Up to 97 Points for Pinot and Chardonnay from Ryan Alfaro!

Three months ago, our good friend Steve Sullivan told us about a young California producer he had just begun working with...

“You’ve got to try the wines from this guy Ryan. Everyone is talking about him and his Santa Cruz juice.”

As Steve is one of the planet's most tied-in people to California's Central Coast wine scene, we should have jumped right away on his tip, but the busyness of business got in the way.

Fast forward to three weeks ago, and Jeb Dunnuck publishes a special report on hot new Santa Cruz Mountains releases. On the top of his list? The Farm Cottage wines of Ryan Alfaro!

We quickly called Steve, a bit embarrassed for not having acted quicker on his tip, and were able to secure a handful of cases of three of Ryan's bottlings, including a pair of awesome micro-production wines from his family's Trout Gulch Vineyard.

We are thrilled to bring these rare wines to you today. Read on for the details, then click down FAST on the Big Green Button to get while the getting's good!

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2023 Farm Cottage Pinot Noir
Santa Cruz Mountains, California
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With 141 cases bottled and hand-dipped in wax by Ryan, this beautiful Pinot Noir from the Lester Family Vineyard (11%), Alfaro Family Vineyard (22%), Christie Vineyard (45%), and Trout Gulch Vineyard (22%), is the largest production cuvée that we offer today...

“Made from a blend of vineyards, including Trout Gulch, Lester, and Alfaro Family, the 2023 Pinot Noir is 75% whole-cluster fermented, with the vineyard lots fermented separately and blended just before bottling. No new oak is used. Offering impressive aromatics and structure, the wine is textured and light-bodied, with a depth of crisp red fruit, dried herb, pine needle, and clove. Drink now through 2030.”
          - 96 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (4/1/2025)

Fermented using 77% whole cluster and aged in neutral french oak, it has earned 96 points from Jeb Dunnuck. At today's still-under-the-radar price, our nine cases will go fast.

Vin Chicago Price: 38.99

2023 Farm Cottage "Trout Gulch Vineyard" Chardonnay
Santa Cruz Mountains, California
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One of the Alfaro family’s prized possessions is the cool, high elevation Trout Gulch Vineyard which Ryan's parents recently purchased after years of leasing the land. Made famous by the likes of Kutch, Ceritas, and Arnot-Roberts, it has become one of the most lauded sites for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in all of California...

“Just four miles from the ocean near Aptos, the 2023 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is made from a supremely cold site first planted in 1980 that continues to be dry farmed. The Alfaro family purchased it in 2020 and replanted 4000 vines. This is crisp, light-bodied Chardonnay offers sizzling acidity that speaks to the place and vintage, with a linear salinity and quenching freshness. Drink now through 2030.”
          - 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (4/1/2025)

Ryan bottled a mere 92 cases of this incredible Chardonnay. We are thrilled to have been able to get 10% of the total production for Vin Chicago customers. As with Ryan's Pinots, it will be gone in a flash!

Vin Chicago Price: 39.99

2023 Farm Cottage "Trout Gulch Vineyard" Pinot Noir
Santa Cruz Mountains, California
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Jeb Dunnuck has not reviewed this wine, but we have! Two words: Amazingly delicious.

Ryan made just 97 cases of this single-vineyard Pinot from his family's organically farmed Trout Gulch Vineyard. Fermented entirely using whole clusters and raised in used French oak barrels, this Pinot Noir is light in color with a slight haze, similar to what we find with many of the natural-style California Pinots.

Brimming with fresh red fruits, red earth, minerals, subtle baking spice, and organic material, this youthful Pinot Noir is taut and full of energy. Dense and lifted, it is a serious wine that deserves several years in the cellar. If opened now, make sure to give three to four hours in a decanter. On day three, our sample bottle was still revealing new secrets.

We have just a few cases available. Grab a few bottles to drink from 2027 through the end of the 2030s.

Vin Chicago Price: 47.99