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Editors note: The 11th annual North Coast Wine Challenge happens this week with 32 judges tasting roughly 1,000 wines, all made in the North Bay. The contest attracts many high-caliber wines, from Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Marin and Lake counties and parts of Solano County. To celebrate the vibrancy of Sonoma Countys wine industry, were publishing stories on diverse aspects of wine, from where and how you can learn about wine to how winemakers and grape growers are dealing with climate change. And, of course, well have the results of the North Coast Wine Challenge in The Press Democrat and pressdemocrat.com this week. We thank Sonoma-Cutrer for supporting our efforts.

One of Californias oldest pinot noir vineyards sits on Santa Rosas van der Kamp Vineyard a tiny 25-acre vineyard on the north-face bench of Sonoma Mountain.

Indigenous tribes believe the world began right on top of that mountain.

Whether thats true or not, one thing is for certain great wine begins there.

For those reasons, the Santa Rosa vineyard is among over 100 featured in 150 Vineyards You Need to Visit Before You Die, published in December 2022, by Shana Clarke.

Among other Sonoma County vineyards that made it into the book for their uniqueness-factor were Hirsch Vineyards in Healdsburg, Jordan Vineyard and Winery in Healdsburg, and Sonomas Bedrock Vineyard and Bedrock Wine Co.

It was a surprise, you know, we dont get off the mountain often, said Malia van der Kamp, 32, the vineyards winemaker who was born and raised on the land. At times were out of touch with the outside world, so its always a surprise when people hear about us and appreciate what were doing.

When a publisher asked Clarke in 2022 to author the book, she started her search for vineyards, some in Africa and Japan, that represent the wine world today and those that have laid the groundwork for various regions, she said.

To put it simply: Interesting and unique vineyards that inspire one to travel.

I want people to travel, I want people to love wine, and I hope the book can fuel a readers passion in a deeper way or spark that fire, said Clarke, a freelance journalist and author based in New York City.

Family-owned and operated van der Kamp Vineyard was spotlighted for having one of Californias oldest pinot noir vines and producing the hard-to-find Pinot Meunier.

Their vines, some of which are from the early 1950s, sit at 1,500 feet, where they are met with thick fog from opposite sides of the vineyard and battle each other, as Malias father, Martin Van der Kamp, says, for a taste of sunlight weather conditions perfect for pinot noir.

They produce rare pinot meunier and chardonnay for still and sparkling wines, which are made by Malia, who owns and operates her own wine brand. She does it all while raising her 10-month old baby, Inanna, on the vineyard.

I remember running through the vines as a kid and staying home from school to help pick grapes, said Malia, the youngest of six kids. Now my daughter gets to run through the vines.

The land, once used for trading and a sacred meeting spot for Indigenous tribes, Malia said, is used for tribal ceremonies now. And the vineyard is riddled with history theyve found several Native artifacts in the area including arrowheads and pistols.

Its truly a magical, spiritual piece of land, Malia said. The area has a bit more character.

Malias father, who was raised in Napa by an Irish immigrant mother, has made wine since the 60s, often using the vineyards fruit. Raised by a single mother, he turned to his friends fathers, all winemakers in Napa, to learn the craft.

In 1989, he and his wife, Dixie, bought the land and made the vineyard a home for their six kids. Her brother Ulysses has managed and farmed for the last 30 years, pruning every grapevine with their longtime foreman Jesus Perez Rojas, who also lives on the farm with his family.

When they bought the land, it was mainly pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and a few acres of chardonnay and Golden Chasselas an old-time grape planted during Prohibition to make altar wines, Malia said. Since then, theyve replanted but preserved and maintained their long-beloved pinot noir vines.

When Clarke was asked what she hopes readers take away from the book, she responded, Inspiration

At Sonomas Bedrock Vineyard, wine masters take pride in their 130-year-old vines. Its why Clarke highlighted the vineyard in the book.

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Sonoma County vineyards named among 150 to visit before you die - The Santa Rosa Press Democrat