A few weeks ago, we decided to try two bottles from Domaine Della: the 2018 and 2019 Sonoma Coast. Here are the results of the Domaine Della vertical.
Normally, we like to hold wines from David Hejl for at least a few years. We made an exception here because these are not single vineyard pinots. Besides, we were celebrating something and wanted to drink some exceptional wine. It turns out we were half right.
Both wines are $72 from the winery. You’ll have to register on the website and wait for David to announce that allocations are open. Normally we don’t like systems like this, but we’ve made an exception here because, well, the wine is just so darn good.
The 2018 is eminently quaffable. You could probably cellar it for a few years, but we’re old and impatient. The wine opens with aromas of cherries and rose petals. Right after opening the bottle, the palate is on the acid-forward side, a little harsh. Either decant the bottle or let it breathe for 15 minutes. Since we were using our new Coravin wine preserver, we didn’t have to remove the cork. We settled for measuring half a bottle of each wine and letting it breathe in the measuring cups. After an hour or so, we returned to the 2018 and found it very drinkable. The tannins and acid smoothed out nicely without destroying the flavors. The palate is bing cherries and strawberries. A nice long finish with silky tannins.
The 2019 has aromas that are darker: black cherry and rose petals. The palate is dark fruit and forest floor with a nice long finish. Hang on to this baby for another two or three years.
