Girard

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

The tasting room is tucked away in the quaint neighborhoods of Yountville, just down the street from Jessup Cellars. It's a very modern tasting room with private tables for four, a room for large tasting, and a bar for the casual tasters. There's seating outside, as well.

The staff knew their script about the wines very well, but it was obvious that it was a script. One thing that was a little off-putting was how they reminded all of their new patrons how close to closing they were.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc Stone Fly Vineyards: $24/$19/$17
Fermented in stainless. Aged in French oak. Semillon 8% 92% Sau Blanc from Mount Veeder.
A very quiet feel, taste, mouthful.
Nice oak structure. The nose has mild apricot, lemon, and other indistinguishable white fruits. This is refreshing smelling wine, served nicely cool.

2007 Mixed Blacks: $50/$40/$52Field blend of zin, petite sirah, syrah, mouvedre, carignane and who knows what else.
The nose is so openly unashamedly black fruit that you can’t help but nearly pour it through your lungs. The nose also is unmistakedly Carnistoga mouvedre.
The palate follows beautifully with rich deep, dark fruits…
The fruit on the nose actually mutes a little as it warms up. The black fruits are integrated and robust, but difficult to discern. The oak on the nose carries the fruit to your nose, but doesn’t overpower them.
This is a wildly accessible wine that has all appearances of complexity, but isn’t. It’s a really good field blend. The black fruits abound, balanced well with the mild oak finish. This’ll impress your friends…

2006 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon:$75/$60/$48
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose on this Cab is exactly cab with just the right amount of earth and spice. I struggle to identify the black fruits due to the oak, but the cherry is accessible.
The oak on the nose blankets the fruit.
Nice mouthfeel, that’s soft and silky, but a little lighter-bodied than I would expect. The fruit is well integrated, again, but difficult to distinguish. This is a spicy cab that some of your friends would like, but others would pass on.

2006 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
The nose is much softer, with more accessible dark fruit. Cassis, blackberry, black cherry, but there’s a significant amount of oak on the nose. The nose belies the longevity of this wine. The oak on the palate isn’t nearly as oaky, and the cassis really stands out. It’s full-bodied with really great mouthfeel, for a cab.

2007 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$48
Where’s the nose? The oak is almost non-existent on the nose. The bouquet has a peppery nose, tempered with black fruits. This isn’t a wine that gained much from the oak. If they used new oak on the 2006, they used the same barrels for this wine. As Cabernet Sauvignons go, this is an easy drinker, but not impressionable. Both wines, though, were aged in 85% new French oak.

2006 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/$60/$60
The nose has a non-threatening softness to it. This is a highly structured wine with all the tannins and earthiness that is expected. The fruit is struggling to compete with the tannins, but does so in a manner that makes the wine better. A wine you could/should pair with meaty/peppery food, but is just barely accessible enough to drink by itself.

Matrix

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/8/8

It would be unfair to associate this winery with its former occupant, Rabbit Ridge. As the Wilson wineries expand throughout the valley, they've opened the Matrix Winery. With it comes three vineyards that are producing respectable Pinot Noirs.

The tasting room has a nice feel and charm to it, but your sense of smell can be blanketed some of the "charm" that was carried forward from the previous occupants (Rabbit Ridge). It's large enough to comfortably serve 10-12 patrons, served by two pourers. The staff members here were very engaging, suggesting other wineries, and helping patrons find their way to other wine-tasting experiences. They knew the wines and the history of them, providing us with some "off-the-wall" information that was charming and entertaining.

It's notable to mention that if you're a club member of Mazzocco, DeLorimier, or Wilson Winery, your discount it good here, too.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc:$18/-/-
Dry lemon and pink grapefruit on the nose. The palate follows.

2007 Nunes Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $32/$24/$28
Light and simple nose and palate. Somewhat spicy/oaky palate, but the palate has dried black fruits.

2007 Buoncristiani Vineyard Pinot Noir:$35/$26/$30
Spice and red currant on the nose, full and blatant. Palate simply does not follow.

2007 Buoncristiani Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve: $45/$34/$42
Much better balanced. Earthy palate that is smooth, with black fruits and mild oak. Brand new French oak.

2007 Reserve Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Alegria Vineyard:$38/$26/$38Similar nose to a dessert wine, it’s so jammy. Palate is good and follows somewhat, but simply does not live up to the nose. It’s a great zin, but I’d be expecting the Mazzocco fruit on the palate, and it’s not quite there…maybe it needs to open a bit. The competing aromas in the tasting room made it difficult to give this wine its due. I walked outside with it and it was a completely different bouquet.

2007 Matrix Zinfandel
Wonderful, full, almost dessert wine nose…very jammy, almost smoky. Palate was not as discernible, but great! Liked the reserve zin better.

2007 Alegria Zinfandel

The Alegria zin (not reserve) needs to wait. It's good and you can tell it’s going to get there, but you have to have patience. Another year would be best. "Wow" to the nose, the palate simply needs to come around.

C. Donatiello

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/7/7

Formerly Belvedere. The renovations are great! It's a very large tasting room that is very well staffed. This is one of the places I hold up as the purest example of a 10 TRL.
Staff is eager enough with some knowledge of the wines. Nothing that you’ll find “enlightening”. I give them credit for serving their Pinot Noir in the right stemware.

2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $39/-/$30
This was a pinot with very little to offer on the nose and palate. I've already spent too much time on it...

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $38/-/$40
This wine has a much bigger nose. The Russian River Valley had record rainfall that year. The raspberry peeks out of the bouquet like it's tempting you to find it. It's medium-bodied and has better balance. The raspberry also slips over your palate, lightly, but very pleasurably. The spice of the oak carries the fruit throughout the sip. I’d stop back in for this one.

2008 Pinot Noir Maddies Vineyard: $62/-/$35
The nose has balanced fruit and floral bouquet. Red currant and raspberry are subtly prominent. The palate doesn’t follow, however, with a dramatic shift in flavors to herbs, spices, oak, and a touch of alcohol. Any fruit that appears on the palate is dried in nature.

2008 Pinot Noir Floodgate Block 15 Vineyard: $48/-/$40
The nose is predominantly subtle fruit with mild hints of oak. The finish is layered, with a slight sweetness that lightly tickles the sides of your tongue. The palate kicks ass! The oak and red currant carry the raspberry, and mild quince. The disappointment is that the nose isn’t as enticing as the palate provides.

Thomas George Estate

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

Based upon the recommendation of a credible source, we ventured into old stomping grounds (Westside Road) to try a new winery. Thomas George Estate is a relatively new winery that exists in what used to be Davis Bynum's facility. They've dramatically renovated the facility and surroundings and elevated it to a real Westside Road attraction. One of the drawbacks to such a large tasting room/bar is that when staffed w/ three pourers, each may end up serving as many has 6-8 people at a time. The intimacy of the experience is lost and your ability to learn about the wine, the winery, or the winemaker is diminished.

The reds are wines good. They are well-valued, but only somewhat compelling.

2008 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Musque:$25/-/$17
Crisp, but lushly tart. The nose has a soft citric, like a sweet pear.

2008 Chardonay, Stuhlmuller Vineyard, Alexander Valley: $32/-/$18
No malolactic conversion. Stainless steel barrels.
Light nose, that’s nearly vacuous. I struggle to discern very light lemon and honey on the nose. The palate follows, but this is a chardonnay that has no body, and flavor so subtle that it would never survive a chardonnay blind tasting.

2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay: $32/-/$18
100% French oak (1/3rd new oak). Another light chardonnay, where the oak is the dominant flavor and even that was hard to discern. The finish runs long, but it’s just more oak.

2007 Allen Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir : $48/-/$46Slightly floral bouquet, with strawberry on the nose. It lacks a little intensity that might be improved by a better glass. The palate, however, is all Pinot! There’s complex palate to it that includes dark cherry, plum, with some slight boysenberry notes. Almost medium-bodied and very good mouthfeel.

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir:$38/-/$38
Red currant and cherry on the nose. Very stereotypical Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Silky tannins finish the wine well. A slight sweetness flushes over the palate as the strawberry –rhubarb does its thing. Medium bodied… drink with friends at your happy hour.

2007 Zinfandel, Tre Torrente Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley:$34/-/$35The blackberry and raspberry on the nose, knocks you in the head. Luscious doesn’t begin to describe it. This smells like it might be a fruit-bomb, but the nose isn’t jammy. It surprises me with some un-hinted spice and alcohol on the palate. It might be the oak…

Sheldon Wines

TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/10/10

With this winery, you could examine their approach to wine and reach a couple of conclusions: 1) they really prefer to follow old, traditional techniques of making wine; 2) they're really trying to make a successful business of it, on the cheap; 3) their approach is a little bit of both. For starters, all of their wines are unfiltered, unfined. They are bottled via gravity feed, which puts them in a very exclusive club among California vintners. They hand-label their bottles. While they don't grow their own grapes, they follow a business model that is close to Siduri's, which is to tend to the vineyards from which they are buying their fruit. Since it's only the two of them (Dylan & Tobe) and some remote family members, their product offering is both small, yet impressively large. Case production would never likely hit more than 400 for a wine, but what they do make is strong, marketable product with broad appeal and a great quality-price ratio.

The tasting room is quite cute, constructed in a train caboose that comfortably holds 6-8, but is rated for 11. If you're going to give them a try, you'll want to look for the Gravenstein Station near the Sebastopol Inn for the next few weeks. They are in the process of moving it all to a new wine "ghetto" in Santa Rosa (on or about August 1st).

When it comes to tasting room staff, I don't know how it gets any better than to honored to be served by the winemaker/owner. Tobe, a very charming woman, was full of information about the wine, her winery, and other tidbits that really enhanced the experience. This was one of those quintessential, intimate Sonoma County wine tasting experiences that everyone should have.

2006 Sleep Hollow Chardonnay: $30/$25/$32Only wine of its own rootstock. Not cloned. Santa Lucia Highlands of origin. Nice honey on the nose and palate. Will be really nice when served at the right temp.

2006 Kendric Vineyard Pinot Noir:$45/$38/$35
On Marin/Sonoma County line. Clones115/667/Pommard. Huge strawberry and blueberry on the nose, with a little bit of spice on the back end. Lisa says “mmmm, Strawberry Rhubarb pie”, which indicates the strange small spice on the nose. The palate is much smoother and more subtle than expected. Not sure if it’s not yet developed, or if it will never be, but it’s a nice light little pinot which would not stand up to any food. Drink alone.

2007 Roma Vineyard Pinot Noir. $50/$42.5/$50What a fantastic, complex nose, uncharacteristic of a Pinot Noir. Not that Pinots have simple bouquets, but that this one made us both ask "This is a Pinot?". Single barrel - 24 cases. Not fully integrated yet, but this will be a stellar wine, in time. Full-body on the palate with a slight earthiness on the finish. Low acidity, but very well structured. Get your grubby hands on these while you can!

2006 Santa Ynez Valley Grenache: $25/$21/$30Wild strawberry, with a layer of black fruit over it (might be black currant). This is a really nice Grenache, with a good flavor, medium body, and slight earthiness. I am rarely enthused about Grenaches, but this one had me by the nose.

2005 Vinolocity 18% Syrah, and the rest Grenache:$30/$23/$30
Mild, light strawberry nose, with much more alcohol on the palate. Great full body to match the huge strawberry and zin-like white peppery nose.

2006 Ripken Petite Sirah: $32/$27/$32Lodi AVA. 19 feet below sea level. Long hang time. It's the first to bud and the last to be harvested (Halloween). See what I mean about winemaker tidbits?
Just a little bit of anise on the nose and palate, but other than that this is just a prime example of a petite sirah on the nose, The palate lost a little of the earth/spice I’d expected, but I believe that was due to the tasting glass. This needs a vinum extreme syrah glass for the slightly larger bowl. Easy to drink as is.-Lisa
Robust earth and spice on the palate! I think this will absolutely pair well with a peppery steak, but it’s not so overpowering as you’d expect from a petite sirah. It can be consumed alone, as well. This is one of the best petite sirah for the price I’ve ever had.

Merry Edwards

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/8/7

The winery is attractive enough, nestled in a little valley off the Gravenstein Highway, in Sebastopol. The tasting room is connected to the offices, but is clearly designated. There are two rooms, one includes a larger table for large groups and the full complement of glasses. This is likely for appointments with large groups. For smaller groups, 2-4 people, you stand at a dining room table where they have laid out the winemaker’s notes. It’s not conducive to taking copious notes, whatsoever. Neither is the pace at which the pourer presents the wines and the information about them. It’s fast paced and we were in and out (having tasted four wines) in twenty minutes. The pourer was knowledgeable, but not engaging. She might have been if we had engaged her.
I was unhappy with the fact that they poured the Sauvignon Blanc after three Pinot Noirs and into a Pinot Noir glass, to boot. It was served at a good temperature, but I believe the glass didn’t do it justice.

2007 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: $36/-/$30
Great nose, w/ balanced fruit (cranberry, cherry) and herbs (dried).
Palate wasn’t as full as the nose.

2007 Meredith Estate Pinot Noir : $54/-/$40
Much more herbal nose, with a modest degree of spice on the palate. The fruit was a bit subdued, but over time would find it’s way out of the shelter of the spices.

2007 Klopp Ranch Pinot Noir:$57/-/$50
Chewy blueberry, blackberry notes on the nose, but fully integrated with smoky notes. This wine was deeply complex on the palate and was as good as the nose implied.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc:$30/-/$12
Amazing nose! Plush nose, full of stone fruits, peach, pineapple, and lemon. The palate was disappointing with a watery mouthfeel, and an embarrassing lack of acidity. I would imagine that this wine would have tasted much better if it had been served in a more appropriate glass (not a Vinum Extreme Burgundy glass).

Sunce

What an incredible difference from last year! When we stopped here last year, the offering was limited to two or three barrels. This year, the barrel room was open and they were pouring from upwards of 14 barrels! I confess that I was done for the weekend, by that point, so I don't have much to offer, except to say that don't let one year be the only indicator; four times as many wines to choose from, year-to-year is a wonderful surprise.

Joseph Swan

I do like stopping at Joseph Swan to see what their barrels are offering. They often have 6-8 barrels open for the tasting and the case price is more than reasonable. Moreover, they'll have a vintage wine on clearance for a ridiculous price.

Joseph Swan, in my opinion, has some of the best-balanced zinfandels in the valley, particularly at that price point ($19-$25). I often believe they are under-priced, but it's their market and I'm not complaining. Unfortunately, I lost my tasting partner this year before we stopped here (and subsequently Sunce), so my heart wasn't in it. Even though the wines weren't compelling as futures, I'd likely buy them for full price if I was walking out the door with them. In fact, if you can get your hands on some vintage Lone Redwood, horde it! They've since ripped out the vines, but it was a delectable zinfandel.

Sapphire Hill

This is a winery we've regularly purchased futures at. In fact, we had to stop this year just to pick up last year's futures. If you find yourself milling about Healdsburg, wander down to Front Street and stop into the tiny little winery that is Sapphire Hill. You'll be amazed at how enjoyable their selection is; Chardonnay, Winberrie Zinfandel, Porky's Patch Zinfandel, Syrah, to name a few.

This year, the wines weren't tasting well. In the past, I've had to negotiate with Lisa over which futures we commit to, but this year, none of their offerings were compelling. That did not, however, deter us from filling out the rest of the case to include one of their 2006 Chardonnays (stainless and oak fermented), the 2004 Bastoni Ranch Zinfandel, and 2008 Porky's Patch Zinfandel.

In fairness, barrel tasting here has been a temperamental experience. One year, we rolled in on a Friday and the Syrah was tasting poorly. We dropped back in on Sunday and it was compelling enough to buy futures. They seem to be dramatically affected by the weather, as in this case, the temperature had dropped Thursday night and the barrels were a little below their optimal aging temp. Moreover, they hadn't warmed up for tasting yet, as they had by late Sunday afternoon. Another opportunity to continue to collect empirical data! Cheers!

Mill Creek

If I haven't said it before, Mill Creek is a charming little winery. Set back from the road, in the middle of the vineyards as most of them are, it's a quaint little tasting room that is appropriately sized and staffed. They really fit a price niche and are thoroughly enjoyable.

This year, their merlot in the barrel was an incredible steal! I think they undervalue their merlots, perhaps intimidated by Twomey down the road. The two wines aren't in the same class (or style) so a comparison wouldn't be fair. Truth be told, I think they have a corner on the market in their demographic, in Russian River Valley. In any case, I'm really looking forward to the case of 2008 Estate Vineyard Merlot we'll be receiving next year.

Stop here and try their cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and don't forget "Left of Starboard", their fortified wine. Not only will you not be disappointed, I challenge you to leave without a bottle!

Twomey

Since Twomey moved into the old Roshambo winery/tasting room in Russian River Valley, they've endeavored to establish their presence, as they have in Napa County (Calistoga). Their merlots are complex and approach a French style, but in an agreeable and accessible way. Their attempts at Pinot Noirs in Russian River Valley, though, have left me wanting. This year's offering out of the barrel was no exception and a local patron had the best use for it when she tossed it into her repugnant boyfriend's face.

The stop is worthwhile, during the year, but it won't make my list for next year's barrel tasting. At least during the year, they don't bogart the better vintages, protecting them from the juvenile oenophiles that tend to swamp certain wineries during these events.

Armida

This was the second stop on the third day and right after the epic 2-hour adventure at Siduri. The timing was good, though, because Armida always puts out a spread of finger foods and it's a fair distance to drive, allowing our palates (and palate processors) time to recover.

If you haven't read previous blogs about Armida, let me summarize quickly. This is a fun stop. Whether they're geared up for a big weekend or they're cruising quietly through the week, you'll have a nice time here. I'll cut it short for the sake of brevity of this blog and begin a contribution on the Review page.

I normally abhor tasting vintages that are younger than a year. In this case, I don't mind a bit. The 2009 Maple Vineyard Zinfandel is a delight! The maturation process on the wine will be very rapid and, quite likely, one of their best vintages of this wine. It was more than worthy of a case, which we generously shared a third of with a friend.

Once done with the barrel tasting, we rolled up to the tasting bar and like many other wineries we frequent, were immediately recognized. Janet, who recognizes us on sight, passed us off to Steve Cousins, brother of Bruce Cousins, and co-owner of Armida. For the next half hour, Steve took us through a few of the wines they had out for tasting, and a few they didn't. We got a real education on the Maple Vineyard that was a special moment for us all. In the end, another case of wine was tucked under our arm (2007 Armida Il Campo) and another great story.

Robert Young

This was at least our third barrel tasting at Robert Young. As you'll note in the prefacing blog, it was at the end of the day, so note-taking was virtually non-existent. My recollection of this winery is that they were, uncharacteristically, tasting some young wines. Usually, they wouldn't taste a wine so young as a year old, but we were seeing it.

Now, understand that Robert Young (Alexander Valley) is probably the best bordeaux blend winemaker in Sonoma County. Their Scion rivals any other in the valley (including Marlstone from Clos du Bois) and their Red Winery Road is a wonderfully fruit forward, complex red wine that can real versatility. This year, though, a couple of the wines weren't tasting well. I might argue that they went overboard with the cheese pairing and did the wines a disservice. Nonetheless, we absconded with three bottles of one of their best vintages (2003). It was no simple task, either; it took more than my charms to ply the wine from their library stores. Lo, I owe our booty to the wiles of my blond, busty, beautiful companion and the feminine charm that oozes from her pores. To her I say, Cheers!

Mauritson

Of all the zinfandel producers in Dry Creek Valley, Mauritson has some of the best balanced. I've never been able to put my finger on why I haven't joined the club here, because I do enjoy their wines. Their Rockpile Winery label has taken off since the early vintages, which were merely vineyard designated wines under the Mauritson label.

As I've said, I do enjoy their wines, but for some reason I've not found them altogether compelling. You know, as strange as it may sound, sometimes it's just a vibe. The tasting room is nice enough, the staff is perfectly pleasant and engaging, and the wines are priced fairly. I just can't figure it. Well, the nice thing about a mystery such as this is that empirical data collection is quite rewarding!

Siduri

TRL/Staff/Wine: 6/10/10

For new people, walking into the warehouse where Siduri makes their wines and seeing a dozen people at a dozen tables ready to to pour 2-3 wines might be quite intimidating. We've been at it for so long, and have tasted at Siduri so many times, we're often a tad crestfallen when they're only tasting 7-8 wines (see October 2007). For you rookies, hold on to your glass...this will be a long and bumpy ride.

Note that Siduri doesn't have a wine club (they don't need one), so the second-of-three prices will be the "event" price, discounted for barrel tasting, for select wines.

2008 Russian River Valley Viognier: 22/17/-

2008 Chardonnay Rosellas Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands: 24/19.5/20
Lemon is the predominant note, with a little toast. No real buttery feel. Easy to drink.

2008 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir: 30/33
East to drink; nice nose. Simple fruit.

2008 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir: 30/40
Smoky and well-balanced. More complex.

2007 Sonatera Pinot Noir: 29/44Multi-layered. Great spice/fruit balance!!

2007 Keefer Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/29/39
Makes me think of rain. No real spice but rounded; needs to settle down. Open for 4-5 hours prior to serving.

2007 Rosella’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/34/34
Sharp nose, but so smooth all the way down. Very nice. Green nose, but unmatched palate.

2007 Clos Pepe Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/29/38
Soft palate, good nose but doesn’t draw you in.

2008 Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: 50/38
Mild-to-bland palate/nose. The finish had merit.

2008 Cargasacchi Vineyard: 50/39/43
Spicy/smoky nose with bright fruit on the palate.

2008 Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir: 55/39
Bright fruit; very accessible. Full mouthfeel, fruity, but too expensive.

2006 Stolpman Vineyard Nebbiolo: 19.50/29
Strawberry!

2009 Lewis Vineyard Pinot Noir (Futures): 39/-
Developing fast for something harvested 6 months ago. Has good fruit potential but little hints of spice/smoke. Still a little effervescent (for which I would usually cry foul) and tangy, but you can feel/taste the fullness of the fruit. A bit smoky.

2009 Sierra Mar Vineyard Clone 943 Pinot Noir (Futures): 45/-
Bright fruit on the nose. Palate falls short; needs more time in the barrel to develop. Has some potential.

2008 Simpson Vineyard Grenache (Futures)
Driest Grenache I’ve ever tasted. Makes your cheeks pucker.

2008 Carlisle Vineyard Zinfandel (Futures)
No notes, but worthy of splitting a half-case.

2006 Page Nord Syrah
Lackluster

2006 Sapphire Hill Vineyard Syrah
Great fruity nose, but the palate bombs.

2006 Judge Family Vineyard Syrah
Great, full nose with strong notes of truffle. The acidity on the palate hides the fruit, however.

2007 Christiansen Vineyard Syrah: 19.5/25-36 (opinions differ)
Nice fruit, uncharacteristic of a syrah. Not earthiness, but some spice.

2007 Santa Lucia Highlands Syrah: 27/32
Nice, accessible fruit with mild tannins. Late spice on the finish. The nose really is appealing.

2007 Rosella’s Vineyard Syrah, Santa Lucia Highlands: 33/33
Meaty nose; classical earthy syrah. Fruit is not as accessible as other syrahs, but good, nonetheless.

2007 Gary’s Vineyard Syrah: 33/30
A “light” version of Rosella’s Vineyard syrah. Consistently lighter, smoother, and less bold.

2006 Pinot deals
Oddly labeled, I know, but the long and short of this is that one of Siduri’s distributors returned a batch of their 2006 vintage pinot noirs. Nearly all of them were well priced at $40/bottle; these were selling for $15/bottle! The most notable pinots included the 2006 Sonatera Vineyard and the 2006 Amber Ridge Vineyard.

2009 Hirsch Pinot Noir
Great nose! Good smoky flavor. Keep an eye out for this – it’s going to be great!

So this is the point of the story where I get to brag a little and substantiate why I keep returning to Siduri. Lisa and I were poring over our notes in an attempt to build a modest, two-case order when Jody (whom we met the very first time, years ago) recognized us and came up to greet us. After pleasantries were exchanged, Jody finds Adam (co-owner and winemaker) and sends him our way. Naturally, this wasn’t the first time we’ve enjoyed his company and his free reign in the winery. After a brief conversation, he directed us back into the barrel room. Now, we had been taking notes on all of the aforementioned wines, which bored the three friends we’d brought with us to the extent that they had been waiting out by the car for a bit. After conferring with Adam, however, I ran out and passed along the command, “grab your glasses, Adam is taking us into the back.” Two of the three friends knew exactly what this meant (having been with us during previous events) and grabbed their glasses without question and chased after me, dragging the questioning “rookie” behind them. Meanwhile, Adam is setting up in the barrel room to offer us a couple of recent formulations. I must confess, at this point, that the Gewurstraminer that he poured us, while interesting didn’t compel me to take notes. Honestly, I was still a bit wrapped up in the special experience. After another wine, he led us to the purpose of my mission… Behold, as he thiefed from the barrel, I heard the angels sing!

2008 Simpson Vineyard Syrah (5o cases)
WONDERFUL! OMG! Mere weeks from being released, it happens to be my favorite vineyard-designated syrah from Novy (Siduri is Pinot Noir; Novy is the label they use for everything else).
2008 Susan’s Hill Syrah
Big fruit, mild spice. Needs more integration. The spice is awaiting its turn, but it’s still very accessible.

2007 Susan’s Hill Syrah
Well integrated, nice spice, great nose – not as full fruit, but the fruit does show.

2007 Simpson Vineyard Syrah
Smoky, like a pinot, but earthy like a syrah. Smooth – not so fruity.
The 2008’s are going to be the better wines, in my opinion.

2009 Oley (dessert wine)
Muscat nose. So sweet! Caramel, honey, orange, peach. Delicious without making you sleep or stop. So GOOD! Also to be bottled in April. Adam says that this will be the best wine in his library, and I have to agree. On its merits, it is the best of their wines. Fun note about this tasting: Adam thiefed from the stainless steel barrel and then from the oak barrel that he was aging the wine in. It gave you the experience of what the two components were like before he blends and integrates them before bottling. Fascinating!

Unti

TRL/Staff/Wine: 6/9/9

We weren't sure Unti would be tasting this year, as they kind of prefer to stay a little lower-keyed. Fortunately, they were open for business...

2007 Grenache

Full grenache! Good, but the finish is really short.

2007 Zinfandel

Nice spice, but fruit is understated. No acidity to ruin the search for fruit... Just no excuse for the lack of fruit. Oh...wait...yeah, this is what's considered an Italian style zinfandel. Not my taste.

2008 Barbera

Not to be released until May (280 cases), but it'll be worth the return trip. Of all the barberas I've had, I enjoy this one the most.

2005 Benchland Syrah

Smoky nose and full of flavor. Quite honestly, the Unti syrahs are the standard by which I measure most other syrahs.

2005 Syrah Reserve Dry Creek Valley

Fantastic nose with a wonderfully balanced palate. The amazing thing about this syrah was the whole cluster fermentation, which often leaves the syrah tasting a little green; nothing could be further from the truth, here.

Michel Slumberger

The most notable thing about this winery is the layout of the grounds. The main building encircles a long courtyard with fountains. The tasting rooms are small and intimate, with outdoor patios surrounded by sweet-smelling flora. The surroundings belie the character of the wines, which over very delicate and minerally, in the typical style of a French Bordeaux. Moreover, the clownish atmosphere of the staff and the patrons (of which there were scores) may have tainted our following opinions. The quality wines were being tasted in the reserve tasting, but they weren't worth anywhere near the price they were listed at. I won't bother to embarrass them by listing them, here.

This was our second outing to Michel Slumberger; the first was five years before. My impression hasn't changed...

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend

Very tannic. Would not purchase. Has to lay down for 10 years.

2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes of blueberry pie, but a confusing cab; still tannic (2 -year lay down)

2006 Dry Creek Valley Pinot Noir

Great nose, but lacked flavor with a flat palate; barely simple.

2006 Dry Creek Valley Merlot "Le Sage"

Very tannic - hid the fruit. Might be good in 3-4 years.

1992 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

Smooth with a good backbone. Tobacco, dried black fruits with a nose reminiscent of a merlot.

1993 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Cree Valley

More dried fruit with good tannic balance; so integrated that it's hard to distinguish fruits.

1996 Reserve Cab Dry Creek Valley

No nose, but nice palate. A little stringent and green; won't likely improve to strong fruit. Very minerally.

2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley

Balanced and accessible.

Tres Hermanas

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/7/6

The wines are serving cold on the nose.

2007 Barbera: $24/$19/$27
Nice nose, fruit forward. Velvet palate and finish. Pleasant – not over the top like most Barberas. Fruit is less accessible on the palate.

2007 Syrah
Spice on the nose is strong w/ earthy, almost truffle aroma (white pepper).

2006 Syrah: $25/$20/$31
Nose is plush. Red cherry, fig, raspberry palate follows. Hints of liquid smoke.

2005 Syrah: $25/$20/$33
More smoke on nose, fruit is brighter fig and cherry. Palate doesn’t follow. Finish needs structure.

2005 Syrah/Sangiovese (70/30): $30/$24/$-
Nice blend – makes me think of an Italian wine, but has more fruit than earth. Very peppery on the palate. The nose has a bright fruit that doesn’t appear as prominently on the palate. The nose is sangio; the palate is syrah.

2007 Refosco: $38/$30/$22
Italian varietal grown in Paso Robles. Nice fruit, full. No structure; the fruit doesn’t follow. It’s a good social wine and a good blending wine.

Fess Parker

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/?/?

The tasting room bars have accommodations for two dozen people. There were four dozen when we stopped in. Edging into the room, to try to reach the bar wasn’t an option. The TRL is a 10, but we’ll have to find out about the wine another day.

Zaca Mesa

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/9/9

This is a very large tasting room, accommodating at least 18 people. They only charge $10 for a tasting of nine wines, which is refunded with a purchase. This is a very club-worthy winery.

2009 Estate Z Gris: 16/12/9
Strawberry & citric with rose aromas.

2009 Estate Viognier: 20/16/22
No finish, but the nose is huge! Great and creamy, especially for a viognier! Very accessible for a white and good for a viognier. Fruity and floral.

2007 Estate Z blanc: 28/23/28
Very creamy; nice, smooth palate for a lovely pear and citrus nose. Easy to drink with a finish that sits on your palate without the acidity.

2006 Estate Grenache:
Smokey, nice full strawberry/raspberry Grenache – totally enjoyed this one.

2006 Estate Z Cuvee: 20/16/28
Blackberry/blueberry; easy quality, fantastic price.

2006 Syrah: 23/18/28
Spicy nose, some-to-none tannic structure. Spice comes through on the palate. Light-to-medium bodied. Dark wild berries with notes of violets.

2006 Z Three: 42/33/35
Syrah/mourvedre/Grenache. Nice, spicy nose and palate. Medium bodied; needs a little earthiness about it. Good wine for gamy meat.

2006 Estate Mesa Reserve Syrah (“The Mesa”): 42/33/42
Dark berries and beef on palate. Very beefy nose; grilled heaven. Classic syrah! Earthy palate, mouthfeel.

Firestone

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/7/6

Generally speaking, all of the wines lacked structure and acidic backbone. The tasting room was huge, accommodating three dozen patrons (by my rough count) with charm and sophistication. Overall, the wines produced by this vintner left me with the impression that they were catering to a specific demographic; the young, emerging oenophiles with juvenile palates. The quality reaches new heights of mediocrity, which certainly has a profitable place in the market. Yes…I’m saying they sold out.

2007 Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County:25/19/29
Light nose, mildly spicy and semi-dried fruit (strawberry). Palate mirrors the nose with more “presence”. The right glass will mean the difference. Spice will emerge in the right glass.

2007 Cabernet Franc: 22/17/18
If you’re accustomed to Northern California Cab Francs, then this will befuddle you. It has none of the prominent characteristics you’d come to expect, such as the green pepper on the nose. It is a smooth, flavorful cab franc, nonetheless. It’s an inexpensive date, but not too cheap.

2006 Syrah: 18/14/18
Nose is bright with both fresh and dried cranberries, tempered with a little cassis. The palate speaks of a full-bodied Grenache, not a syrah.

2006 Lineage, Chairman Series: 35/26/-
This is their flagship Bordeaux blend (all five grapes). Northern California has an edge on this Bordeaux blend. Smooth, but the flavors are extremely muted! It has the body of a Pinot Noir and the flavors of…I don’t know what.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chairman Series: 35/26/30
No tannic structure. Simple plum/boysenberry. Nose holds back the flavors to come. The most flavorful, to be sure. If you’re introducing someone to Cabernet Sauvignon, this isn’t the one to choose.

Alma Rosa

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/7/7

As with other wineries in Santa Barbara County, don’t forget the tasting fee. It’s often between $10 and $20. With the wines here, you’re going to be left to wonder how the wine will taste in the right glass. The tasting room was tiny, barely accommodating 5 at the bar.

2008 Clone 115 La Encantada Vineyard : 43/34/32
Uh…no. Young and acidic. The fruit is inaccessible.

2008 Clone 667 La Enacantada Vineyard Santa Rita Hills : 43/34/-
Nose and palate represent themselves as a Pinot Noir but just barely.

2008 Santa Rita Hills: 32/25/36
Nice. Accessible. Fair balance of fruit and spice with more toward the fruit. Well-priced and easy to drink anytime…alone. Stereotypical, basic Santa Rita Hills.

2007 Pinot Noir La Encantada Vineyard Santa Rita Hills: 43/34/36
The clone 667 with the Swan clone; nose is typical Swan but the palate has no spice balance, only simple red fruit.

Sanford

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/8/8
Charming tasting room, set back from the road, overlooking the Santa Rita Hills. The bar presents their wines in nice burgundy glasses, as they should be. There won’t be any surprises when you get the wine home.

2007 La Riconada Vineyard Chardonnay : $38/$31/$31

Crisp nose with aromas of melon. The candied lemon peel flashes on the palate after the natural finish.

2007 La Entrada Chardonnay, Santa Rita Hills:$45/$36/30

Light on the nose. The palate is light-bodied, citrus.

2007 flor de campo, Santa Barbara County: $48/$38/-

Fermented in neutral oak. Full-bodied. Nose is peachy/nectarine, with hints of a sweet flower (jasmine, I think). Nice tree leaf (sweet), but not sure what it is.

2008 La Rinconada Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills: $54/$43/$43

Lots of cherries on the nose. Not any single cherry, but various species, including the sweet and spicy. The palate has mild spice, but no tannic structure. This is a nice pinot, with broad accessibility, but not for “discriminating tastes”.

2008 Sanford & Benedict Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills: $60/$48/$47
Much more spice on the nose, with dried red fruit. Another accessible wine, but this has good character to it. The palate is more surprising as compared to the nose. Modestly bright, with spice to balance and linger. This one you want to drink in a relaxed, meant for long-lasting pleasure environment.

2007 Domino del Falcon Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills: $75/$60/$42

Made from a single block, implying limited production. Big spice on the nose. Light-bodied with delicate fruit on the palate. The spice on the nose is almost absent on the palate.

Gopfrich

It's always a pleasure to see Ray and Bonnie. You can't get a more intimate tasting experience that to be interacting solely with the grower/winemaker himself. Quiet, unassuming, and very charming, Ray Gopfrich is the quintessential boutique winemaker in Dry Creek Valley. Truth be told, Ray sells 90% of his grapes to other winemakers, which is why the available quantity under his label is so limited. It doesn't matter, though, if you remember to make his place an early stop.

(Read more about Gopfrich on the Reviews page.)

2008 Zinfandel (Futures)

Light bodied; mild fruit.

2008 Syrah (Futures): $22.50/-/$35

GREAT! Notes are tough to take as this is full-bodied and complex. Balanced fruit and spice; black cherry, mild anise, black currant. (split a case of futures)

2007 Zinfandel

Great nose. Very fruity & spicy (just enough).

2007 Syrah

Mild nose; light bodied. Fruit was very subtle. Not the best vintage for this wine. Under it's own power, I think it would have left a more favorable impression, but after the young, voluptuous 2008, it never stood a chance.

Sbragia

So, while Sbragia does have a barrel or two on their patio during this event, they don't sell it as futures. Quite frankly, they don't have trouble selling their inventory, but it never hurts to generate early enthusiasm for a release. In past years, they've been tasting the Gino's Vineyard Zinfandel, but it seems to be waning and, in its place, they're promoting their estate zinfandel (La Promessa). It's very different in character, but ultimately has broader appeal than the tightly balance Gino's had.

2009 La Promessa Zinfandel: -/-/$42

Very jammy nose. Yum! For a great open-it-up, jammy drink-of-fun. Do this one. (-Lisa)

2008 Schmidt Ranch Sauvignon Blanc

Too warm to taste.

2006 La Promessa Zinfandel: -/-/$30

Drier than the '09 - not as jammy. Still has fruit on the nose, but a lot more spice on the palate.

2006 Andolsen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/-/$43

Smells like toasted Italian/American meat sandwich and strawberries. (full case)

2006 Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon: $50/-/$39

Notes of sesame seed. Good but the Andolsen is much more appealing. Personally, I've never been compelled by wines made from grapes from Monte Rosso.

2006 Cimarossa Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon: $75/-/$50

I enjoy Howell Mountain cabs (not as much as Mt. Veeder, but nonetheless...). This one was very smooth and would be great with any steak. Very well balanced. It was almost too big to be imbibed alone, unlike the preceding cabs.

Fritz

As I've likely mentioned in the past, Fritz is a regular stop when we're in Sonoma County. In earnest, we really like the wines here, the people are very personable, and the value of the wines are just right (not too cheap, not too expensive). When you return to a place year after year (albeit once or twice in that span) and the winemaker and tasting room staff recognizes you, why wouldn't you make a point to return every time? Of course, it's a lot easier to plan the stop when you have to pick up the futures from the year before (Lost Canyon Pinot, this year).

2009 Estate Reserve Zinfandel (Futures) : $192/$186/-

Very green but rich in color, texture. I'm almost always up for a half-case of Fritz Zinfandels (as evidenced by the verticals in my cellar), but it was hard to make the leap past the youth of this wine in the barrel. We're talking about 6 months in the barrel... I have faith that they'll produce a good wine. (half case purchased)

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown (Futures): $240/$210

Blended with 6% Malbec. Good tannins; medium bodied with notes of black currant and a tart prune (as if there was such a thing). (half case purchased)

2007 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Saralee's Vineyard

You'll want to let this sit in the glass a bit, but opens to a nice fruit (subtle) and a lot of spice.

2007 Vino Valpredo Squeezebox Red

After everything we'd just had, this had a nice nose, but a bland palate.

2006 Estate Zinfandel

Truffles on the nose (unusual for their zinfandel) like you'd find on a petite verdot with just a touch of anise (very characteristic).

2007 Estate Reserve Zinfandel : $37/$30/-

Good zinfandel. It's nice to see them building distinctions in their offerings (adding Reserves for the more discriminating tastes/wallets). (half case)

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/$28/$30

Light to medium bodied. Bland palate.

2007 Late Harvest Zinfandel: $35/$28/$22

Good flavor with a rich body and strong fruit. The only aggravation I have with dessert wines is that, over the last five years, their price points have climbed faster than other wines. That's not an indictment on this wine, but just late harvest/port wines, in general.

2006 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Weak, nice nose, but not all there. I suspect that tasting this after the late harvest zinfandel didn't do it justice. This is usually one of my favored cabs in Sonoma County.

2008 Barrel Tasting

March 2008
Another year of barrel tasting. My note-taking was abysmal, forgive me.

Siduri
There were a plethora of Pinot Noirs and Syrahs to taste here. For posterity’s sake we only recorded the guilt-free prices of the wines.

Pinot Noirs
Hawk’s View Oregon - $0 (Not a fan of Oregon Pinots, yet)

Parson’s Vineyard Russian River Valley - $18

Sapphire Hill Russian River Valley - $23

Amber Ridge Russian River Valley - $28

Sonoma Coast Tierra Promissio - $32

Sonatera Sonoma Coast - $40

Gary’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands - $42

Syrah
Amber Ridge - $0

Judge Vineyard - $28

Christiansen Vineyard – Minty, mossy $0

Page – Nord - $30 Good

Rosella’s Vineyard - $25 (blah)

Susan’s Hill – Great! $35

Russian Hill
2004 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard: $35/$34

2005 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard: $35/$36

2004 Syrah : $25/$30
Futures worthy purchase.

Joseph Swan
2006 Ziegler Zinfandel: $20
Futures worthy.

2002Mancini Ranch Zinfandel: $20

Sunce
2005 Merlot (100%): $35/$33
Nice, good. Ended up splitting a half-case on futures.

2005 Cabernet Franc: $30/$30
Nice nose, but a little weak on the palate.

2004 Meritage Reserve: $48/$39

2005 Les Trois Amis: $65/$55

Porter Creek
Chardonnay futures well worth consideration@$200/case

Twomey
2000 Merlot: $60/$60
Good for a purchase of 2

Mill Creek
The zinfandel futures are not bas. We split a case of half bottles they were offering of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This is a good-valued stop for both of those.

Armida
2006 Keefer Ranch Chardonnay
Expect a case of this – the fruit was a nice balance of melon and pear. The oak notes were light. $235/case (futures)

2006 Maple Vineyard Zinfandel: $327/case (futures)
This is a no-brainer. Another good year of Maple Vineyard Zinfandel.

Fritz
2007Pinot Noir
Releases in October 2008. Mild/easy to drink. Bottle purchase worthy, when it releases.

2007 Zinfandel
Releases in October 2009. Will be bottled in June 2008. Fantastic wine!! Keep an eye out for it. Pickup in December $40/bttl

Sbragia
2006 Gino’s Vineyard Zinfandel:$28
Releases Spring 2009. Fantastic, keep an eye out. Futures aren’t ever offered at this winery.

2005 Gino’s Vineyard Zinfandel
Not up to par; comparable to (or less than) 2004.

2006 Home Ranch Chardonnay
Good enough that I bought one for myself and one for a friend.

2005 Home Ranch Merlot
Good enough for one bottle.

Dutcher’s Crossing
2007 Zinfandel Maple Vineyard : $418/case (futures)
5% Carignane, 5% petit sirah, old vine. Very Good!

2007 Taylor’s Reserve Syrah
Nice but not future’s worthy. Spicy such that it can easily be confused with a zinfandel. The real risk with this one is that the winemaker still had some blending to do, so you don’t have a real impression of how it will turn out.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Taylor’s Reserve: ~$38/bttl
This wine will be better once it has been blended, but the futures risk is too great.

Raymond Burr
We tend to stop here for the meatballs! The Cabernet Sauvignons are nice, but not compelling to me. If you’re a Bordeaux-lover, then these will suit you.

2003 Cabernet Franc
Light bodied. Less flavor. Too bland for a Cab Franc.

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Good; well structured.

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon $38

Gopfrich
I’m never disappointed with a stop at this humble, but charming winery. Ray and Bonnie spend much of their efforts growing grapes for other wineries, but they reserve about 10% of them for their own bottles. Barrel tasting here is a treat, but get here soon, because the case count is measured on a white board and dwindles fast. They might only make two to four barrels (less than 100 cases).

2006 Zinfandel (futures)
Good nose, weak body on the palate.

2006 Syrah (futures)
Excellent; full-bodied!

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
Will buy in the bottle, when released: $39

Forchini
2007 Beau Siena (futures)
Bordeaux style. Good value at $176/case. Great nose, but very tannic.

2007 Papa Nonno (futures)
Tuscan style; Zin, Carignane, Cabernet Sauvignon, and mixed whites. Nice wine for the price ($160/case)!!

Unti

2006 Barbera: $28/$26
Excellent; smooth, balanced, great flavor

2005 Zinfandel: $28/$25
Very nice! Balanced.

2005 Grenache: $21/$30
Creamy, easy drinking.

2004 Syrah: $30/$26
Well-made.

2004 Syrah Benchland:$35/$35
Super!

2006 Syrah Winery Block
Tannic.

Mauritson
2006 Rockpile Malbec (futures) $30/bottle

This wine left me very enthused. Should be good to go in October 2008.

2006 Rockpile Cemetary Vineyard Zinfandel (futures price $35)
Missing a lot of zinfandel characteristics

2006 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: $30/$27
Very balanced, with full character; evenly balanced between fruit and spice.

2006 Sauvignon Blanc: $15/$17

2006 Chardonnay: $22/$25
Tart but has great personality.

Hanna

Sauvignon Blanc
Lemmony, not served well; too warm.

2007 Pinot Noir
Lacked complexity

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Very tannic; requires years of laydown. Not sure the fruit will ever appear.

2002 Two Ranch Road
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Good nose, huge tannins, very unbalanced.

2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Berry, modest tannins. Not very complex, but better balanced.

Robert Young
2005 Chardonnay

Oakey, but nice balance. A lot of French character to it.

2005 Winery Road
Smooth mouthful. Humble fruit. Fun to drink.

2003 Scion
Modest balance. Structure seemed to break down. Flavor was very accessible.

2004 Scion
Great structure!! Heavy-bodied. Deep fruit flavor.

2006 Scion
Fragile tannins

Clos du Bois
2007 Reserve Chardonnay

I love the French oak Chards. Calcaire-worthy!

2007 Pinot Noir
Light to medium body
A little too simple for my taste.

2005 Pinot Noir
Nice comparison, still on the simple side. What the 2007 aspires to be…

Trentadue
2006 La Storia Cuvee 32 (futures): $264/case
Not ready; not integrated.

2007 La Storia Zinfandel (futures): $226/case
Very young, no spice yet. Very fruit forward & sweet.

2004 La Storia Zinfandel
Better balanced by the 11% Petite Sirah

2004 La Storia Cuvee 32
Better integrated, but not to my taste.

Non-Vintage Sangiovese (100%)
Nice fruit.
2004 Petite Sirah
Perfect body, mouthfeel. A little tannic; cool it down to find the fruit a bit.

Ridge
2007 Carignane
Good flavor and mouthfeel

2007 Zinfandel Ponzo (futures)
2% residual sugar; hard to tell how good it will be.

2007 Monte Bello (futures): $80/-/$60
Complex, very good. Strange tingle, possibly fermentation. Unequivocally not worth the price.

2005 Lytton Springs: $35/$35
Zinfandel blend with Carignane and Petite Sirah. Balanced, great mouthfeel. Vibrant raspberry, blackberry flavors.

2005 Carmichael: $30/$30

2005 Geyserville Zinfandel
Very similar, still. Dryer, less fruity and less balanced.

Mazzocco
2005 West Dry Creek Zinfandel: $30/$27
Very well-balanced. Nose was a little wanting. This would be a good match with beef teriyaki.

2005 Home Ranch Zinfandel
Medium-to-light body. Brilliant raspberry w/ spices.

2007 Pony Zinfandel
Strange minty note.

2007 Maple Vineyard Zinfandel
Like it should be! Characteristic Maple Vineyard; jammy.

2007 Stone Zinfandel
Vacant nose; slightly spicier and less jammy.

DeLoach
2006 Chardonnay O.F.S.: $32/$30
Creamy, tropical.

2007 Green Valley Pinot Noir (Futures)
Fizzy, but expect good things when it’s ready!

2007 OFS Pinot Noir (Futures)
Nose is very full. Expect great things when ready!

2006 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley:$20/$16

2006 Green Valley Pinot Noir:$35/$36
Canadian bacon notes.

2006 OFS Pinot Noir:$38/$30/$30
‘shroomy, truffle notes.

2004 Russian River Valley Zinfandel: $22/$18
Harsh aftertaste.

2006 OFS Zinfandel

2006 Nova Zinfandel:$32/$32

2004 Gambogi Ranch Zinfandel: $27/$30

2005 Russian River Valley Syrah
Smells and tastes a lot like a sweet, fruit forward zinfandel.

2005 Wild Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
Too simple, watery.

Dutton Estate
2006 Sauvignon Blanc Kylie’s Cuvee: $17/$18
Smells like watermelon, but tastes like melon, lemon

2005 Kyndall’s Reserve Chardonnay: $37/$18
Too much tang, not enough French oak, but light and yummy for a summer day or a select meal. Whole cluster press is the culprit; 100% malolactic fermentation in 100% French oak.

2005 Jewell Block Pinot Noir: $47/$26
A little hot.

2004 Stoetz Lane Zinfandel:$30/$26
Smells like a pinot, tastes like a good, aged pinot.

2004 Cherry Ridge Syrah: $34/$32
Big blackberry; full-bodied, complex. Recommendable.

2004 Gail Ann’s Syrah: No
Light-bodied; too much like a pinot.

Siduri

2006 Siduri Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (unreleased) ($28)
Smooth, easy drinking.

2006 Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir: $28/-/$25

2006 Sonoma County Pinot Noir: $20/-/-

2006 Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir: $53/-/$36
Spicy palate; great, full nose.

2005 Stolpman Vineyards Pinot Noir: $33/-/$30
Mild fruit, mild-to-no tannins.

2005 Novy Napa Valley Syrah: $23/-/$25
Big, bold nose. Fruit doesn’t finish on the palate.

2005 Novy Russian River Valley Syrah: $27/-/$33
Blend of Amber Ridge/Christiansen/Parson’s Vineyards. Full-bodied, very rich flavor.

2005 Novy Santa Lucia Highlands: $27/-/$33
Susan’s Hill/Rosella’s/Gary’s Vineyards. Another good syrah!

Jessup Cellars

We had a very nice private tasting with Bob who took time to educate us while pouring the wines. One of the most notable things about their private tastings is that they use the correct Riedel glassware for the wines they’re pouring. This out-of-the-way place in Yountville is very charming and have a plethora of well-valued wine, an anomaly in Napa County.

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/8/7+

2006 Carneros Chardonnay: $38/-/$22

2003 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Merlot: $34/-/$30
Tastes like there’s cab franc blended, but 100% merlot. Green pepper taste exists, but soft.

2002 Mt. Veeder Merlot: $45/-/$42
It has a bit of a spike to it – a bit acidic, but still finishes with a good cranberry flavor.

2001 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $65/-/($50-55)

2002 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $55/-/($55-48)
This one should lay down a while.

2003 Napa Valley Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon: $49/-/($43-45)
All three cabs had a characteristic anise flavor to it that was quite delightful. Whatever you do, don’t decant these.

1996 Atlas Peak Zinfandel: $55/-/$44
Sweet, maraschino cherry taste. Wonderful wine!

2004 Atlas Peak Zinfandel: $35/-/$38

2004 Table for Four Napa Valley: $75/-/$55
This is their flagship wine and their only blended one.
65% Cab; 15% Cab Franc; 15% Merlot; 15% Petit Syrah

2000 Napa Valley Port: $53/-/$40

2004 Napa Valley Port: $38/-/($25-35)

Robert Young

Nestled a the eastern foothills in Alexander Valley, the home and surrounding buildings of this winery look like they were plucked off a southern plantation. It’s very charming. The tasting room is barely a closet, however, that gets crowded with 6 people in it. Fortunately there are only a few wines to sample here, so your stay will be short.

2005 Chardonnay Clone 17: $39/$31/$28

2004 Merlot: $50/$40/$30

2000 Scion: $40/$30/$38

2003 Scion: $54/$43/$48

Trentadue

This is really pretty winery, so much so that we thought it’d be a nice place for our niece to be married at. Trentadue usually has a nice staff, but it can be a bit hit and miss. Catch them on a slow day and you’ll have a good time. Catch them during barrel tasting weekend and it my be six deep to get to the tasting bar. (Note: They are smart enough to do their barrel tasting in an out-building. This is just what flows into their tasting room, afterwards.)

Trentadue also has some notable ports, here, but we didn’t taste them, today.

2006 Grenache Rose Montelago Vineyard: $15/$13/$15

2004 La Storia Zinfandel: $28/$21/$34

Good, full flavor; well balanced.

2004 La Storia “Cuvee 32”: $32/$24/$32

Interesting finish; goes down like a cab, but finishes like a merlot. Raspberry on the finish.

2003 La Storia Meritage: $45/$34/-

2004 La Storia Meritage: $45/$34/$35

Coffee on the nose. Good structure. Blackberry, little prune on the palate.

2003 La Storia Petite Sirah: $28/$21/$30

Lots of acidity – it had been open for 2 days.

Black cherry on the nose. Doesn’t round out on the palate.

Fritz

A trip to Northern California wine country would be empty without a stop at Fritz. We rarely, if ever, leave without any wine, and this stop was no different (6 bottles, as I recall).

2006 Sauvignon Blanc Estate (Dry Creek Valley): $20/$18/$25
There’s something about their Sau Blanc that enthuses us every time. It’s my second favorite sau blanc, but the one I buy more than all others combined.

2006 Rose’:$16/$14/-

2006 Ruxton Chardonnay:$35/$32/$35
If I'm going to pay $30+ for a Chardonnay, it's going to be from Ruxton Vineyards. The balance of fruit is complemented by the modestly creamy mouthfeel, perfect at this price.

2005 Reserve Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): $45/$40/$30

2005 Barrel Select Zinfandel: $40/$36/-

Normally a favorite, this wasn't tasting well at the time.

2005 Dry Creek Valley Syrah:$28/$25/-

2004 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/$31/-

2005 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve: $50/-/$50

Opinions vary on this Cab, but I firmly believe it has the structure and quality to be a wonderful cab in a few years.

Rosenblum

TRL/Staff/Wine=7/7/9
Healdsburg Tasting Room

2006 Viognier, Kathy’s Cuvee:$18/-/$22
Slightly sweet, apricots, tropical fruit, honey. Purchase-worthy; easy drinking.

2005 Paso Robles Zinfandel: $18/-/$18
Jammy nose, much more balanced on the palate; cherry, black raspberry.

2005 House Family Zinfandel: $25/-/$28
Good nose, not too jammy. Black currant, cherry, plum. Jammy, but balanced.

2005 Snows Lake, Lake County Zinfandel: $35/-/-
More pepper, but less fruit. Good finish, but over-priced for flavor. More spice than currants.

2005 Lyons Reserve, Napa Zinfandel: $45/-/$35
Black cherry, pepper; good balance!

2005 Abba Vineyard Syrah (Lodi): $25/-/($24-$26)
Finishes like warm fruit. Pair with grilled meat or cold pork/sausage.

2005 Petite Sirah Pickett Road (Napa): $35/-/$35
Luscious nose!! Dark berry, spice & cherry.

2005 Rockpile Road Vineyard Zinfandel: $35/-/$45
Very good!! Doesn’t need time to open. Big jam, little maple on the nose. Smooth.

Non-vintage Desire Chocolate Wine: $18/-/$25
Pair with white/milk chocolate. So worth it!

Gallo Family Winery

TRL/Staff/Wine=8/9/7
Healdsburg Tasting Room

2004 Two Rock Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast: $24/-/$25

2005 Two Rock Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma Coast: $24/-/-
Isn’t it amazing what a difference a year makes? We over-valued the 2004 but wouldn’t consider buying the 2005.

2005 Sonoma County Reserve Chardonnay: $13/-/-

2004 Russian River Valley Lagresan (sp?) Vineyard: $24/-/-

2005 Sonoma Coast Winemaker’s Signature Pinot Noir: $28/-/$20

2005 Russian River Valley Syrah: $40/-/-
Dried fruit on the nose that doesn’t come through on the palate

2003 Frei Ranch Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: $22/-/$26

2003 Sonoma Valley Winemaker’s Signature Cabernet Franc: $45/-/$38
Luscious red; smooth. Deep blackberry, tea, prune.

Belvedere

TRL/Staff/Wine=9/7/5
2006 Russian River Valley Gewurstraminer: $19/-/$10

2006 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc: $18/-/-

2005 Healdsburg Ranch Chardonnay Sonoma County: $10/-/$15
Social Chardonnay - purchased three. Something you can get at BevMo!

2005 Russian River Valley Chardonnay: $20/-/$18
Milder nose but decent flavor; notes of citrus, melon, with creamy mouth-feel.

2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $29/-/$25
Nice fruity-loopy nose; palate was not as full-bodied. A bit young/lacking. Tasted like it needed to be in the barrel longer.

2005 Alexander Valley Sangiovese: $26/-/$25
Not a bad wine, but not a representative Sangio.

Mill Creek

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/9/8

2005 Chardonnay Reserve: $25/$19/$28
Full creamy nose. Well balanced with light oak on the finish.

2002 Estate Merlot: $22/$17/$24
Smells of cedar; smooth, light velvety finish. Bold currant flavor.

2004 Merlot: $22/$17/$25
Bigger nose w/ more currant than the 2002. Big fruit, lots of currant and blackberry w/ hints of prune.

2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: $30/$23/$26
Understated nose. Balanced jam and pepper. Medium-bodied. A good wine if it had a bigger nose.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon: $28/-/$30
2/3 Dry Creek Valley fruit, 1/3 Alexander Valley fruit – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Green Pepper, mild red fruits.

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/$26/$40
Rich, smooth, and unfiltered. Big nose, big fruit; could lay down for a few years.

2007 Syrah: $27/$20/$22
Mildly earthy. Smoky bacon, blackberry, pepper.

2004 Left of Starboard (port): $27/-/$27
100% Zinfandel w/ brandy
Very, very smooth.

Lambert Bridge

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/7/6

2006 Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley: $22/-/$18
Big nose for stainless steel fermentation; lemony. I was enthused about this one.

2005 Chardonnay Sonoma County: $32/-/$18
50% new oak; smooth beginning (crisp), but wanes and doesn’t finish.

2006 Sonoma County Viognier: $30/-/$22
3-4 yrs old French oak barrels. Classic viognier nose, likes sweet vanilla. Fruit doesn’t appear on the palate. Served too cold.

2005 Dry Creek Valley Winery Ranch Block Zinfandel: $30/-/$30
Very full bun to overpowering nose. Full fruit – no tang to it. Gentle fruit, but medium-bodied and flavorful.

2003 Merlot Sonoma County: $40/-/$30
Blended w/ Cab Franc & Malbec. Bordeaux-style with a velvety finish & low fruit.

Dry Creek Vineyards

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/7/6

The wines here aren’t bad, but not notable, either.

2006 Dry Chenin Blanc: $12/-/$12
Crisp, clean, palate cleanser.
As good as most Sauvignon Blancs

2005 Estate Fume Blanc: $25/-/-
No noes. Very dry, lemony palate. Little green pepper on the nose.

2005 Taylor’s Vineyard Musque’: $25/-/-
Sauvignon Blanc

2003 Bullock House Merlot: 25/-/22
Light-bodied for a merlot. Bordeaux-style, but modest flavor. Would benefit from decanting.

2004 The Mariner (Meritage): $40/-/$30
Big tannins subdue the fruit. Velvety finish. Was decanted when tasted.

Mazzocco

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/7/8

Nice, spacious tasting room with a three-bar, leather couches, and picture windows. This was our first time to Mazzocco and I have to say I was quite impressed. It turns out that the owners also own Wilson winery, who we panned in March 2006 for serving their syrah from the barrel while it was still fizzing. What impressed us about this place the most though was the strong offering in the $28-$35 per bottle Zinfandel.

After the tasting here, we joined the member's Cellar Club, which provides a substantial discount on already well-marked wines. Twice a year, they send a full case of wine and provide up to 25% discount on all their wines. Well worth it! (Epilogue: We’ve since convinced another couple to sign-up.)

2005 West Dry Creek Zinfandel: $27/-/-
Nose is wanting.

2005 Alexander Valley Stone Zinfandel: $27/-/$30
This is not huge, but the finish is well worth it. Great when it opens! Nice balance.

2005 Dry Creek Valley Pony Zinfandel: $29/-/($33-$30)

2005 Dry Creek Valley Home Ranch Zinfandel: $29/-/$25

2005 Dry Creek Valley Maple Vineyard Zinfandel: $36/-/($38-$40)

Distinctly Maple Vineyard!

2004 Dry Creek Valley Cuneo & Suini Vineyard: $24/-/$19
Balanced more on the pepper.

2004 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon: $21/-/$21
Smartly simple, balanced.

1999 Matrix: $40/-/$28
Bordeaux blend that is over-integrated “No! Blech!” was overheard…

Mauritson

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/8/8

Only tasted a couple of wines this time. It was the end of the day and they were closing, so we’ll try again another time. I’m never disappointed at Mauritson, so I didn’t feel bad about this stop.

Ferrari-Carano

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/5/5

The grounds are stupendous. The tasting room is large with lots of gift buying opportunities. The regular tasting is upstairs. The reserve tasting is downstairs, adjacent to their barrel room. Words don’t begin to describe this environment. It’s poss, with black granite countertops, teak and mahogany wood, and plush leather chairs. Truthfully, it appeared more like an upscale nightclub/bar than a tasting room.

The staff barely gave you the time to pour ast they were often finding better things to do.

The wine was often poured in a very inappropriate glass, so it was hard to give it its due consideration. Glasses or no, the wine was unimpressive.

Flora Springs

TRL/Staff/Wine = 7/7/9

The wines here were very well-priced and had that value proposition that said, “if you like them, join the club”. So we did…
Epilogue: This wasn’t a club that we stuck with. I don’t know what happened, but our enthusiasm for their wines waned over time.

2006 Soliloquy: $25/-/$18

2006 Chardonnay Napa Valley: $26/-/$26
Social Chardonnay

2004 Toad Hall Bodacious: $40/$34/$38
50% Cab Sauvignon, 50% Merlot

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/-/$35

2004 Trilogy: $65/-/$50
Meritage blend; very smooth.

2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Wild Boar: $85/$68/-

2004 Napa Valley Holy Smoke Cabernet Sauvignon: $85/$68/$65
Way too good! Actually feel a little guilty not buying a bottle.

2004 Toad Hall Lavada Hill Carneros Pinot Noir: $30/-/$25

Merryvale

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/7+/7

The most notable feature of the tasting room was the room full of old casks surrounding a 52-seat table, like a huge chamber. At the head, a cask that had been turned vertical and housed an 8-place roiund table in it.

The Cab Sauvignons were great, just overpriced. It was tough to score the wine under a ranking of 10…until you have pull your wallet out.

2005 Pinot Noir Carneros: $35/-/$30
Balanced; not too big of anything. Not bad, but not notable.

2003 Sonoma County Syrah: $30/-/$25
Classic Dry Creek Valley nose but flat finish. Mostly spicy/acidic finish.

2002 Beckstoffer Vineyard Merlot: $39/-/$30
Big fruit on the nose, even palate. Little over-priced but a good wine.

(Epilogue: 3 years later, I found this wine at a little place in the Gaslamp District of San Diego called the Wine Bank. They, of course were selling it at $39.99/bottle. With some shrewd negotiations, we purchased two cases @ $30/bottle; the same price we valued it at 3 years earlier, at the winery. What can I say? It's a really good wine.)

2003 Reserve Merlot: $35/-/$28
12% Cab Sau/3% Petit Verdot
Thin nose/palate.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: $39/-/$42
5% Merlot/4% Cabernet Franc

2003 Oakville Grade: $75/-/-

2003 Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon (100%): $95/-/$60

2001 Profile: $110/-/$80
Lisa loved it!

2002 Profile: $110/-/$85
Jamie loved it!

1999 Profile: $125/-/$60

Castella di Amorosa

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/6/7

What are going to say about a winery that operates in a castle?! So, the same guy who own V. Sattui built this castle in St. Helena and made a winery out of it. It have several levels going 70 ft into the ground. All of the barrels are stored in tunnels and large rooms which rely upon the building’s depth to keep them cool. And cool, they are! For a little flare, the tour will show you a few medieval torture devices they house in the dungeon rooms. The main banquet hall has cathedral ceilings and murals covering it. The whole tour experience is a “can’t miss” event. Too bad they didn’t give their wines as much focus and attention…

2005 Napa Valley Pinot Grigio: $19/-/-

2004 Pinot Bianco Los Carneros: $24/-/$15

2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay (un-oaked): $28/-/$28

2005 Bien Nacido Chadonnay Santa Barbara: $38/-/$25

2005 Mendocino Gewurstraminer: $21/-/$22
I’d stock it for friends who like Gewurstraminer.

2005 Dolcino Sonoma Gewurstraminer:$21/-/$20

2004 Napa Valley Sangiovese: $30/-/$30
Mild, approachable Sangio blend.

2003 Napa Valley Merlot: $32/-/$28
Modest merlot, smooth with regular finish; not special, but not bad. Good fruit, but not particularly distinguishable.

2002 il Brigante (100% Cab):$27/-/$34

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $38/-/$25-$35

2006 Late Harvest Gewurstraminer: $24/-/$20

2005 il Raggio del Sole Muscato Canello: $24/-/$24

Cuvaison

TRL/Staff/Wine =8/8/9
This turned out to be a very club-worthy winery. If you note the club price is often less than our guiltless bottle price. That screams “join the club”! Their tasting room (in Calistoga) was small, but quaint. If you’re a club member, though, a tasting in the barrel room is offered. But’s let talk about the wine…

2006 Sauvignon Blanc: $19/$15/-

2005 Chardonnay Carneros: $22/$18/-

2005 Chardonnay S Block: $35/$28/$32
New oak(French); intense wine, worthwhile.

2005 Pinot Noir Carneros: $30/$24/$30
Full fruit nose, smooth but balanced finish; not tart. Not terribly complex but approachable.

2003 Napa Valley Carneros Merlot: $29/$23/$20
Disappointing palate after full, alarming nose.

1999 Napa Valley Merlot: $29/$22/($22-$35)
Chili pepper; very smooth, distinguished – silky.

2002 ATS Merlot: $54/$43/$43
Bordeaux style – very good.

2004 Carneros Syrah: $28/$22/$34Pepper, but smooth, earthy; blackberry. Serve with peppered dry rub steak.

2005 Diablo Syrah (Carneros): $30/$24/$20

2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder: $45/$36/$40
84% Cab, 4% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec, 7% Cab Franc

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt. Veeder
78% Cab

2003 Brandlin Mt. Veeder: $80/-/$48

Clos Pegase

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/8/7
Exquisite grounds and gardens with a tasting room that is inviting, yet large enough to cater to a crowd. The wine wasn’t bad, but not special either. Except for the chard, it was fairly well priced.
2006 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc: $20/$16/$22

2005 Hummage Reserve Chardonnay: $40/$32/$26

2003 Mitsuko’s Vineyard Merlot: $25/$20/-
Fruit is subdued by the Petit Sirah and Cabernet Franc.

2005 Pegase Circle Reserve Pegaso: $26/$21/$24
Plum and Rhubarb; not bad.

Huntington Cellars

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/7/7

2005 Sauvignon Blanc: $14/$11/$14

2006 Sauvignon Blanc: $14/$11/$16

2005 Sonoma County Chardonnay: $9/-/-

2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay: $15/-/$15
Good social chardonnay.

2004 Merlot: $15/$12/$18

2004 Merlot Reserve: $28/$22/$28
Nos is more inviting than the palate, but still good; smooth finish. Winemaker says it has a 10 year shelf life; picked at high sugar level.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon: $17/$13/-

2005 Petit Sirah: $14/$11/$20
Great nose! Palate doesn’t hold. Good value!

2005 Hidden Valley Syrah: $32/$25/$32

Christie Vineyard

TRL/Staff/Wine = 6/9/6

2006 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc: $16/-/-

2006 Russian River Valley Chardonnay: $24/-/-

2003 Russian River Valley Merlot: $28/-/$25

2003 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $32/-/$30

Davis Family

TRL/Staff/Wine = 7/7/7

2005 Sauvignon Blanc: $20/$-/$12
Big lemon and grapefruit

2005 Chardonnay: $35/-/$15
Flat finish.

2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $40/-/-
Herbaceous, light bodied; where’s the fruit?

2005 Russian River Valley Syrah Gayzer Block: $38/-/$35
Well balanced, but could be bigger.

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $50/-/($32-$42)

2005 Rapport: $30/-/($25-$36)
Well balanced dessert wine; tastes like a light zin (16.8% alcohol by vol.)

Holdredge

TRL/Staff/Wine = 6/8+/7+

2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Wren Hop): $38/$-/$25

2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: $34/$-/($27-$30)

2006 Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir: $40/$-/$30

2006 “Mazie Rose”: $45/$-/($40-$34)
Bigger fruit; good balance.

2005 Alexander Valley Zinfandel: $24/$-/$25

2005 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: $24/$-/$22

2005 Syrah Russian River Valley: $30/$-/$28

2006 Late Harvest Pinot Grigio: $25/$-/$25

2006 Late Harvest Gewurstraminer: $30/$-/$25

Sapphire Hill

TRL/Staff/Wine = 7/8/9
This is a club-worthy winery, even though they are small and the discount isn’t much. It makes up for the additional break you’ll get during futures offerings.

2006 Rose’: $18/$-/$-

2005 Russian River Pinot Noir: $40/$36/$30

2004 Russian River Pinot Noir: $40/$36/$38

2002 Winberrie Old Vine Zinfandel: $30/$20/($30-$35)
Nose was pleasing.

2004 Chardonnay: $23/$20/$28Note that they blend their chards from oak and stainless steel aging.

2003 Bastoni Old Vine Zinfandel: $25/$22/($32-$43)
2003 Syrah Russian River Valley: $28/$25/$25
Green olive notes on the finish.

2005 Syrah Russian River Valley: $28/$25/$28

2006 Porky’s Patch Zinfandel: $28/$25/$-

2002 Old Vine Zinfandel Tom Feeney Ranch: $25/$22/$25

De la Montanya

TRL/Staff/Wine = 8/7/6
With this wineries success at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, we thought it fair to give it a try. We were quite disappointed…

2005 Fume Blanc: $20/$16/$16
Too tart.

2005 Chardonnay: $28$/22/$-
Good social chard.

2005 Summer White: $19/$15/$12

2005 “Pin up Series III”: $16/$13/($10-$22)
Rose’s are for some people; they are not usually for me.

2005 DLM Tina’s Vineyard Pinot Noir: $32/$26/$12
I don’t know how you can possible screw up a block of grapes from Tina Maple, but they did.

2005 Flying Rooster Pinot: $36/$-/$16

2005 Flying Rooster Red: $22/$18/$16

2005 Felta Creek Zinfandel: $26/$21/$25
The nose made our head snap; could have been corked.

2006 DLM Felta Creek Vineyard Primitivo: $34/$27/$25
I don’t know why wineries insist on using the Italian name for Zinfandel and marketing it as something different (Primitivo); it’s the same damn grape. This might have been a good wine, it was just too young.

2004 “Pin up Cabaret Series III”: $38/$30/$28
This wine was a 2006 Harvest Fair Gold Medal Winner but I wasn’t compelled to buy it.

2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate Vineyard: $38/$30/$30

Imagery - October 2007

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/9/8
If you’ve never been to an upscale, culturally effluent winery, then you should make a point of stopping in at Imagery at least once. The tasting room and location is one of the top in Northern California. The wines are big, bold, and complex. Be prepared to pay for the experience, but know that it’s worth it at least once in your life.

2006 Viognier: $26/$20/$18
Citric, clean, and lemony.

2005 White Burgundy: $29/$23/$28
Crisp, but not well integrated.

2005 Mourvedre: $42/$33/$20
Light, spicy and under-fruited

2004 Taylor & Bruschea Zinfandel: $42/$33/$26
Very spicy; we were left asking “where’s the fruit?”

2003 Sunny Slope Merlot: $38/$30/$40
100% Merlot that was good for its makeup

2004 Petit Verdot: $40/$32/$35

2004 Petit Sirah: $42/$33/$43
Smooth; full of good flavor.

2003 Ash Creek Cabernet Sauvignon: $45/$36/$45
Balanced toward mineral, but still has dried fruit flavors

2003 Sunny Slope Cabernet Sauvignon: $45/$36/$38

2004 PALLAS Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: $70/$56/$65
Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend (95%/5%)

2002 Ash Creek
Very smooth and earthy; almost too earthy

2001 Sunny Slope Cabernet Sauvignon: $55/$-/$60
Good-to-Great balance; Impress your friends with this Cab!

Twomey - October 2007

TRL/Staff/Wine = 9/8/8
A while back, Twomey purchased the winemaking facility and tasting room of Roshambo. Located on the side of the hill on West Dry Creek Road, it is a flowing, modern building overlooking the Russian River Valley. With a grass terrace and picture windows, it’s a wonderful place to stop and soak in the view while sipping a good merlot. While the selection may be limited, the quality is top notch.

You can start or finish your day here, but you’ll never spit or pour. Take your friends here to show them what a great merlot tastes like!

2005 Russian River Pinot Noir: $50/$-/$40
Classically structured. The balance leans toward spice/herbs which is uncharacteristic of Russian River Pinot Noirs. (Davis Bynum is a notable exception)

2000 Napa Valley Merlot: $60/$0/$50
Browning around the edges, showing its age. This is a re-release of the library wine and its very near its life’s end.

2003 Napa Valley Merlot: $70/$-/$50
Great nose, but flavor almost washes away.

2004 Napa Valley Merlot: $65/$-/$-
What a big nose! The fruit abounds, mostly black cherry. This is a very nice wine that could benefit from aging.

Rabbit Ridge - October 2007

TRL/Staff/Wine = 7/5/5
No credit for tasting, but you got to take shitty Riedel “O”s with you.

2005 Live Oak Vineyard Paso Robles Pinot Noir: $20/$18/$20
Not bad. Well priced.

2001 Aventura: $25/$22/$18
Tuscan style

2003 LPR (Zin/Primitivo/Petit Sirah/Syrah): $20/$18/$15

2002 Vortex: $25/$22/$22
Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot/Petit Sirah/Syrah
Not compelling

2005 “No Worries”: $25/$-/$20
A Zin that was supposed to be jammy, and wasn’t.

2003 Sarah’s Syrah: $20/$18/$25
Leans toward jammy vs. pepper and earth; worthy of one bottle purchase

Arista - October 2007

TRL/Staff/Wine = 10/8/7
You won’t miss any sports events by tasting, they have a nice HD screen for viewing. The wines are good, but limited and a bit overpriced.

2006 Gewurstraminer, Anderson Valley: $24/$-/$20
Good palate cleanser

2006 Sonoma County Pinot Noir: $30/$-/($25-$35)
This is so light, with a beautiful fruit nose. The nose is unmistakable. The wine is very smooth, but not terribly complex; drink now/anytime.

2006 Russian River Pinot Noir: $40/$-/($28-$32)
Definitely a RRV pinot. This wine has much more complexity to it with a light body and good flavors.