History
Greg and Linda Pearl bought the five-acre parcel on Hessel Road in 1991 and planted it the following year. The first commercial vintage came in 1995. Ehren Jordan of Failla makes the wine. Since autumn 2007 the property has also operated as the Pearlessence Vineyard Inn, which makes it one of the few vineyards on this list you can book a room at.
The Site
Five acres at 4097 Hessel Road, Sebastopol, of which under two are planted. The wines carry the Sonoma Coast appellation. The doc's spelling of the name drops a letter; the property spells it Pearlessence.
Vines and Blocks
Pinot Noir in Louis Martini heritage clones, FPMS selections 13 and 15, rather than the Dijon material that dominates plantings of that era.
The Wines
Failla's Pearlessence Vineyard Pinot Noir is the designate, made in small volume from a planting this size.