Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: Russian River Valley
Small Vines Russian River Pinot Noir 2008
Small Vines, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir 2008 This wine is a star. In the nose the fruit has a liqueur-like character, showing off its ripeness. In the mouth there is again that straddling of the Old and New Worlds … Continue reading
Hartford Court Four Hearts Chardonnay 2007
Hartford Court, Russian River, Four Hearts Vineyards, Chardonnay 2007 This is a large Chardonnay, big, rich and mouth-filling. There’s plenty of butter and oak to please those in search of a full-on California Chard yet there is also a core … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Foppiano Rose 2009
Foppiano, Russian River Valley, Estate Bottled, Rose 2009 The nose features flowers, candied red fruits and a bit of bubble gum. In the mouth the fruit shows nicely, the acidity is mild and the palate is broad. It is reminiscent … Continue reading
Posted in California, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Sonoma County Zinfandel
Robert Rue, Russian River Valley, Wood Road, Reserve, Zinfandel 2007 Sweet and jammy fruit exudes in the nose with the spiciness of black pepper. In the mouth you’ll find a structured Zin, lightly tannic, with plenty of acidity and lastly … Continue reading
Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Zinfandel
Tagged Wilson
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Pinot Noir Rose 2009
Domaine Charles Audoin, Marsannay Rose 2009 The nose features stone fruits and minerality, with a bit of earthiness and a whiff of a dairy note. In the mouth there is an austerity and a bit of warmth and grip. Drink … Continue reading
Posted in Burgundy, California, Marsannay, Rosé, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tagged Charles Audoin, Lynmar
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Foppiano Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Foppiano, Russian River Valley, Estate Bottled, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 The nose is clean and expresses ripe citrus, as in fresh oranges. Add to that an accent of tropical fruit, a whiff of bananas and floral notes, of the sweet and … Continue reading
Posted in California, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
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North Coast Pinot Noir
Willowbrook, Russian River Valley, J.C.O. Limited, Estate Grown, Pinot Noir 2007 The nose is a very sweet expression of oak and ripe fruit. In the mouth, this Pinot is silky and warm, showing caramel over freshly baked cherry pie. Winemaker … Continue reading
Jordan Chardonnay and Cabernet
Before moving to California, I worked in a flash French restaurant back in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was the mid-eighties and all of the staff were died in the wool Francophiles, disdaining New World wine while seldom ever tasting it. Local … Continue reading
Posted in Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tagged Jordan
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Acorn Sangiovese 2007
Acorn, Russian River Valley, Alegria Vineyards, Sangiovese 2007 This wine delivers the acidity of Sangiovese with the ripeness of California – very nice. The grapes for this wine are 98% Sangiovese (7 different clones), 1% Canaiolo and 1% Mammolo. Winegrowers … Continue reading
Hanna Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Hanna, Russian River Valley, Estate Grown, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Notes back through the 2004 vintage show a consistent thread of bright citrus and high acidity. The current ’09 couples the citrus with freshly cut grass. A bit of petillance adds … Continue reading
Posted in California, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
Tagged Hanna Winery
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Korbel Natural 2007
Korbel, Russian River Valley Champagne, Natural’ Méthode Champenoise 2007 In the nose you’ll find green apples and strawberries while in the mouth it is acidic, with a sense of apples that have been baked with brown sugar. 65% Pinot Noir, … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Sparkling Dry
Tagged Korbel
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Chronicle Zinfandels 2006
Proprietor Mike Hengehold was on hand at ZAP today in San Francisco to showcase his Zin portfolio. He is sourcing fruit from vines that were planted in the Russian River long before I was born. The fruit hangs well into … Continue reading
Trione Sauvignon Blanc 2006
I hope you don’t think that I’m on the payroll at Trione ’cause here is another review of a super wine. At the Chronicle judges’ dinner last week we were each given a gift-wrapped bottle of a wine to take … Continue reading
Posted in California, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County
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Trione new releases
Trione, Russian River Valley, River Road Ranch, Pinot Noir 2008 In the nose you’ll find sweet red fruit with pastry notes, think cherry pie, warm and aromatic. In the mouth you’ll find a supple expression of that cherry pie, absolutely … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Syrah
Tagged Trione
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Sonoma County Pinot Noirs 2007
Balletto, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2007 Sweet, ripe fruit fills the glass, a blend of cherries and raspberries. In the mouth there is also a touch of caramel, light body, smooth texture and long acidity … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Tagged Balletto, Vision Cellars
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Sonoma County Sauvignons 2007
Rancho Zabaco, Russian River, Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 There’s a nice spot of grassiness in the nose, with green peppers and grapefruit zest. In the mouth the grapefruit comes through with a nice level of refreshing acidity. Produced & bottled … Continue reading
Tandem Porter-Bass Chard 2005
Tandem, Russian River Valley, Porter-Bass Vineyard, Chardonnay 2005 With 4 years since the harvest this wine is developing some nice complexity. The nose sports wet stones, toastiness, tropical fruits, hay and lanolin. In the mouth there is a richness of … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Ancien Russian River Pinot 2006
Ancien, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose speaks of sweet cherries sprinkled with brown spices. In the mouth this is a supple Pinot with polished oak in the background to enhance the fruit – very nice. The majority … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Graton Ridge Pinot Noir 2007
Graton Ridge, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Paul Family Vineyard, Estate, Pinot Noir 2007 There’s a lovely cherry pie essence in the nose, a sweet expression of fruit and oak. In the mouth there is vanilla, caramel and cherries baked … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2009 sweet stars
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 … Continue reading
Davis Family Pinot 2007
The Davis Family brand has stood for great Pinot and you see that in the latest crop of wines which garnered honors at this year’s Harvest Fair in Sonoma. Davis Family, Russian River Valley, Pinot Noir 2007 Sweet caramel combines … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Sonoma County Zinfandel
J. Keverson, Russian River Valley, Alton Lane Vineyard, Zinfandel 2007 The fruit is very bright in the nose and graced by a healthy dose of black pepper. In the mouth the fruit is framed by acidity. This is one of … Continue reading
DeLoach Chardonnays 2007
DeLoach, Sonoma Coast, Golden Coast, Chardonnay 2007 The nose features plenty of fresh oak. In the mouth there is more of the same with green apples and warmth. The wine was barrel fermented and the lees were stirred. P&B in … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
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Carol Shelton Sweet Caroline 2006
Carol Shelton, Russian River Valley, Fanucchi Vineyard, Sweet Caroline, Trousseau Gris 2006 This is a light-bodied dessert wine from a grape that makes some very acidic table wines. There’s actually a grapy character to this wine that I associate with … Continue reading
Rodney Strong Reserve Pinot 2006
Rodney Strong, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Reserve, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose is shut down and the mouth is fairly astringent. I suspect a low level of TCA is cloaking the true nature of this wine. Tom Klein owner … Continue reading
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Woodenhead Buena Tierra Pinot 2006
Woodenhead, Russian River Valley, Buena Tierra Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s liqueur-like black fruit in the nose and a supple, ripe mouthful of berries.P&B in Forestville 14.5% $55 at the winery Woodenhead
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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Acorn Sangiovese 2006
Acorn, Russian River Valley, Alegria Vineyards, Sangiovese 2006 Cherry and vanilla mark the nose while the mouth features cherry fruit, Sangiovese’s characteristic acidity, a light dusting of tannin and a bit of creaminess – nice. The grapes for this wine … Continue reading
Balletto Rose 2008
Balletto, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2008 Fruity and dry rose for the upcoming heat! P&B by Laguna Oaks Vineyards & Winery in Santa Rosa 13.6% $10.99 at Bottle Barn Balletto
Posted in California, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
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