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The Calling began with a shared spark between Emmy Award–winning sportscaster Jim Nantz and wine-industry executive Peter Deutsch—two men who bonded instantly in 2009 over their fathers, their roots, and the idea that everyone has a calling worth chasing.

Jim, whose warm “Hello Friends” has opened decades of major CBS broadcasts, was inspired by his father’s battle with Alzheimer’s to create the Nantz National Alzheimer Center.

Peter, who built Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits alongside his father, dreamed of crafting a wine that honored the man who shaped his life. Their friendship quickly turned into a partnership, united by the desire to build something meaningful in their fathers’ names.

In 2012, they founded The Calling, choosing Sonoma as their home for its mosaic of microclimates, family-farmed vineyards, and world-class potential for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Their vision was simple but ambitious: find the right land, work with exceptional growers, and craft wines that reflect character, purpose, and the people behind them.

Today, The Calling is a testament to that shared dream—a winery rooted in legacy, guided by intention, and shaped by Sonoma’s most expressive sites. And nowhere does that philosophy shine more clearly than in the 2023 The Calling Pinot Noir Russian River Valley carries that spirit forward.

Sourced from a patchwork of renowned vineyards across the Russian River Valley, it’s crafted as an homage to the region’s iconic style—silky, vibrant, and shaped by coastal fog and cool mornings. The vintage began with a cold, slow start and finished warm and focused, with an early harvest driven by bright August and September days.

The lighter crop and ideal weather created Pinot Noir with exceptional flavor concentration, vivid color, and beautifully ripe, expressive fruit. It’s the kind of wine that reflects not just a place, but the intention behind it—precision, patience, and the belief that following your calling leads to something worth sharing.