Tom and Ashley Darling didn't necessarily set out to make cool-climate wines. Having recently moved to Sonoma after training under winemakers in Virginia, embarking on their first vintage was a leap of faith, an experiment, an undertaking that they hoped would jumpstart their careers as winemakers, but one which they fully accepted could fail (and if it did, they'd at least have holiday gifts for their friends and family). Then, Tom found McEvoy Ranch, a certified organic site in the far, windswept reaches of the Petaluma Gap AVA (and coincidentally, where I had just taken a job managing the wine program). It was kismet. Two barrels of Syrah later, Darling Wines had found its identity - classic California varieties from small, organic, cool-climate sites along the North Coast, made with elegant restraint, varietal character, and an immense sense of place.
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Now, nearly a decade later, Darling is sourcing from some of the most extreme coastal sites in all of Northern California - from the soaring elevation of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the fog-drenched sites nestled in the hills of far West Sonoma County. And though that inaugural vintage of McEvoy Syrah made an immediate impact - sipped from a plastic cup in my office, as that first taste was - each new vintage is even more strikingly balanced and expressive, cementing Darling as one of the most exciting producers of Pinot, Syrah, and Chardonnay in the state.
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This Thursday, we'll have Tom Darling behind the bar at Solano Cellars to pour through his newest releases - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Gamay, and macerated Pinot Gris. As always, we'll have special discounts on bottle purchases during the event, and waived corkage fees all night!
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Thursday, May 30th from 5-8pm
$30 for a flight of 6 ($20 club)
*No reservations required