Ceritas

Ceritas Wines, founded in 2005 by winemaker John Raytek and his wife Phoebe Bass, is a small, family-run estate dedicated to producing transparent, terroir-driven wines from California’s coastal regions. With vineyard sources in the West Sonoma Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains, many farmed organically or biodynamically and, in some cases, exclusively for them, Ceritas focuses on expressing the unique personality of each site.

Their philosophy is rooted in the belief that the vineyard is the true author of the wine, with the winemaker serving as a careful observer. This ethos translates into a low-intervention approach: indigenous yeast fermentations, judicious use of whole clusters in Pinot Noir, minimal new oak, and a flexible, vintage-led mindset. Both founders bring deep viticultural knowledge, John from his experience at acclaimed wineries such as Flowers, Rhys, and Copain, and Phoebe from her upbringing on a biodynamic farm in the Sonoma Coast.

Signature bottlings like Porter-Bass Chardonnay, Hellenthal ‘Old Shop Block’ Pinot Noir, and Peter Martin Ray Cabernet Sauvignon are prized for their precision, energy, and purity. With each release, Ceritas crafts wines that are elegant, age-worthy, and unfiltered expressions of California’s coastal terroirs, appealing to those who value authenticity over artifice.