94-Points by Wine Enthusiast.
A proprietor's blend from three estate properties, this wine has a depth of flavor that's compelling and complex, opening in a heady floral combination of rose and lavender. From there, it imparts a crispness of cranberry and cassis, dusted in cardamom and a touch of forest floor. All of these wines were 100% dry farmed as well as grown organically.
 
Small Vines Wines was founded by Paul and Kathryn Sloan in 2004, with their vineyard management company, Small Vines Viticulture, starting in 1998, to pursue Paul's passion for creating high-quality, authentic, and age-worthy Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Inspired by visits to Burgundy and work with legendary grower Warren Dutton, the Sloans implemented high-density, low-yield viticultural practices, planting European-style vines close together to force the vines to produce more concentrated, flavorful fruit. This philosophy, which Paul Sloan states is captured by their tagline, "The smaller the vine, the better the wine", led to the establishment of their own high-density estate vineyards and the creation of Small Vines Wines. 
The Inspiration for High-Density Farming
A Life-Changing Burgundy Experience:
Paul Sloan's journey began in 1995 while working at John Ash & Co. restaurant, where a taste of a world-renowned Domaine de la Romanee-Conti red Burgundy "was the equivalent of a religious experience". 
A Pilgrimage to Burgundy:
This led Sloan to pursue viticulture classes, work with legendary viticulturist Warren Dutton of Dutton Ranch, and make a pilgrimage to Burgundy to understand its grape-growing methods, particularly the concept of cultivating smaller vines at higher densities. 
Warren Dutton's Influence:
Dutton encouraged Paul to start planting vineyards in his own distinctive way. 
The Founding and Philosophy
Small Vines Viticulture (1998):
Paul and his wife, Kathryn, founded their vineyard management company to plant and farm high-density vineyards in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations. 
Small Vines Wines (2004):
In 2004, the Sloans launched Small Vines Wines, producing their first Pinot Noir from their specially planted vines.