When I first joined the Mayacama team as its Wine Director, it wasn’t long before I received the opportunity to visit Lynmar Estate and meet Lynn & Anisya Fritz.

Driving onto their secluded property off Frei Road in the Russian River Valley, I couldn’t help but feel I was about to embark on a very special journey.

A place of abundant natural beauty, Lynmar Estate borders the western edge of the Laguna de Santa Rosa, the largest tributary of the Russian River, and Sonoma County’s richest wildlife preserve.

Situated just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Lynmar, home to the revered Quail Hill Vineyard, benefits from the influences of a maritime climate. The ebb and flow of warm days and cool evenings create an ideal climate for cultivating high quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Lynn Fritz purchased Quail Hill Ranch in 1980, envisioning the Russian River property as a rural retreat from a hectic international corporate life. This pastoral vineyard home was an oasis away from a busy life as CEO of Fritz Companies, a global logistics organization with a presence in 120 countries.

“Back then, I enjoyed Quail Hill as a retreat,” Lynn says, “but I saw it as a side project. I would enjoy the property, but others would run the business of winegrowing.”

But as the years passed, and Lynn spent more time in the vineyard during his visits to the estate, he realized that serendipity had handed him a rare gift: he had been given stewardship over a truly remarkable piece of land – one that stood out as something of a prodigy in the Russian River Valley.

Since the original purchase, Lynn has added six contiguous pieces of land around Quail Hill, creating what is now the 100-acre Lynmar Estate property.

In 2001, Lynn shifted professional gears, as UPS acquired Fritz Companies and he founded Fritz Institute, a group dedicated to assisting humanitarian organizations with the complicated logistics of global disaster relief.

Simultaneously, he oversaw the intricate replanting of many parts of the vineyard resulting in a stunning array of distinct clonal selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. He also spearheaded the construction of a state-of-the-art winery and caves as well as an airy, welcoming tasting room, both completed in 2005.

“Once I really realized what we had here, the only logical choice was to push the boundaries of the estate to bring it to its full potential,” he explains. “If you had a child who was a prodigy in music, you would devote everything you had to helping that child reach his or her full potential. That’s how we feel about Quail Hill.”

In 2008, Lynn and his wife Anisya made Lynmar Estate their permanent home, transforming themselves from absentee owners to resident proprietors. With an astonishing amount of business acumen, Lynn then set about crafting an entirely new model for artisan winemaking at Lynmar.

Today, Lynn and his team produce no more than 12,000 cases of wine from four distinct vineyard sites, each representing a touchstone of the Russian River Valley. Vineyard management is executed by a fully dedicated onsite crew, and nearly every bottle is sold directly to consumers, leaving little left for restaurants or retail wine shops.

Lynn has formed a unique symbiotic relationship between himself and Pete Soergel -- Lynmar’s Director of Winemaking and Vineyards. Pete and Lynn carefully define what they want from each vine and each block and pull forth the extraordinary from the soil. Pete and his team work with 53 individual vineyard blocks and 19 different clones that they mutually transform into 90 separate lots of wine in the cellar.

I don’t usually put these kinds of statements in writing; however, I will say, the 2018 vintage wines from Lynmar Estate are hands down some of the best Russian River Valley Pinot Noir bottlings I have ever had the opportunity to taste.

This should explain why I am honored to bring you today’s Mayacama wine offer; a lineup of 4 individual Pinot Noir bottlings from Lynmar Estate, all representative of the 2018 vintage.

For this offer, Mayacama Members have been given access to Lynmar’s Legacy Member pricing; the deepest discount you are going to find on these rare and exclusive bottlings.

Additionally, any member who purchases 6 bottles or more will enjoy a complimentary Wine Flight tasting experience for 2 at Lynmar Estate (Offered Thursday through Monday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.).

As always feel free to let me know if you have any questions regarding the wines and thank you for your continued support.

Cheers!

Carey Vanderborg, Wine Director

Pinot Noir, Adam’s Vineyard, Russian River Valley 2018

Retail: $71 | Mayacama Price: $61

Pinot Noir, Quail Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley 2018

Retail: $71 | Mayacama Price: $61

Pinot Noir, Susanna’s Vineyard, Sonoma Coast 2018

Retail: $71| Mayacama Price: $61

Pinot Noir, AMDG, Russian River Valley 2018

Retail: $76 | Mayacama Price: $65

Click here for more information regarding the wines.