Produced by San Lorenzo Wines in Alexander Valley, The Pearl is the flagship wine of Pete and Cathy Seghesio and a tribute to one of California’s most historic vineyards. Pete Seghesio represents the fourth generation of a family whose roots in Sonoma County stretch back to the nineteenth century. The San Lorenzo ranch was purchased in 1896 by Pete’s great-grandfather Francesco Passalacqua with ten gold coins earned working as a cook in the California gold mines, though property records indicate vines were already planted and producing fruit before 1892. Today, the original block known as ‘The Pearl’, named in honour of Pete’s mother, remains one of the oldest surviving field blends in California. Situated near the Russian River on the border of Alexander Valley and Russian River Valley, the vineyard’s gravelly loam soils, fog-influenced mornings and warm afternoons create ideal conditions for producing wines of concentration, freshness and longevity.
The 2019 vintage is drawn from this historic field blend, composed principally of Zinfandel alongside Petite Syrah, Carignan and several rare heritage varieties that have grown together in the vineyard for more than a century. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak, the wine combines old-vine intensity with remarkable elegance. Aromas of black cherry, blackberry and raspberry preserve are layered with notes of cigar box, baking spice, dried herbs and dark chocolate. The palate is rich and deeply textured, with polished tannins, vibrant acidity and a savoury complexity that reflects the diversity of the vineyard. Now entering a superb drinking window, the 2019 retains its youthful energy while beginning to reveal the nuance and complexity that only old-vine field blends can deliver, with further ageing potential over the next decade and beyond.