2020 Donelan Venus

A golden hued blend of Roussanne and Viognier, the 2020 Venus is ripe and savory with resinous herbs, ripe white peach, and almond. Full-bodied, with a nutty texture, notes of ripe melon rind and white flowers, and a bit of a delicate pithy texture on the finish, this will develop nicely over the next 6-8 years. Joe Donelan came to the wine world after he received what he calls “a life-changing education” from a sommelier on Nantucket in the 1980s. Today he is joined by his two sons, Tripp and Cushing, who oversee sales and marketing respectively. David Milner has been the head winemaker since 2017 after previously working at Groth and Eisele Vineyard. Donelan himself has worked with the Obsidian Vineyard in Knights Valley since 2001 and was able to purchase the site in 2015. Sadly, in 2017, the vineyard fell victim to that year’s fires, but they have since put a new emphasis on replanting with greater vine density. The style of the estate certainly does not shy away from ripeness, although they are wines with finesse and elegance. I am especially a fan of the wines they’re producing in the cooler Bennett Valley. The wines for this report were tasted at their Santa Rosa winery in May.