When it comes to the wine industry, we like to say that a high tide raises all ships. We support ourselves by supporting each other. Obviously, not all wineries or wine brands operate on the same wavelength, but most all share a common purpose — to share our livelihood with those willing to listen and learn. At its core, wine is a champion of inclusivity and cohesion. We are all in it together. If we at Ricci Vineyards can help spread the message of other like-minded wine brands that we admire, we believe it only strengthens the value we can give to you: our devoted ambassadors and extended wine family.
With that, we want to highlight what (hopefully) we be the first of many wineries in this ongoing series: Dunstan Wines. The reasons for their inclusion in this series are many and widespread, but if you want to find out more about them, you should do so by reading on…
In a general sense, the wine industry is a tiny world where everybody knows everyone — or in the very least, has heard of each other. That was the case with us at Ricci Vineyards. Many patrons who had paid us a visit at Ricci had also passed through Dunstan (or were planning to pass through at some point in their itinerary). It happened frequently enough that it made us wonder what these other slingers of wine were all about. It can also be said that those in the wine industry (maybe just us) don’t venture out as much as they should to check out other wine purveyors. When one is consumed with their own brand, it’s hard to make the time to discover the things other people are doing. That being said, as fate would have it, we ended up being exposed to Dunstan by rather unconventional means.
In 2024, during the annual Vintage Festival celebration in Sonoma, both we at Ricci and the folks at Dunstan were participating as wine vendors during the massive tasting event that serves as the finale to the festival. Once the event was over, in our haste to get packed up and go home, we accidentally left our branded table runner behind. A few days passed and we received an email from Lisa, the head of hospitality at Dunstan, informing us that she had noticed we forgot our table runner and grabbed it on our behalf. Little did we know that deciding to meet Lisa at Dunstan to retrieve our runner would be this catalyst to a great wine friendship.
Upon arriving at Dunstan, we were not only blown away with the natural beauty of the property, but the physical resemblance between Ricci and Dunstan was uncanny: the vineyard was established on an old dairy (complete with old dairy buildings), the tastings were held in an old farmhouse, and their focus was producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Seemed awfully familiar. Once we stepped inside the farmhouse to meet Lisa, the vibe felt right at home. Lisa greeted us like she had known us for ages — not like the strangers we actually were. Initially we thought we would stay five minutes, but those five minutes quickly elongated into an hour or more. We sipped on wine, talked shop, and had a good laugh or two.
A few months went by, and feeling the need to conduct a bit of team bonding, we at Ricci went about setting up some wine tasting appointments for a company outing. Towards the tail end of November, the day we ultimately picked for team tasting was right in the middle of a storm and the weather forecast predicted a deluge of rain. Wanting to visit a neighboring winery because we were active members in their wine club, the response we received from our request was shocking. In a word, this winery (who we won’t name) told us “No” without even a slight effort in bending to make things work. On a rainy, cold day in the middle of the week in November, they couldn’t accommodate us?! From a hospitality standpoint, it was unnerving. We were fellow wine industry professionals, and wine club members, and yet they still turned us away.
Needing to pivot and find a new destination to taste with our team, we contacted Lisa at Dunstan hoping that they could sneak us in for a visit on short notice. As soon as we reached out to ask, the response was instantaneous; “Sure, we would be happy to have you”. Driving up to Dunstan, which is situated on the Durell Vineyard, we hugged the curves that border Felder Creek until we arrived at the base of the Sonoma Mountains. Even through the sheets of rain, the property was beautiful with the radiant autumn gold, yellow and orange illuminated throughout the landscape. We walked into the farmhouse where our tasting was being held, and right as we passed through the threshold we were immersed in a cocoon of sweet fireplace smoke and rustic warmness. Lisa was at the ready — glasses out and wines being poured before we even sat down. It was a vibe we wanted to soak up forever and never leave. From that point onward, we at Ricci knew that Dunstan would be our wine buddies for the long haul.
Dunstan, and the good people behind the brand, are a classic example of what the wine industry is all about. Those who are truly passionate about wine don’t enter into this world for financial windfalls, vanity or ego. Wine should be a connector to life. It binds and enhances all the greater, more important things in our day-to-day — whether that be a good meal, an enriching conversation with a friend, or a special moment with a loved one. If wine can help you enjoy your ride rather than be the journey itself, then it is doing its job. We at Ricci believe that sentiment wholeheartedly and we think Dunstan would echo the same beliefs. If you enjoy what we do at Ricci Vineyards, we feel that you would get lots of enjoyment from Dunstan as well. When it comes to the wineries and wine brands that are in this for the right reasons, we have to come together and support each other. After all, collaboration is much better than competition.
