2022 Venus

There’s a lot to explore in this range of new releases from the Donelan family. Hail and frost reduced crops meaningfully, such that many of the 2022s were bottled in very small volumes. Chardonnay and Pinot fared best. Most sites were picked either before the worst of the Labor Day heat or well after. Winemaker David Milner has lengthened time on the skins for the Pinots, a decision that worked well in 2022. The Syrahs are harder to taste at this stage. The combined influences of challenging weather conditions punctuated by drought and intense heat manifest in the form of burly tannins and big wines that will need a few years to be at their most expressive.