Suacci Carciere

This was the first place that we went on our Wine Cube tour. A very small production vineyard, but they produce some of the best wines we tasted during our visit.
John Suacci met us in the driveway when we pulled up. An old retired guy with an obsession with pinot noir with a machine shop background, we hit it off right away. After a few minutes out in the vines, he invited us to jump on the Kubota and ride up to the top of the vineyard. Beautiful views and you could tell that John loves «his girls,» as he calls the pinot noir vines that fill the property.
Then we took a seat in his simple but lovely tasting room to get a chance to enjoy his team’s hard work. Two Pinot Noirs (one from his vineyard, one that’s a blend from others), two chardonnays (one from a single vineyard, the other was a blend) and a great little zin (not overtly jammed & hot on the nose). Good price points (his pinot, my favorite, was right at $ 50). Ryan Zepaltas is the winemaker, and he’s done a marvelous job.
Reservation required (no official tasting policy… but as always, visiting a reservation only tasting room normally means you are buying), and a bit of a pain in the rear to find (out in the middle of nowhere), but it was worth it to spend 90 minutes soaking in John Suacci’s love of the grape and my love for his wine. If we weren’t stuck in PA, we would be club members, no doubt.