Peterson, Dry Creek Valley, Timbercrest Farms, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 During my visit at Peterson earlier in 2009 I was enamored with the ‘08 Sauvignon and purchased a case. In May I wrote the following post: This wine is vibrant with citrus and accentuated by oakiness.
I often mention to my classes the pleasure and trepidation in [...]

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Wilson Winery, Dry Creek Valley, Ellie’s Vineyard, Petite Sirah 2005 The nose is earthy and peppery while in the mouth the wine is chewy, possessing the structure you’re looking for with that prime rib. Proprietors Ken and Diane Wilson, GP&B in Healdsburg 14.2% $35 for the current release ‘06 at the winery, a gift to [...]

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Spragia Family Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley – Sonoma County, Home Ranch, Chardonnay 2007 This is a rich style of Chardonnay that strikes the balance between fruit, acidity, butteriness and oak. We always dissect these components in the classroom, looking at them individually and how asking they work as a team. The teamwork is what [...]

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Dry Creek Vineyard, Sonoma County, Fume Blanc 2008 This Sauvignon is light and steely, smelling of freshly cut oranges and crisp with acidity. It is a regular favorite, garnering awards annually at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Production is all stainless. 13.5% $9.99 purchased at Bottle Barn Dry Creek Vineyard

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Mill Creek, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Estate Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 The nose shows off notes of citrus and tropical fruits like banana. In the mouth it is full of orange and grapefuit,with plenty of acidity and a little warmth. Grown, produced and bottled in Healdsburg 14.5% alcohol, purchased for $13.99 at Bottle Barn
Mill [...]

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Hart’s Desire, Russian River Valley, Ponzo Vineyard, Late Harvest, Zinfandel 2008 The nose features candied black fruit. In the mouth it is a blackberry jam, in a liquid form – with an acidic streak for balance – delicious. 7% RS after 35 degrees brix at harvest Bottled in Geyserville 14.2% $17.99 at Bottle Barn for [...]

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Mazzocco, Dry Creek Valley, Aguilera, Reserve, Petite Sirah 2005 We picked this as our BOC Petite in the recent Harvest Fair. The competition was strong with many a great Petite. The beauty of this Petite is that the structure we associate with this grape is matched by a deep concentration of fruit. Add to that [...]

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Spragia Family Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Home Ranch, Merlot 2006 The nose features a strong blast of fresh oak. In the mouth that note carries through, with plummy fruit, a little warmth and a supple texture. V&B in St. Helena 15.6% $19.99 at Bottle Barn Sbragia Family
Charles Creek, Alexander Valley, East Soda Rock Vineyard, Malbec [...]

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Provisor, Dry Creek Valley, Syrah 2002 This wine, almost 7 years on is showing quite nicely, with dried fruits and a supple texture. The wine was aged in new and older French oak for 16 months. This was the first vintage of Syrah from proprietors Susan and Doug Provisor. P&B in Geyserville 14.9% $31 [...]

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Wilson Winery, Dry Creek Valley, Sawyer Vineyard, Zinfandel 2006 This wine just oozes with jammy berry pie and vanilla in the glass. In the mouth it is a supple and slightly warm expression of the same – yummy.
You might remember the big prizes that the Wilson’s have taken home from the Sonoma County Harvest Fair [...]

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Leo Steen, Dry Creek Valley, Saini Farms, Chenin Blanc 2008 Fresh limes and perfume greet you when you lift the glass. This is poignantly refreshing with loads of acidity yet filled out across the palate, lighting every available taste bud. This wine has been consistently excellent. Winemaker and proprietor Leo Hansen, a winemaker [...]

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Peterson, Dry Creek Valley, Timbercrest Farms, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 This wine is vibrant with citrus and accentuated by oakiness. The fermentation began in stainless. To add complexity the lees were stirred and the wine finished in French oak, 20% of which was new, and aged there for 8 weeks. We visited with Fred and Jamie [...]

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Dashe, Dry Creek Valley, Late Harvest Zinfandel 2007 Candied berries in a glass, leaping out to greet your nose! The mouth repeats this theme in a very luscious, super-fruity way – brilliant. The grapes measured 40 degrees brix at harvest and the final wine has 9% RS. P&B in Oakland 14.1% $20.49 at Bottle Barn [...]

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Amphora, Dry Creek Valley, Zinfandel 2006 There’s a healthy dose of black pepper in the nose along with jammy fruit. This Zin is very polished in the mouth, very dense and full of fruit. P&B by Hutchinson Wines in Healdsburg 15.4% $26 at the winery Amphora Wines

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Bella, Alexander Valley, Big River Ranch, Syrah 2005 There’s jammy black fruit in the nose and a little bit of tar and reductive character when first open. In the mouth, the wine is chewy and oaky with a bit of bitterness. P&B in Healdsburg 14.9% $40 at the winery but alas sold out.
Bella, Dry [...]

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Quivira, Dry Creek Valley Wine Creek Ranch, Grenache, Rose 2008
In the nose the fruit is ever so fresh, featuring citrus and strawberries. In the mouth there’s plenty of acidity, a little phenolic grip and a sense of the alcohol in the background. The grapes were grown biodynamically and 12% of the blend is Mourvedre. Fermentation [...]

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Michel-Schlumberger, Dry Creek Valley, Pinot Blanc “La Bise” 2007 This wine consistently smells of the ripe tropical fruits of a sun-drenched land – very fresh. In the mouth, this wine shows the fruitiness of Pinot Blanc in a light-bodied, refreshing presentation – very nice. Winemaker Mike Brunson. Estate grown, produced and bottled in Healdsburg 12.8% [...]

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Raymond Burr Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Estate Port 2003 The smell is a mix of dark chocolate, raisins, molasses and earthiness. In the mouth, the sweetness comes through with a chocolately essence and an appropriate sense of the fortifying alcohol. The grapes behind this wine are some of the traditionals from Portugal:  Tinta Cao, Tinta [...]

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Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley, Merlot 2005 Plums and brambles mark the nose. The fruit is framed by acidity in the mouth which carries the flavor of this light-bodied wine a long way – elegant wine. P&B in Healdsburg 13.5% $19 at the winery Dry Creek Vineyard

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This flight provides an interesting contrast in California Viognier. Both are well-made but different animals entirely. The Preston is lighter, fresher, with aromatics that might remind one of a dry California Gewurztraminer. The Cold Heaven is rich, thick and buttery, with a palate that might remind one of a rich version of California Chardonnay.
Preston, Dry [...]

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Bella, Dry Creek Valley, Late Harvest, Zinfandel 2004 If you can imagine drying some blackberries and  dusting them with black pepper, that’s what this wine smells like. The jammy fruit really pops in the mouth and is beautifully sweet. P&B in Healdsburg 14.0% price unknown Bella

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Barry Collier has created a paradise for his grapes above the Dry Creek Valley. If you were a grape, you would want to be planted under his care. The hillside vineyards are steep and the views are incredible. The highest points are above the fog line, where the grapes benefit from a bigger bath of [...]

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The Rhone Rangers hosted a seminar yesterday featuring wines that pay homage to the grapes made famous in France’s Rhone Valley. The seminar was not bound by geography; there were wines from both sides of the Atlantic. The seminar was also not bound by tradition as we tasted blends based on combining Syrah and Cabernet [...]

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Paradise Ridge Winery, Russian River Valley, Ode to Joy, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Lots of complexity in this wine, with honey galore – very reminiscent of Sauternes. This dessert wine was crafted to honor the memory of Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars. 44 degrees brix at harvest. Winemaker Dan Barwick. P&B in Santa Rosa. 13.2% $28.99 for a [...]

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Alexander Valley Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Redemption Zin, Zinfandel 2006 A moderate amount of jammy fruit and black pepper drive the nose while the palate is gripping, light-bodied and a little warm. P&B in Healdsburg 14.5% $18.99 at Bottle Barn AVWine
Robert Rue, Russian River Valley, Wood Road, Reserve, Zinfandel 2006 The fruit is lovingly sweet [...]

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Adobe Road, Knights Valley, Cabernet Franc 2005 This is perfectly ripe Cab Franc – no veg to smell at all, just lots of berries. The structure of Cab Franc is in the mouth combining with the fruit and filled out by the oak. This is very long and has time to age. Proprietors Kevin & [...]

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Taft Street, Sonoma Coast, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 Mild but muted strawberries and an astringent profile. Unfortunately this wine has a sub-threshold level of TCA that’s blocking the fruit. The grapes come from the Pasta King, Art Ibletto. P&B in Sebastopol 12.5% $11.99 at Bottle Barn Taft Street
Ramazzotti, Dry Creek Valley, Zin-Giovese, Rose 2007 [...]

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Clarbec, Sonoma County, Pinot Gris 2007 There’s fresh tropical fruit and subtle oak in the nose. The fruit comes through in the mouth with a caress of acidity and a little bit of richness – very nice. The grapes were sourced from the Lila Lane and Clarbec Vineyards. 33% of the wine was fermented in [...]

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Chateau Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Medoc 2004 The smells are a mix of earth, cedar, toasty oak and a fitting amount of the barnyard. The mouth if full of plummy fruit with grip. This is definitely leaner and tighter than the ‘05 which is quite seductive already. Give it at least 30 minutes to open up though the [...]

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This week I had an opportunity to visit with Joseph Otos to talk about his winemaking philosophy and the brands that he is putting on the map, Willowbrook and Owl Ridge.
Both brands are crafted in Sebastopol’s rabbit warren of entrepreneurship that I described during my August visit with Rick Davis and Greg La Follette. Joe [...]

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