Samuel Louis Smith Monterey Pinot Noir Pelio Vineyard 2024 SF Chronicle - Past Pick Our spirits are handcrafted by

Our spirits are handcrafted by our Maestro Mezcalero in Santa Catarina Minas & Santo Domingo Teojomulco

and the Vieilles Vignes bottling comes from his oldest vines in the parcel

The result harmoniously unites a dark and fruity California cabernet finish

Fred Scherrer's winery is an unmarked metal building outside Sebastopol

Samuel Louis Smith Monterey Pinot Noir Pelio Vineyard 2024 SF Chronicle - Past Pick Our spirits are handcrafted bySame vineyard, different vintage. Pelio planted in 2003 at 1,000 feet on diatomaceous shale over old seabed, just seven miles inland from Monterey Bay is one of the most coastal influenced Pinot sites in California. The 2024 vintage gave Sam Smith a touch more flesh and immediate charm than the more wiry 2023, but the bones of the site come through: sweet herbs, wild cherry, and that signature sea breeze salinity. Native ferments, whole cluster