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History
written by Stephen
My active engagement in the food and wine business now spans 40+ years. Early on in my career, I began developing a deep appreciation for the virtues of the Syrah grape, an affinity that feels touched by kismet. The visionary wine importer Kermit Lynch’s farsighted initiative to champion an array of the then little-known wines of the Rhône Valley had much to do with that.
Over time, my deep immersion in the wine and food business (as a wine retailer and consultant, a restaurateur involved with Chez Panisse, Table 29, César, as an importer of Tuscan olive oil, etc.) led to a move to Sonoma to become a farmer and producer of wine and olive oil, a natural (if not ineluctable) next step .
In a sense, taking on this agrarian quest closed the loop on my connection to the full gamut of possibilities of food, wine and the table. At the same time, though, it has led me to a whole new canon of understandings about the process and commitments entailed in regenerative and organic farming, not to mention illustrating palpably how the journey from the ground into the bottle can be exciting, unpredictable, harrowing and singularly rewarding. In other words, it was the next act in my culinary passion play.
The Estate
Sebastopol, California West Sonoma Coast AVA
YEAR
PLANTED:
2003
CLONES:
Six selections of Syrah (Hudson, Durrell, Estrella, 877, Shiraz, 470) and one of Viognier
PLANTED ACREAGES:
5.4 acres Syrah, .6 acres Viognier
EXPOSURE:
ELEVATION:
SOIL TYPE:
FARMING:
West
280 feet
Goldridge (light, sandy loam)
Sustainable, regenerative and non-certified organic
Located in the Sebastopol Hills of West Sonoma County, the Baker Lane Estate is a cool-weather, west facing site with undulating hillside terrain. The Baker Lane Estate vineyards are devoted exclusively to the northern Rhône Valley varieties of Syrah and Viognier.
In 2002 Sebastopol was already well into its transition from a region famous for apples to a vanguard perch in the quest for cooler grape-growing terroir. We loved the area for its beauty and slightly out of the way-ness, but could we grow Syrah of great distinction here? The truth is, I didn’t know.
What I had come to understand, though, from years of visiting many of the world’s great wine regions, is that the world’s best wines were made from grapes that necessarily struggled to achieve maturity. I came to understand that the best grape choice (memorialized repeatedly by the emphatically chosen cultivars for all great viticultural zones) is the one that just barely gets ripe. In doing so, the grapes enjoy more time on the vine developing complexity, color, structure, balance and depth of flavor while avoiding over-ripeness and declining acidity.
Twenty years of farming on Baker Lane has proven that, while we’ve never failed to produce grapes of quality and distinction, each growing season presents a diverse narrative and occasionally very complicated challenges to resolve. Coupling that understanding to the attention to detail provided by Greg Adams (our viticulturist and winemaker since 2007) has meant that the learning curve for understanding the character and potential for our Baker Lane vines has been steep and fascinating.
Alas, the lesson in the meaning and consequence of the site that our Estate vineyard has provided has been profound.
The Estate
Sebastopol, California West Sonoma Coast AVA
YEAR PLANTED:
CLONES:
2003
Six selections of Syrah (Hudson, Durrell, Estrella, 877, Shiraz, 470) and one of Viognier
PLANTED ACREAGES:
EXPOSURE:
ELEVATION:
SOIL TYPE:
FARMING:
5.7 acres Syrah, .6 acres Viognier
West
280 feet
Goldridge (light, sandy loam)
Sustainable, regenerative and non-certified organic
Located in the Sebastopol Hills of West Sonoma County, the Baker Lane Estate is a cool-weather, west facing site with undulating hillside terrain. The Baker Lane Estate vineyards are devoted exclusively to the northern Rhône Valley varieties of Syrah and Viognier.
In 2002 Sebastopol was already well into its transition from a region famous for apples to a vanguard perch in the quest for cooler grape-growing terroir. We loved the area for its beauty and slightly out of the way-ness, but could we grow Syrah of great distinction here? The truth is, I didn’t know.
What I had come to understand, though, from years of visiting many of the world’s great wine regions, is that the world’s best wines were made from grapes that necessarily struggled to achieve maturity. I came to understand that the best grape choice (memorialized repeatedly by the emphatically chosen cultivars for all great viticultural zones) is the one that just barely gets ripe. In doing so, the grapes enjoy more time on the vine developing complexity, color, structure, balance and depth of flavor while avoiding over-ripeness and declining acidity.
Twenty years of farming on Baker Lane has proven that, while we’ve never failed to produce grapes of quality and distinction, each growing season presents a diverse narrative and occasionally very complicated challenges to resolve. Coupling that understanding to the attention to detail provided by Greg Adams (our viticulturist and winemaker since 2007) has meant that the learning curve for understanding the character and potential for our Baker Lane vines has been steep and fascinating.
Alas, the lesson in the meaning and consequence of the site that our Estate vineyard has provided has been profound.
Our Wines
Knowledge gained from ‘mistakes’ has benefited my overall understanding of things, which is to confirm that I’ve had many opportunities to benefit. The implied flavor target for Singer Wine at Baker Lane Estate has been gestating through many seasons of learning, most notably what the true flavor character our site is, or can be.
Axiomatic to our approach is that quality is forever more important than quantity, in particular if we are to sustain the elemental goal to be included in the conversation with singular wines made from Syrah worldwide. This has driven us to focus on the most select areas of our vineyards, sculpting wines from them that reflect the insights gained from our eighteen vintages of wine-growing.
The tiny production efforts of Singer Baker Lane Estate Syrah and Viognier are the literal fruits of that quest. To say the least, it has been a remarkable learning process.
Syrah
syrah
Beautifully farmed and vinified Syrah is unequaled for its potential to render sumptuously hypnotic aromatics, ravishing color (once a painter, always a painter), depth, structure, age-ability, and diverse food friendliness. That it feels more transparent of site than any other noble variety made it a compelling choice to pursue for this cool hillside in western Sonoma county. If there is a distinctive terroir that is intrinsic to this site, unsparingly cultivated Syrah would avail a singular chance to capture and develop it.
Great Syrah-based wines are unmistakably cozy companions with all of the great European ‘red wine’ food options. At the same time the manner in which its spicy, lush fruity flavors enhance various vivid and aggressive cooking (translate global cuisine possibilities) speaks to a kind of universality that few other grapes possess.
Viognier
viognier
I’ve always found the grape intriguing, particularly the complexly floral and stone-fruity wines made from it in northern Rhone Valley appellations.
An unanticipated discovery was that Viognier in our site didn’t collapse in to (over) ripeness as it does in warmer zones (in California), instead yielding wines of gorgeous florality, impressive acid retention, energy and complexity. After initially planning to employ it only as a blending component to our Syrahs, we realized that it presented an analogous cool climate version on the white side of things to our Syrah wines. After three years of achieving excellent outcomes, we doubled down and regrafted 450 Syrah vines to it in the lowest (i.e. coolest) section of the vineyard. This added production preserved our Syrah co-fermentation strategy while allowing us to reliably produced a small amount of varietal Viognier as well.
With its vivid aromatics and energetically fruit driven palate sensations (and lack of an oaky overlay) it literally steps up to the plate both with more conventional white food choices and exotic ones as well. With its well-defined acid feature, combined with a measure of tannin that Viognier can sustain, it has also shown a capacity to age beautifully.
Olive Oil
Olive oil’s allure lives deeply in my personal history. My full-blown oleaginous immersion did not arrive until my first trip to Italy at age 20 and only grew from there upon entering the Chez Panisse universe eight years later. Perhaps, though, the experience that most propelled it initially was access to the numerous oils that I was sourcing from the raft of boutique wine importers I worked with when I was a wine retailer in San Francisco. These oils which were produced in Italy, Provence and Spain loomed as repositories of flavor and culture that mirrored the distinction of wines from the same properties. In my quest to expand the pleasures of my table, my interest in fine olive oil was fed by the same voracious curiosity that propelled my education in wine.
In 1984, having the opportunity to visit the esteemed Chianti Classico estate Badia a Coltibuono (a singular early player in the global commodification of great Tuscan oil), the indispensability of great olive oil was intractably cemented on the table that I shared with Alice and our daughter Fanny. Quite simply, almost everything we ate tasted better, more deeply flavorful and satisfying when it included a healthy measure of Tuscan spirited oil.
Soon thereafter I started an enterprise aimed at sourcing beautiful Tuscan oil for our use at Chez Panisse. After mastering the logistics of importing, this venture grew organically as chefs and home cooks alike were eager to embrace the force multiplying effects of great olive oil. Eventually I built a portfolio of several artisan producers augmented by fantastic expressions of vinegar (Balsamic from Modena and fine barrel aged red wine aceto from Chianti).
Producing world class olive oil has become a source of pride for Baker Lane Estate as it is driven by the same passion (and commitment to sustainability and regenerative farming practices) that has fueled all of our engagements here in Sebastopol.
In my years of traveling to Italy to taste and observe the factors that support the production of great Tuscan oil, I was unconsciously preparing myself to tackle the challenge of emulating that standard here. As our trees have matured and the resources for handling the fruit and milling have met the highest standards, I am now thrilled to believe that our oils are mirroring the distinction of their Tuscan inspirations.
Stephen Singer
Proprietor
Although painting has steadfastly remained Stephen’s passion for 50 years, in 1983, with his daughter Fanny in utero, the idea of a working life in the wine business emerged. Fanny’s Mother, Alice Waters, encouraged him to open a retail store in San Francisco, and Singer & Foy Wines (a bottle shop with a wine tasting schedule of global scope) provided an ample on-the-job business and detailed wine education. Traveling broadly throughout the wine world with his mentor, Kermit Lynch, Alice and others, further instilled a fine appreciation for the subtleties of culture and viticulture that make wines of distinction possible.
In serving 15 years as a Board Member and the wine director for Chez Panisse, Stephen was engaged in the ongoing green revolution that it helped spawn. This motivated him to celebrate the indelible connection between the earth and a gracious table through a variety of pursuits. These included wine consulting for many restaurants throughout the Bay Area, helping develop several restaurants of his own (including Table 29 in Napa and César in Berkeley), and Stephen Singer, Olio, an importer and distributor of fine Italian olive oils and vinegars.
This entrepreneurial spirit, tethered to a desire to gain an empirical understanding of viticulture and winemaking (and the attractions of the open space of rural life), led to the creation of Baker Lane Vineyards. It has provided Stephen the rare opportunity to transform its 15 acres into a biodynamically farmed Syrah and Viognier vineyard with singular terroir, olive orchard and home. Baker Lane’s mission is to produce regeneratively cultivated , exceptional expressions of cool climate (and most importantly, table friendly) Syrah and Viognier has appropriately drawn on all aspects of Stephen’s skill set. For more on Stephen’s artwork, please visit StephensingerArt.com
Fanny Singer
Fanny Singer is a writer and the founder of the design brand, Permanent Collection. In March of 2020, her book, Always Home: A Daughter’s Recipes and Stories, was published by Knopf. She holds PhD in Art History from the University of Cambridge on the subject of British Pop artist Richard Hamilton and, in 2015, published My Pantry with her mother Alice Waters (which she also illustrated).
Fanny regularly contributes art reviews and culture writing to a wide range of publications including WSJ Magazine, Apartamento, Artforum, Frieze, and Art-Agenda.
As Stephen’s daughter, Fanny has always considered Baker Lane Estate her “home.” She takes pride in promoting and sharing Singer Wines across the globe and, whenever she finds herself in Sebastopol, gathers friend old and new at the estate to celebrate the bounty of the region.
She lives in Los Angeles and travels widely.
Greg Adams
Vineyard Manager and Winemaker
Greg Adams and Stephen Singer began their collaboration in 2007, when it became clear that Greg’s skill set was distinctly well-suited to help Baker Lane achieve its far-reaching goals for sustainability and viticultural excellence.
Beginning in 2009, Greg deepened his involvement with Baker Lane Estate and fully oversees the winemaking regime.
As Baker Lane’s philosophy emphasizes the essential connection between site and flavor, having someone with Greg’s keen attention to detail, fine palate, and deep institutional memory is invaluable in helping to insure optimal agricultural outcomes that lead to exceptional wines in turn. His ongoing viticultural oversight and winemaking role are essential elements in the Baker Lane’s quest to constantly elevate its ‘winegrowing’ efforts to an ever higher level.
Kari Kittinger
Direct Sales & Marketing
Kari started working with the Baker Lane team in 2015 and continues to support the commitment to sustainability and unwavering values behind Stephen Singer’s special winegrowing efforts and winemaking standards.
She holds degrees in wine business marketing and viticulture and has worked with several wineries from the Central Coast to Sonoma County.
Kari also founded and operated a wine cafe and market where she was (serendipitously) first introduced to the Baker Lane wines.
She lives with her family in Petaluma and enjoys yoga, hiking and cooking up the local bounty.
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History
written by Stephen
My active engagement in the food and wine business now spans 40+ years. Early on in my career, I began developing a deep appreciation for the virtues of the Syrah grape, an affinity that feels touched by kismet. The visionary wine importer Kermit Lynch’s farsighted initiative to champion an array of the then little-known wines of the Rhône Valley had much to do with that.
Over time, my deep immersion in the wine and food business (as a wine retailer and consultant, a restaurateur involved with Chez Panisse, Table 29, César, as an importer of Tuscan olive oil, etc.) led to a move to Sonoma to become a farmer and producer of wine and olive oil, a natural (if not ineluctable) next step .
In a sense, taking on this agrarian quest closed the loop on my connection to the full gamut of possibilities of food, wine and the table. At the same time, though, it has led me to a whole new canon of understandings about the process and commitments entailed in regenerative and organic farming, not to mention illustrating palpably how the journey from the ground into the bottle can be exciting, unpredictable, harrowing and singularly rewarding. In other words, it was the next act in my culinary passion play.
The Estate
Sebastopol, California West Sonoma Coast AVA
YEAR PLANTED: 2003
CLONES: Six selections of Syrah (Hudson, Durrell, Estrella, 877, Shiraz, 470) and one of Viognier
PLANTED ACREAGES:
5.4 acres Syrah, .6 acres Viognier
EXPOSURE: West
ELEVATION: 280 feet
SOIL TYPE:
Goldridge (light, sandy loam)
FARMING:
Sustainable, regenerative and non-certified organic
Located in the Sebastopol Hills of West Sonoma County, the Baker Lane Estate is a cool-weather, west facing site with undulating hillside terrain. The Baker Lane Estate vineyards are devoted exclusively to the northern Rhône Valley varieties of Syrah and Viognier.
In 2002 Sebastopol was already well into its transition from a region famous for apples to a vanguard perch in the quest for cooler grape-growing terroir. We loved the area for its beauty and slightly out of the way-ness, but could we grow Syrah of great distinction here? The truth is, I didn’t know.
What I had come to understand, though, from years of visiting many of the world’s great wine regions, is that the world’s best wines were made from grapes that necessarily struggled to achieve maturity. I came to understand that the best grape choice (memorialized repeatedly by the emphatically chosen cultivars for all great viticultural zones) is the one that just barely gets ripe. In doing so, the grapes enjoy more time on the vine developing complexity, color, structure, balance and depth of flavor while avoiding over-ripeness and declining acidity.
Twenty years of farming on Baker Lane has proven that, while we’ve never failed to produce grapes of quality and distinction, each growing season presents a diverse narrative and occasionally very complicated challenges to resolve. Coupling that understanding to the attention to detail provided by Greg Adams (our viticulturist and winemaker since 2007) has meant that the learning curve for understanding the character and potential for our Baker Lane vines has been steep and fascinating.
Alas, the lesson in the meaning and consequence of the site that our Estate vineyard has provided has been profound.
Our Wines
Knowledge gained from ‘mistakes’ has benefited my overall understanding of things, which is to confirm that I’ve had many opportunities to benefit. The implied flavor target for Singer Wine at Baker Lane Estate has been gestating through many seasons of learning, most notably what the true flavor character our site is, or can be.
Axiomatic to our approach is that quality is forever more important than quantity, in particular if we are to sustain the elemental goal to be included in the conversation with singular wines made from Syrah worldwide. This has driven us to focus on the most select areas of our vineyards, sculpting wines from them that reflect the insights gained from our eighteen vintages of wine-growing.
The tiny production efforts of Singer Baker Lane Estate Syrah and Viognier are the literal fruits of that quest. To say the least, it has been a remarkable learning process.
Syrah
Beautifully farmed and vinified Syrah is unequaled for its potential to render sumptuously hypnotic aromatics, ravishing color (once a painter, always a painter), depth, structure, age-ability, and diverse food friendliness. That it feels more transparent of site than any other noble variety made it a compelling choice to pursue for this cool hillside in western Sonoma county. If there is a distinctive terroir that is intrinsic to this site, unsparingly cultivated Syrah would avail a singular chance to capture and develop it.
Great Syrah-based wines are unmistakably cozy companions with all of the great European ‘red wine’ food options. At the same time the manner in which its spicy, lush fruity flavors enhance various vivid and aggressive cooking (translate global cuisine possibilities) speaks to a kind of universality that few other grapes possess.
Viognier
I’ve always found the grape intriguing, particularly the complexly floral and stone-fruity wines made from it in northern Rhone Valley appellations.
An unanticipated discovery was that Viognier in our site didn’t collapse in to (over) ripeness as it does in warmer zones (in California), instead yielding wines of gorgeous florality, impressive acid retention, energy and complexity. After initially planning to employ it only as a blending component to our Syrahs, we realized that it presented an analogous cool climate version on the white side of things to our Syrah wines. After three years of achieving excellent outcomes, we doubled down and regrafted 450 Syrah vines to it in the lowest (i.e. coolest) section of the vineyard. This added production preserved our Syrah co-fermentation strategy while allowing us to reliably produced a small amount of varietal Viognier as well.
With its vivid aromatics and energetically fruit driven palate sensations (and lack of an oaky overlay) it literally steps up to the plate both with more conventional white food choices and exotic ones as well. With its well-defined acid feature, combined with a measure of tannin that Viognier can sustain, it has also shown a capacity to age beautifully.
Olive Oil
Olive oil’s allure lives deeply in my personal history. My full-blown oleaginous immersion did not arrive until my first trip to Italy at age 20 and only grew from there upon entering the Chez Panisse universe eight years later. Perhaps, though, the experience that most propelled it initially was access to the numerous oils that I was sourcing from the raft of boutique wine importers I worked with when I was a wine retailer in San Francisco. These oils which were produced in Italy, Provence and Spain loomed as repositories of flavor and culture that mirrored the distinction of wines from the same properties. In my quest to expand the pleasures of my table, my interest in fine olive oil was fed by the same voracious curiosity that propelled my education in wine.
In 1984, having the opportunity to visit the esteemed Chianti Classico estate Badia a Coltibuono (a singular early player in the global commodification of great Tuscan oil), the indispensability of great olive oil was intractably cemented on the table that I shared with Alice and our daughter Fanny. Quite simply, almost everything we ate tasted better, more deeply flavorful and satisfying when it included a healthy measure of Tuscan spirited oil.
Soon thereafter I started an enterprise aimed at sourcing beautiful Tuscan oil for our use at Chez Panisse. After mastering the logistics of importing, this venture grew organically as chefs and home cooks alike were eager to embrace the force multiplying effects of great olive oil. Eventually I built a portfolio of several artisan producers augmented by fantastic expressions of vinegar (Balsamic from Modena and fine barrel aged red wine aceto from Chianti).
Producing world class olive oil has become a source of pride for Baker Lane Estate as it is driven by the same passion (and commitment to sustainability and regenerative farming practices) that has fueled all of our engagements here in Sebastopol.
In my years of traveling to Italy to taste and observe the factors that support the production of great Tuscan oil, I was unconsciously preparing myself to tackle the challenge of emulating that standard here. As our trees have matured and the resources for handling the fruit and milling have met the highest standards, I am now thrilled to believe that our oils are mirroring the distinction of their Tuscan inspirations.
Stephen Singer
Proprietor
Although painting has steadfastly remained Stephen’s passion for 50 years, in 1983, with his daughter Fanny in utero, the idea of a working life in the wine business emerged. Fanny’s Mother, Alice Waters, encouraged him to open a retail store in San Francisco, and Singer & Foy Wines (a bottle shop with a wine tasting schedule of global scope) provided an ample on-the-job business and detailed wine education. Traveling broadly throughout the wine world with his mentor, Kermit Lynch, Alice and others, further instilled a fine appreciation for the subtleties of culture and viticulture that make wines of distinction possible.
In serving 15 years as a Board Member and the wine director for Chez Panisse, Stephen was engaged in the ongoing green revolution that it helped spawn. This motivated him to celebrate the indelible connection between the earth and a gracious table through a variety of pursuits. These included wine consulting for many restaurants throughout the Bay Area, helping develop several restaurants of his own (including Table 29 in Napa and César in Berkeley), and Stephen Singer, Olio, an importer and distributor of fine Italian olive oils and vinegars.
This entrepreneurial spirit, tethered to a desire to gain an empirical understanding of viticulture and winemaking (and the attractions of the open space of rural life), led to the creation of Baker Lane Vineyards. It has provided Stephen the rare opportunity to transform its 15 acres into a biodynamically farmed Syrah and Viognier vineyard with singular terroir, olive orchard and home. Baker Lane’s mission is to produce regeneratively cultivated , exceptional expressions of cool climate (and most importantly, table friendly) Syrah and Viognier has appropriately drawn on all aspects of Stephen’s skill set. For more on Stephen’s artwork, please visit StephensingerArt.com
Fanny Singer
Fanny Singer is a writer and the founder of the design brand, Permanent Collection. In March of 2020, her book, Always Home: A Daughter’s Recipes and Stories, was published by Knopf. She holds PhD in Art History from the University of Cambridge on the subject of British Pop artist Richard Hamilton and, in 2015, published My Pantry with her mother Alice Waters (which she also illustrated).
Fanny regularly contributes art reviews and culture writing to a wide range of publications including WSJ Magazine, Apartamento, Artforum, Frieze, and Art-Agenda.
As Stephen’s daughter, Fanny has always considered Baker Lane Estate her “home.” She takes pride in promoting and sharing Singer Wines across the globe and, whenever she finds herself in Sebastopol, gathers friend old and new at the estate to celebrate the bounty of the region.
She lives in Los Angeles and travels widely.
Greg Adams
VINEYARD MANAGER AND WINEMAKER
Greg Adams and Stephen Singer began their collaboration in 2007, when it became clear that Greg’s skill set was distinctly well-suited to help Baker Lane achieve its far-reaching goals for sustainability and viticultural excellence.
Beginning in 2009, Greg deepened his involvement with Baker Lane Estate and fully oversees the winemaking regime.
As Baker Lane’s philosophy emphasizes the essential connection between site and flavor, having someone with Greg’s keen attention to detail, fine palate, and deep institutional memory is invaluable in helping to insure optimal agricultural outcomes that lead to exceptional wines in turn. His ongoing viticultural oversight and winemaking role are essential elements in the Baker Lane’s quest to constantly elevate its ‘winegrowing’ efforts to an ever higher level.
Kari Kittinger
Direct Sales & Marketing
Kari started working with the Baker Lane team in 2015 and continues to support the commitment to sustainability and unwavering values behind Stephen Singer’s special winegrowing efforts and winemaking standards.
She holds degrees in wine business marketing and viticulture and has worked with several wineries from the Central Coast to Sonoma County. Kari also founded and operated a wine café and market where she was (serendipitously) first introduced to the Baker Lane wines.
She lives with her family in Petaluma and enjoys yoga, hiking and cooking up the local bounty.