The sign for Bohan-Dillon Road had the “O”s shot out, maybe the “A” too, from rifle blasts. This was a nice contrast to the “No Hunting” sign posted a few feet away. Why is it that the most lauded California Pinot vineyards require drives down twisted, pot-holed dirt roads when the grand crus of Burgundy are visible from the highway?
No matter, Bohan-Dillon leads to all the top-shelf Sonoma Coast vineyards – those of Marcassin, Flowers, Hirsch etc etc. These recognized producers have brought fame and fortune to the steep slopes of the true Sonoma Coast, and each one claims to be a pioneer in the region. Not many of these big names have been around longer than Daniel and Marion Schoenfeld, though, who have been making wine on their mountain property since 1977, albeit as home winemakers. Their winery, Wild Hog Vineyard, became official in 1990.
Wild Hog doesn’t have the name recognition of its superstar neighbors. It doesn’t command the high prices, either. Daniel Schoenfeld intentionally keeps prices affordable, making his wine accessible to the masses. It became obvious, after spending 3 hours popping corks on any and everything in his garage-like winery that he’s not in the business to be famous or make millions. In addition to his own small estate vineyards (Pinot planted in 1981, Zinfandel planted in 1982) he sources fruit from, well, whoever wants to sell him some. He experiments with unique varietals, too; while there I tasted very old vine Carignane from Dry Creek and Montepulciano just to name a couple. And he’s always looking for more, either because it keeps him from boredom or maybe because he can’t say no to a new challenge. The best part about tasting at Wild Hog was that every wine had a crazy story about the people and fruit involved and Daniel was more than willing to tell them.
It’s in these experiences, just spending time talking, tasting, and most importantly, listening, that the spirit of a true winemaker becomes obvious. Not to get overly philosophical, but Daniel’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and plain joy of winemaking was a clear reminder of the adventure that goes into producing each and every vintage. And these experiences are just a phone call, and a twisted, pot-holed dirt road, away.
The full range of some of Daniel’s more “prominent” neighbors, located on just the next ridgetops, currently in stock at Vinfolio:
Marcassin
Flowers
Hirsch