An Ethos in Every Bottle – RAEN Winery
RAEN Winery, located in one of California’s most celebrated wine regions, Sonoma County, recently took home two prestigious awards: the James Suckling titles of #1 US Wine 2025 and #2 World Wine 2025 for its Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast Royal St. Robert 2023. RAEN has earned global renown for its meticulous farming practices, with its three sites precisely cultivated with respect for the natural environment that results in wine that elegantly reflects the purity and character of the land.
In fact, the name is the message: RAEN (Research in Agriculture and Enology Naturally). The winery is dedicated to setting the highest standards of viticulture farming. Care for the soil, vines, and people are the top priorities of founders, Carlo and Dante Mondavi.
Each year, RAEN Winery releases a limited number of small-production bottles.
The Mondavi Legacy Continues
Carlo and Dante are fourth-generation winemakers, or winegrowers, as they prefer to call themselves. Grandfather, Robert Mondavi, and father, Tim Mondavi, taught the brothers much of what they know about wine and instilled in them a deep respect for the land, inspiring their dedication to organic and regenerative farming practices. Their methods encompass every aspect of the vineyards – the flora, fauna, and biodiversity of each site.
RAEN releases a very limited number of bottles each year. The winery’s vineyards, spread across three sites, are made up of just 25 acres of hand-farmed vines, including one of the oldest meter-by-meter vineyards in Sonoma. Meter-by-meter vineyards are a traditional practice inspired by the old-world vineyards of Europe. Vines are planted densely to encourage competition, directing the plant’s energy toward fruit development rather than leaf growth. This helps produce grapes with greater intensity, concentration, and complexity. Hand farming is required for such vineyards, as modern farm equipment cannot fit between the rows of vines.
RAEN’s vineyards consist of three distinct Sonoma Coast sites, each selected for its unique microclimate, soil composition, and elevation. Freestone Occidental, RAEN’s home estate overlooking Bodega Bay, is framed by redwoods, coastal oaks, native grasses, and wildflowers. The vines there enjoy cool morning fog off the Pacific followed by warm afternoon sunlight, resulting in grapes that ripen evenly. The estate has been certified organic since 2022 and is a wildlife sanctuary for bobcats and foxes.
The Fort Ross-Seaview site above Jenner, California lies along one of the most westerly ridges of the Sonoma Coast. The cool, maritime-influenced climate slows the ripening process but it is well worth the challenge. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are characterized by remarkable concentration and depth.
RAEN also farms a handful of smaller remote blocks along the Sonoma Coast. These feature a range of different soil types and meticulously selected clones. Altogether, these sites reflect RAEN’s meticulous vineyard management, dense plantings, and organic and regenerative practices, which highlight the rugged character and subtle complexity of the Sonoma Coast.
RAEN Pinot Noir Sonoma County Sonoma Coast Royal St. Robert 2023
RAEN’s highly acclaimed Royal St. Robert 2023 Pinot Noir took first place in James Suckling’s most recent edition of the Top 100 Wines of the USA (2025).
This bottle showcases the signature style wine enthusiasts seek in Sonoma Coast expressions – bright fruit flavors, lively acidity, and layers of refined complexity – and James Suckling’s critics gave the wine a score of 99.
“An amazingly complex, dynamic wine that demands your attention from the first sniff to the lingering finish,” as it was described. “Aromas of redwood forest, rosemary, purple flowers and black cherries, then black tea, pomegranate, dark cherry, dried raspberry and wild mushroom flavors. Fine-grained moderate tannins and crunchy acidity give it such a firm backbone. Drink now or hold.”
