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: Sonoma County
Murhphy-Goode Minnesota Cuvee Chardonnay 2008
Murphy-Goode, Alexander Valley, Minnesota Cuvee, Chardonnay 2008 This is a richer style of Chardonnay with notes of oak, brown spices, butter and vanilla in the nose. On the palate there’s a sense of stone fruits, oak, a moderate amount of … Continue reading
Posted in Alexander Valley, California, Chardonnay, Sonoma County
Tagged Murphy-Goode
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Handley Dry Creek Chardonnay 2007
Handley, Dry Creek Valley, Handley Vineyard, Chardonnay 2007 The nose features tropical fruit and subtle oak in the background while the mouth shows us a light and fresh version of Chardonnay, fruity with roundness – very nice. The estate is … Continue reading
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
Unti Grenache 2007
Unti, Dry Creek Valley, Grenache 2007 There’s a lovely, candy-like fruitiness to this Grenache. It’s also not a flabby one, but rather a red wine with structure, reminiscent of its Old World roots yet kissed by New World sunshine. The … Continue reading
Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel 2007
Pedroncelli, Dry Creek Valley, Mother Clone, Zinfandel 2007 The nose features sweet jammy fruit, like a bit of raspberry and blackberry rolled into a crumble for dessert. In the mouth it is spicy and warm, a little viscous and focused … 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
Tagged Foppiano
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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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Little Vineyards Petite Sirah
Little Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, Petite Sirah 2007 The nose smells sweetly of oak and jammy black fruits. In the mouth you’ll find a significant expression of tannin as is often the case with Petite with lots of black fruit to … Continue reading
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
Tagged Foppiano
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Reynoso Cabernet 2004
Reynoso Family Vineyards, Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 The nose features cocoa and vanilla with a dash of mint, quite sweet-appearing, in the way that dry wines echo the sweet smells we associate with dessert. In the mouth it’s reminiscent … Continue reading
Posted in Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Sonoma County
Tagged Reynoso
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Geyser Peak Chardonnay 2008
Geyser Peak, Alexander Valley, Water Bend, Block Collection, Chardonnay 2008 This Chardonnay speaks richness on all fronts, toasty, buttery, ripe tropical fruit and a thick, rather unctuous texture in the mouth. Produced and bottled under Stelvin in Geyersville 14.1% $24 … Continue reading
Vintage California sparkling
Schramsberg, North Coast, Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006 There are very pretty floral notes in the nose, with fresh pears and apples and a bit of bread dough. In the mouth the fruit continues with some pastry richness and the … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Green Valley, North Coast, Pinot Noir, Sonoma County, Sparkling Dry
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Stryker Sonoma Cabernet Franc 2007
Stryker Sonoma, Rockpile, Rockpile Vineyard, Cabernet Franc 2007 The nose features sweet vanilla, cedar, cherries and pencil shavings. The mouth shows a rich texture, quite plush with the essence of nuttiness and caramel wrapped around a dark chocolate cookie – … Continue reading
United States Bordeaux blends 2006
Kendall-Jackson, Knights Valley, Highland Estates, Trace Ridge, Red Wine 2006 Unfortunately this bottle is corked. The grapes behind this wine are 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot. The wine was aged for 19 months in French oak, … Continue reading
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
Cline Sonoma Coast Viognier 2008
Cline, Sonoma Coast, Estate Grown, Viognier 2008 The peachy character of Viognier expresses itself in the nose. In the mouth you’ll find more of the same, with some palpable acidity and a little touch of creaminess – nice. Knowing how … Continue reading
Sonoma County Zinfandel 2007
Wilson Winery, Dry Creek Valley, Tori Vineyard, Estate, Zinfandel 2007 The nose expresses sweetness, from the oak to the jammy fruit, with a dusting of black pepper. This then continues on the palate, with some structure to frame the black … Continue reading
Posted in California, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel
Tagged Rosenblum, Wilson
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California Zinfandel
Sobon Estate, Amador County, Old Vines, Zinfandel 2008 Here’s a light-bodied Zin that is quite fruity and ready to quaff. There’s a little sweetness working in the background (about 3 grams per litre) along with a light touch of eucalyptus … Continue reading
Posted in Amador County, California, Dry Creek Valley, Sierra Foothills, Sonoma County, Zinfandel
Tagged Sobon Estate, Wilson Winery
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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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Sbragia Andolsen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Spragia Family Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Andolsen Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 The nose features Cassis and a touch of the forest floor, a light green element adding complexity and a nice dash of vanilla. In the mouth it is muscular … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County
Tagged Spragia Family Vineyards
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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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Long Gamma Sonoma County White 2009
Long Gamma, Sonoma County, White Wine 2009 The nose explodes with sweetness, like a fruit basket laid inside a bouquet of flowers. In the mouth it is dry but not austere, smooth and ebulliently fruity – nice. The grapes behind … Continue reading
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
Kenwood Artist Series 1999
We had a great visit today with Kryss Speegle at Kenwood Vineyards. She took the class through a tasting of wines through the years so that everyone could experience the evolution a wine goes through, form early days to long … Continue reading
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