Balance. Structure. Presence. A special wine possesses many of the same attributes as a great work of art—something on vivid display at The Donum Estate in Sonoma. Tucked away on a quiet country road in the Carneros wine region, this 200-acre vineyard offers up some of the best Pinot Noirs you will ever taste, along with a remarkable sculpture collection featuring works by Ai Weiwei, Arturo Di Modica, Keith Haring, and others.
Tastings here are deliberate, even meditative, and can last several hours. “When you have the wine, and you have this beautiful California landscape, and then the world-class art…you don’t want to go too fast,” said Anne Moller-Racke, Donum’s president and winemaker. “It would be a shame. Something happens with the alchemy of these things coming together. “
Although she considers herself a craftsperson first and foremost, Moller-Racke acknowledges that plenty of artistry goes into the 3,500 cases she produces each year. “Pinot Noir is like a watercolor,” she said. “If you don’t get it right, you start all over. There are no shortcuts.
