Don and Patsy Calegari purchased their 40-acre parcel on Eastside Road in 1977, in the heart of the Russian River Valley. Don grew up making wine and stomping grapes with his grandfather — the instinct never left him. In 1980, they planted two rows of Zinfandel and started making wine in the horse barn. They were enamored with the color and intensity of what the site produced. Encouraged by a visit from winemaker Mike Lee, who declared the property a strong candidate for Pinot Noir, the Calegaris planted approximately 14 acres of Pinot Noir in 2001, working with vineyard managers Doug Lloyd and Chris Bowland — both of whom also worked with Williams Selyem. Their Zinfandel Port earned a silver and gold medal at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair in 2003 and 2004.
The Calegari site is a bright, floral expression of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir — red-fruited, aromatic, and specific to this stretch of Eastside Road. Heritage clones of Swan and Mt. Eden anchor the planting, with more recent grafting of 777 adding depth and complexity.
Williams Selyem began sourcing from Calegari Vineyard in 2008, first as a component of the Eastside Road Neighbors blend, then as a single-vineyard designate starting with the 2011 vintage. It is the kind of site that rewards patience — both in the farming and in the glass.
