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 Valley
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
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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Sbragia Monte Rosso Cabernet 2006
Spragia Family Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, Monte Rosso Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 In the nose there is a blend of cedar, vanilla and black fruits. In the mouth there is a spot on integration of oak and fruit in a supple … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
Tagged Sbragia
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Muscardini Rosato 2008
Muscardini Cellars, Sonoma Valley, Monte Rosso Vineyards, Rosato di Sangiovese 2008 This is a zippy rose, a clean expression of Sangiovese’s cherry character with refreshing acidity – very nice. The wine was fermented and aged in neurtal French oak for … Continue reading
Posted in California, Rosé, Sangiovese, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
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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
Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2009 white wine stars
Taft Street, Russian River Valley, Pinot Gris 2008 The glass is filled with perfume and cotton candy – a very pretty Pinot Gris. In the mouth it is moderately acidic and tastes of citrus overlaid with flowers. P&B in Sebastopol … Continue reading
Haywood Los Chamizal Zin 2006
Haywood, Sonoma Valley, Los Chamizal Vineyard, Estate, Zinfandel 2006 The nose puts together many facets of Zin. There’s pruniness, black pepper and a sense of Port. In the mouth, this is a structured Zin, supporting plenty of fruit and a … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel
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Bedrock Rose 2008
Bedrock Wine Co., Sonoma Valley, Ode to Lulu, Rose of Mourvedre 2008 This is a broader style of rose reminiscent of the south of France with hints of brick to see a little added weight on the palate. The grapes … Continue reading
Posted in California, Mourvedre, Rosé, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
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Canzona Cabernet 2005
Canzona Vineyards, Sonoma Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 There are sweet smells of caramel and vanilla, bright cherry fruit, cassis and a hint of cigar box. The mouthfeel is supple. Certainly the structure of Cabernet is there to experience, but the … Continue reading
Rosenblum Maggie’s 2005
Rosenblum Cellars, Sonoma Valley, Maggie’s Reserve Zinfandel 2005 This wine is very sweet smelling, with a sense of pastry dough dabbed with vanilla. The mouth is quite rich, full of sweet-appearing fruit – just luscious. Some of the vines that … Continue reading
Posted in California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel
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Berthoud Pagani Chasselas 2007
Berthoud, Sonoma Valley, Pagani Ranch, Chasselas Dore 2007 There’s a flinty character in the nose and the mouth is austere. The fruit is sourced from 100 year-old vines grown in the vineyard known for its very old Zinfandel. P&B in … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chasselas Dore, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
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Sweeping sparkling
Mayo Family Winery, Sonoma Valley, Laurel Hill Vineyard, Methode Champenoise, Brut 2003 There’s plenty of green apple and tart cherry as well as a little toastiness. P&B in Lower Lake 12.5% $27.99 at Bottle Barn Mayo
Posted in California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, Sparkling Dry
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Phoenix flight
When Vacu-Dry ceased operations in Sebastopol, California, many bemoaned the continuing decline of the apple industry in Sonoma’s West County region. Yet from those ashes many a high-flying phoenix has taken flight. The large and rather dingy industrial complex that … Continue reading
2 sides of dry
So many of us enjoy dry white wine. Yet what is dry is not one thing, as we see in the case of these two dry white wines. Benziger Sonoma Valley MacLeod Family Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2006 This is crisp … Continue reading
Sonoma County Harvest Fair Best of Class Bordeaux Varieties
Nelson Estate Sonoma Valley Bennett Valley Vineyard Malbec 2004 The nose is oak city and the palate is very supple with moderate acidity and a long finish. I think that many will find this wine agreeable and readily approachable. Aged … Continue reading
Sonoma County Harvest Fair Best of Class Pink Wine
Kunde Estate Sonoma Valley Grenache Rose 2006 A clean wine with parfum and strawberries framed by great acidity. We awarded this wine a Gold Medal and it won best of Class of the 10 pink wines tasted. The wine also … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Rosé, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
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Zin and Primitivo
Gran Sasso, Puglia, Primitivo IGT 2005 Tasted in May ’08 this wine was blooming with brett and would repulse most consumers. A bottle tasted later in the summer proved to be a different animal. Oaky and earthy with new world … Continue reading
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