Wines

Dehlinger Winery is more interested in perfection of technique and the balance and intensity of flavors than in making large amounts of wine. Our limited production of 7,000 cases annually allows careful study and control of each lot of wine during the fermentation, maturation, and blending processes.

At harvest, our vineyard crew gently hand-picks the Estate grown Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Syrah, and Cabernet that they have cared for over the growing season. Because the crew works in-house only, we are able to harvest in a manner that optimizes wine quality: Each management zone within the vineyard blocks is monitored and picked separately to ensure optimal ripeness. Most grapes are harvested at night so that they arrive cool to the winery. The red grapes are destemmed, placed in open-top vessels, and punched by hand as they ferment. The whites are pressed off their skins and barrel-fermented in a cool cellar. All the wines (save the Rosé) undergo 100% malolactic fermentation.

Throughout the maturation process, each small lot is carefully studied to optimize every blend. The winemaking facility affords the space to treat the bottlings individually, allowing the appropriate length of barrel age according to the needs of a wine. After being bottled unfiltered with our own machine, the wine is labeled by hand. It is withheld in the winery's 55° underground cellar before release to gain 6 to 8 months of bottle age.

Winemaking is performed by Tom Dehlinger, assisted by daughter, Eva Dehlinger.