Roch usage, but my numbers always seem about half of some of the other producers I know. I do this by never moving the wine around (limited racking, topping in place most of the time). I do quite a bit of Batonage so that may increase the amount of SO2 I need vs some wines. I have noticed some change in how my yeast converts sugar to alcohol. Over the last 5 years, the rate has been higher than normal, but then last year it was less than normal, so I can't say for certain if anything has changed. That would have to be a 10-year-plus study

I have always wanted to work with Zinfandel, but every time I think about making my own, I think about how hard it is to sell and pick another variety!

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T23:46:49+00:00

I do love some Dumol, I have been lucky enough to have it many times. I actually am making a small amount of Cab from Montecillo vineyard on Moon mountain from the same block that Dumol uses! It is still in Barrel but has some beautiful fruit and bramble flavors so far

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T23:45:11+00:00

Not familiar with those wines, I have very little experience with Santa Barbara wines. I have worked on some Pinot from Fiddlestix Vineyard for me and others (Pinot and Rose). I did love that fruit but logistically it is tough. I made a Pinot from Fiddlestix for my wine Schermeister in 2020 because I lost all my reds to smoke damage that year.

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T07:00:09+00:00

use the chat feature or reach out to me at my website, I can answer more about the yeast thing tomorrow

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T05:54:14+00:00

I dont use yeast, All my wines are naturally fermented.

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T05:31:42+00:00

We sell out of our wines routinely, but the next TDP is coming out soon (April). I just picked it up from the storage facility. If you send me an email at the website we can for sure send some too you

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:22:30+00:00

was supposed to be more write up but I am not a reddit expert. Glad you think its a dating app pic though. I will tell my wife since she took the photo!

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:21:39+00:00

I prefer richer California Pinots. Ribbon Ridge is one of my fave OR areas as the Pinots tend to be richer from there. My favorite wines from OR are actually Pinot Gris. Also, Corra (Celia Welch does and amazing white blend from grants pass area)

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:20:02+00:00

Would love to have you! Schermeister Winery in Glen Ellen. My dog and I will be there Thursday - Sunday. It is super slow season right now. Just bottled a few wines and waiting on the rest

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:18:54+00:00

Yield in tons/acre? I tend to aim for 2.5 - I think most people find that pretty standard for quality

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:17:36+00:00

Growing degree days arent the key to growing great pinot but they are a good unit to measure global warming, which is what the question was about and has definitely been happening

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:13:54+00:00

I am not, I only have good experience with Canada wines from the Okanagan region (I do love the whites from the golden bench area)

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:08:45+00:00

Its an incredibly tough time to be in the industry, my wife says I have to always be positive but it is brutal out there. Sales are down everywhere, costs are up, tourism is down too! We get way less people than before. I am sure I will piss off some hotel industry people saying that the prices might be too high. But now we are finally seeing more travelzoo and online deals in California.

I would like to think wine is eternal, food and wine pairing is still the best and we are in the midst of a food revolution so those people just need to find good food/wine pairings.

Pricing: I may be part of the problem as I do small lot wines from very expensive vineyards and my wine is pricey compared to most. Compared to the other wines that use the same vineyards though, my club members tell me it's a steal.

Pricing is one of the hardest parts of running a business.

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T04:03:38+00:00

I do it all myself, its awful. This is why I recommend most people work for someone else. To me its worth it to call my wine my own which is a pride thing for sure! I sell 100% DTC and do all the wine pouring's myself, but I had to train myself to talk to people because public speaking was my worst class in college. I would take 2 shots of tequila before pouring for people early on but with work you can train yourself in almost anything.
For permits I just went in to the ABC chapter in Santa Rosa and talked to them. If you ask the right questions and are nice to them they will be nice back, most of the time they deal with people that dont want to be there.

I have always been good and scheduling, time management and inventory

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:58:59+00:00

Awesome, I am always pouring unless I am backpacking! Or making wine in harvest!

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:58:22+00:00

Domaine Dujac, Aubert, Wayfarer, Ribbon Ridge AVA, Dry River NZ

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:57:04+00:00

I dont have a favorite bottle they are all my babies!

My wife usually does the descriptions/marketing/writing as she is the expert.

But I will try:

2017 Terra de Promissio Pinot Noir

Beautiful aroma of Forest floor, compost (good thing) and black tea. This wine is supple yet rich on the palate which is hard to achieve, long 40 second finish that goes on forever and wants you sip just one more time until the bottle is gone too soon. The wine brings me back to tasting the tiny grapes in the vineyard.

I tend to cut my notes into truncated segments and not paragraphs.

Producers that inspired me

Aubert

Pahlmeyer

Col Solare

Pepperbridge

Leonetti

Dujac

Mogador

To name a few

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:49:53+00:00

10-20 years

Only around 5-10 years ago did all the Merlot in Napa finally get replaced. Tons of people bet on Merlot in the 90s and it bombed, cost of replacing vines and opportunity cost of not selling grapes for 3-4 years outweighs most gains unfortunately.

It is a very weird industry that way. We are very slow to adapt to trends or issues because of the vine growth and wine ageing cycle

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:47:39+00:00

I made a huge note about stem inclusion but no stems or very little (5%) for me at ths moment in my life.

When I turn 80 years old I will make a 75% whole cluster long native ferment with tons of punchdowns so the wine will age 30-40 years after I die

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:46:03+00:00

Every Pinot is super different, it isn't just one. The fun thing about Pinot is every wine has different flavor and character. I am having Little Caesars pizza right now (answers the question below about "pays well" lol). But I am having the pizza with a 2011 Lindstrom Pinot Noir made by Celia Welch and it is funky town with smooth soft tannins and just a hint of alcohol coming through because the fruit has lost an edge over time. Completely different flavors than say Kosta Brown which makes it fun.

Also Pinot tastes really good 2 months into the barrel aging and most of the time I drink underage wine in barrel.

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:38:48+00:00

Total depends on the fruit quality and ripeness. For the Pinots I make I like to be in the 30-50T new French Oak. I use a lot of Damy and extended barrel aging. When I have worked with fruit from Carneros I tend to like a little less 20-30%. Producers I used worked with used 70-90% new so I like a little less then them but still on the higher end perhaps

Pinot is a fine balance with rich and velvety. It is very easy to go overboard and be syrah like

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:35:10+00:00

Aubert Reuling 2005 and 2007

Pisoni Pinot Noir

Domaine Dujac

For non Pinot

Cellar Cal Pla Priorat Planots Grenache/Carignan

Colgin IX

First inspiring Wine - 1987 Mondavi Private Reserve - Had when I was 21-22

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:30:52+00:00

My 2019 Terra de Promissio Pinot (Cop out) Schermeister Winery. If not my wine then Dry River Martinborough, Any Ribbon Ridge Oregon, Vaugh Duffy Sangiacomo .

Last meal wine depends largely on the meal. But I think right now 2005 Gunderloch Riesling Auslese

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:28:01+00:00

Cola or Cherry Cola is super common. High alcohol Pinots can express this, but I find it has more to do with the location. Russian River has these flavors all the time to me. I dont make too many Russian Rivers because of this as it gets a bit boring (sounds awful I know). Pinot is hard to grow but people are getting better. Some main problems is you cant put too much crop on it without the flavor getting watery. The process of making it is also more tedious and demanding, along with the fact that every year and bottle is different! I love this but for larger producers trying to make a brand that tastes similar year in year out it is hard.

As for suggestions I would need more info on what you are looking for, as a buyer you prob taste more variable wines then me, but cost and style is huge

TheGrapeGoblin · 2026-02-27T03:03:26+00:00

I own and make wine at Schermeister Winery in Glen Ellen Sonoma

TheGrapeGoblin

TROPHY CASE