Benovia

TRL/Staff/Wine:  10/10/10

This may be our first perfect score EVER!  Here's what you need to know about Benovia...

• There's no wine club; get on their mailing list. 
• They make 4,000 cases per year and you're not going to want to miss an opportunity for ANY of them! 
• The staff (Roger) is exceptionally knowledgeable. This guy has been around here for the last 4 decades, knows some of the pioneers of the area, and can tell you details and stories that will far exceed your expectations!  I've been coming out here for years, have visited wineries hundreds of times and have NEVER encountered someone with more encyclopedic knowledge! In the hour and a half we were there I learned an IMMENSE amount! You’ll gain so much information about their vinification process, their growing process, and anything else you want to know.

2010 Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay $32/$-/$32

Wonderful tropical fruit notes that lingers in your nose forever.  The fruit follows perfectly with some spicy oak. I really like this wine.  Lisa - Almost perfect chardonnay.  This could be a little less tropical and a little more buttery for me, but very nice.

2010 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $45/$-/$42

Wonderful nose! Perfect nose with bright red fruits (mild cherry, raspberry) with black fruits layered on the palate (blackberry, blueberry) Light body but the fruits didn’t appear as watered down. This had a spring release.

2009 Savoy Anderson Valley Pinot Noir $56/$-/$40

Very light bodied wine with subtle notes of strawberry, cranberry, and raspberry. Short finish

2009 Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir $62/$-/$56

What a wonderful floral, fruit nose! Dry farmed with a significant Vineyard pedigree (Williams Selyem, Kosta Browne, DeLoach). Wonderful bright fruit with sour strawberry, with cherry and cranberry notes on the palate.

2009 Bella Una Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $56/$-/$60

Proprietary blend of Pinot Noir Cuvee.  Seductive aromas of ripe blackberry that really represent the region. Juicy mouthfeel with a dusty finish, inviting you to imbibe more.

2009 La Pommeraie Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $56/$-/$56

Characterized as a cabernet lover’s Pinot Noir. Deep black cherry with notes of boysenberry. Silky finish with lingering fruit. The palate is viscous and rich, with balanced acidity. I'd like to say much more about this wine, but I might enthuse some people who would want to ply it out of my cellar. {BARK} Back! Back!

2009 Sonoma County Zinfandel $38/$-/$40

Ripened blackberry nose, with a wine that is exclusively free run juice. Lots of aromatics. Very balanced finished with a mild earthy finish.

2009 Sonoma Mountain Grenache $32/$-/$32  

This is a really nice Grenache with dark fruit notes and a light strawberry finish and modest peppery. I rarely like grenaches because they’re rough, but these are smooth with complexity. They call it a garnacha style which is a Spanish style.