Proprietor August Sebastiani debuted a reserve line of Gehricke Wines through its first direct-to-consumer (DTC) program, featuring three small production, single vineyard wines from top sites in Sonoma County.

Gehricke, which is known for its tier of appellation-driven wines sold through wholesale channels, is owned by fourth-generation vintner Sebastiani and is the flagship wine label in his Sonoma, Calif.-based 3 Badge Beverage Corp. portfolio.

“Our new DTC program gives consumers access to these small-lot bottlings that they can’t find elsewhere. We craft them with minimal intervention to be the finest representation of each vineyard and appellation,” Sebastiani noted. “Gehricke has enjoyed strong success over the years with our main tier of wines, largely through the work of our partners in the wholesale distribution system. With our bigger push into the premium space, we felt it was important to have a line of wines available direct-to-consumer.”

The new Gehricke DTC program now is live through shop.3badge.com and includes three new, single-vineyard wines:

• The 2018 Chalk Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley ($49) is sourced from 30-plus year-old vines and is aged in 50 percent new French oak for 18 months before release keeping it fresh and floral, with clean acidity and a creamy finish.
• The 2018 Rogers Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast ($59) benefits from the cool evening air and fog from the Pacific captured high in the rolling hills of Sonoma Mountain. In the heart of the Petaluma Gap, well-draining, volcanic soils provide a terroir that makes for uniquely styled, bold Pinot Noir.
• The 2017 Upper East Side Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Valley ($65) is planted on excellent loamy clay soils, providing the ideal base for ripening Cabernet. With its exposed site, the vines catch sunlight from sunrise to sunset, creating a powerful wine, with a dark cherry and cassis richness that’s cut with firm tannins and elevated by a long, stately finish.

Gehricke is a tribute to the dusty roads and forgotten vineyards of Sonoma that Sebastiani explored in his youth, many owned by old friends and family, the company says. Gehricke’s winemaker Alex Beloz has worked with high-quality Sonoma County grapes for nearly two decades. 

Produced and distributed by Sebastiani’s 3 Badge Beverage Corp., Gehricke Wines has enjoyed strong growth since it was introduced in 2014, with shipments up 17.1 percent over the last year through April. Gehricke’s main tier of wines include Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Los Carneros Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley Zinfandel, Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Valley Petite Sirah. All wines are available nationally.