Discover Hard to Find Artisan Wine from Sojourn Cellars of Sonoma

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From Zealous Opponents to Zealous Proponents: Tennis Buddies Serve Up Minimalist, Award-Winning Artisan Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon Wines

Craig Haserot and Erich Bradley, tennis buddies turned award-winning vintners at Sojourn Cellars in Sonoma

It's a short distance from the tennis court to the crush pad.

At least for tennis buddies Craig Haserot and Erich Bradley who discovered they had more in common than a love for smashing fuzzy fluorescent balls. Each shared a love for wine, good food and good company. More importantly, they shared a love for bringing those three passions together in perfect unity. Thus, Sojourn Cellars was born in 2001.

In order to make wines that showcase the character and personality of individual vineyards and vintages, one has to start with good fruit. Sojourn Cellars sources their fruit from celebrated vineyards in Sonoma and Napa counties and helps direct farming operations at those vineyards to ensure world-class growing techniques deliver exceptional grapes.

Winemaker Erich Bradley, whose family owned vineyards, studied both winemaking at UC Davis and viticulture at Santa Rosa College (this after earning a degree in Modern European Intellectual History from the UC Irvine). He follows a New World hands-off approach that results in bold, expressive wines. As "zealous proponents of minimalist winemaking," Sojourn Cellars ferments and barrel ages their wines in small lots, attending to them by hand only when necessary. As a result, their wines consistently showcase the character and personality of the individual vineyards and vintages.

They also consistently win awards. According to an article from Sonoma News, the Sojourn Cellars Class of 2011 averaged 91 points. Whether or not you are a points person, no matter how you sip them, the Sojourn Cellar wines truly are exceptional beauties.

Winemaker Erich Bradley