Landmark

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/9/9

What a gorgeous setting, set back from Sonoma Highway, in the middle of the vineyards. Spacious and picturesque, there's no way you'd not want to just open a bottle and spend the day there.  The staff was not only knowledgeable, but they were charming, engaging, and presented recommendations of other wineries based upon our preferences. The wine was very good and well-priced at the club discount level.  Do not miss this opportunity...

2010 Overlook Chardonnay $25/$20/$22

Grapefruit and pear on the nose; the palate follows.  20% new French oak/80% neutral. Thin body. Mild minerality with some tartness.

2010 Damaris Reserve chardonnay $40/$32/$32

Love the rich buttery, toasty, creamy nose. Nice oaky finish with lemon zest and hints of pear.

2009 Lorenzo Chardonnay Russian River Valley $55/$44/$43

Love the rich nose on this too! Hints of yeast and butter on the nose.  Light toast on the palate with less creaminess on the mouthfeel than the Damaris Reserve. This has a crisp finish with balanced acidity.

2011 Steel Plow Estate Vineyard

Grenache/syrah/mouvedre

{Lisa – very strong strawberry and pink grapefruit blend  on the nose, the I was taken aback by the memory of heavy pink syrup penicillin from when I was a kid.  Could not get past it to enjoy the palate.}

2010 Grand Detour Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast $35/$28/$30

Some spice and a layer of candied cherry on the nose.  The palate is smooth with well integrated fruit that has modest appeal.

2010 Spring Hill Pinot Noir $55/$44/$38

Mild notes of cola, lavender, and forest floor. I get some of the candied cherry on the edges of my palate. It’s an enjoyable, easy-drinking Pinot Noir.

2009 Kanzler Pinot Noir $65/$52/$49

This has a bright raspberry, strawberry, and cherry bouquet. This is very enticing and welcoming.  The palate has a really nice balance of acidity, fruit, spice, and slight earthiness wrapped up in a medium-bodied wine.

2010 Kanzler Pinot Noir $65/$52/$50

Richer fruit, better body, extremely balanced fruit. This is a delicious Pinot Noir. The blackberry, cherry, finish balances the minerality and hints of anise.

2010 Steel Plow Estate Vineyard Grenache $35/$28/$30

Only slight strawberry on the nose.  There is a smokey spice to this which fools you into believing this might be a pinot.  The palate announces, “I’m a Grenache” with light strawberry, hint of spice, and a little bit of minerality to balance it. Strawberry gets stronger, red apple skin.

2010 Kivelstadt Vineyard Syrah, Sonoma Valley $40/$32/$35

Nice blackberry nose with modest minerality and smokiness. The palate exudes earthy notes with good balance of black fruits, vanilla and spices.

Trione

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/9/9

When you're out wine tasting and you're adventurous to try a new place, it can really be hit and miss, sometimes. One of the things you do to hedge your bets is to keep an eye out for wineries that look well established. If you come out on a regular basis, you'll see some new wineries and some well-established ones. Sometimes there will be surprises...as it was for us, today.  The irony is that we were visiting a well-established winery who simply opened their tasting room within the last three years. Henry Trione has winemaking pedigree that goes back more than thirty years, with his time at Geyser Peak. But I've been reluctant to try his wines because he only setup shop in what was a failed winery (Canyon Road) in the last few years. I was humbled, today, by the experience they offered us.

The tasting room is huge and spacious. When we first arrived, we joined only two other people at the expansive wine bar. Two staff members worked things easily, allowing us to proceed at our own pace, really engaging in our wine tasting experience, and finding ways to make it better. At least twice (that I can remember), they swapped out the wine we were drinking with a freshly opened bottle because our reaction to it didn't seem right to them. Sure enough, in each case, the wine was a great deal better.

In the middle of our tasting experience, one staff member spied a mini-bus arrive and began to reorganize the patrons at the bar and the staff behind it in order to accommodate what became a bevy (~a dozen) of people. This is a very professional staff. Without us even noticing, they added a staff member behind the bar to address the influx of patrons. Again, this was a very professional staff.  On top of it all, they were all extremely knowledgeable about the wines, the history of the winery, and anything else you wanted to discuss on both counts. One of them broke down the details on the label and how it related to Henry Trione's roots as a banker.

I could go on for some time, but instead, I'll cut to the chase...the wine. As a measure of our enthusiasm for it, we joined the club and left with a case.

2009 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley River Road Ranch $16/$13/$18

Rich nose. Lush white fruit; pear, lemon, nice balanced acidity.

2010 Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley River Road Ranch $23/$18/$18

This had what I thought at first was a grassy nose, but through our discussion with the staff (Andrew), we smelled it for what it really was...green bell pepper.  Over the palate, it had thin, mineral notes and this wine would be well-suited for pairing with food.

2007 Chardonnay Russian River Valley River Road Ranch $30/$24/-

This had a real, light grassy nose. The 45% new French oak is accessible on the nose.  The palate was  slightly tart with hints of vanilla and pear.

2007 Pinot Noir $35/$28/$35

Blackberry and raspberry on the nose, with a mushroom layer. This is unfiltered, unfined and has been poured with a wide variety of party hors d’oeuvres.  This was a bottle that they opened fresh for us and when they did, the flavors went from something akin to a tart mushroom to fruits that were bright and fresh! Hazah!

2007 Syrah $32/$25/$36

Fermented with 5% whole cluster Viognier. 4 of the 17 barrels of were American oak. This is what is considered a Cote’ Rhone style. It's aromatic and floral. The “medicinal nose” fades as the wine opens. After that, the earthy layer appears and anise introduces itself. Mild raspberry, blackberry, plum, and prune.

2006 Red Wine $64/$51/$50

A true meritage: cabernet sauvignon/merlot/petit verdot/malbec

Spicy nose, with hints of tobacco. The fruits are hiding in there somewhere. The fruits are cassis. They added cabernet franc to the blend in 2008.  They opened a new bottle and the fruits were much more accessible on the nose. The palate is smoother and the fruits include more red berry fruit.

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $64/$51/$55

Cabernet Sauvignon / petite verdot / merlot/ malbec

In the barrel for two years, aging in 50% new & 50% neutral French oak.

Deep dark nose, with notes of rose and dark red fruits. The fruit is big and bloody. There’s no tannic backbone, but, instead, a mild velvet finish. Black currants, spices, and hints of clove on the palate.  DELICIOUS!  Not exceptional but very accessible.

2009 Alexander valley Primitivo $30/$24/$35

Primitive/zinfandel blend (82%/18%)

A mild candied-black fruit nose. The palate follows perfectly, with hints of residual sugar that doesn’t exist. {Lisa: The blend is heavenly and could be pulled anyday.}

Skewis

 TRL/Staff/Wine: 8/10/9

This is the second time we've been here ( the first was in October, only three months after they opened their tasting room) and it was an equal experience. Know that the man and woman behind the tasting bar are the co-owners and winemakers of this wine for the last 17 years. She is supremely knowledgeable, charming, and strikes you as the pretty sister of Tyne Daly. Not only will you enjoy the wines, but she'll regale you with the best foods to pair them with, especially cheeses!  The tasting room is small, only really accommodating 6-8 people, but it's only the two of them and it's a nice student-to-teacher ratio.

For those of you who were looking for more of the 2009 Lingenfelder Vineyard Pinot Noir, you can forget about it. They had 6 full bottles and 4 half bottles when I arrived. When I left, I had the 6 full bottles and the guy next to me bought 3 of the half bottles. You'll have to wait until this fall for the best Pinot NOIR EVER!!

The last time we were here, I hesitated to join the wine club, even though I walked out with a half case of wine. This time, I didn't repeat my mistake. So, not only did I get the best Pinot EVER, I got it at a dramatically discounted price (20% off).  Nah-ner, Nah-ner...

You want to really know how this stop went? My guest said "I've been looking for a Pinot Noir to like, and haven't ever found one...until now."

2009 Montgomery Vineyard Russian River Valley Sonoma county $45/$36/$38

Made from grapes grown from a 20 year old vineyard. Dry and floral with dried fruits on the palate.  This wine has some versatility, but it’ll dry off your palate.

2009 Ridley Vineyard Anderson Valley Mendocino County $45/$36/$43

Mildly herbaceous aromas with hints of clove and dried fruit. Bright, spicy fruit, like cinnamon, cherry, and cedar.

2009 Salzgeber-Chan Vineyard Russian River Valley $48/$39/$46

Medium body with aromas of cranberry and herbs. This has a mineral nose, but the palate has smooth cranberry, cherry, and sweet baking spices.

2009 Peters Vineyard Sonoma Coast $48/$39/$42

Mild cedar and rose-based aromas. The finish is long and spicy with blackberry notes and toasty oak.

2009 Greenwood Ridge Vineyard Anderson Valley, Mendocino County $40/$32/$38

Major cedar on the nose!  I’ve never had a more mineral nose on a pinot.  That palate is completely different.  It has bright cherry, modest blackberry and plum, and some smokiness. 

2003 Salzgeber-chan Russian River Valley

They were prepping for a winemaker dinner in the week and decided to pull out one of their library wines, just for the fun of it. Wonderful! It had a little cedar (or eucalyptus) and caramel on the nose.  The  amber lip of an aged wine was prominent.  The palate is delicate and subtle.  It’s smooth, but I find the flavors difficult to access.

Windsor Oaks

This new stop proved to be quite the boon. If you can find the place, at the right time, you’ll thoroughly enjoy their offerings. The estate sits on land that is overlapped by three AVAs (Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and Chalk Hill), so they have the luxury of identifying their wines with whatever appellation suits their marketing strategy.

They offered six barrels for futures purchase, that range widely. At some of the barrel stations, they offered last year’s bottled vintage as a basis of comparison. This is a very classy move on their part; other wineries don't usually bother. The interesting thing about that was that it didn’t have the effect that you might expect. The overall experience today revealed that the year-to-year variation of the wines provided a little uncertainty as to the final, bottled result. Nonetheless, they have demonstrated their professionalism and quality, if for no other reason than they weren't trying to shove last year's harvest down your throat (ahem, Mazzocco).

If you chose to buy futures that day, you were treated to a VIP experience in their barrel room. This was not a small thing. In walking in, we witnessed the winemaker herself standing on the third stack of barrels, thiefing wine for the patrons below, like a momma bird feeding her little chicks. After wading through the chirping crowd, we found ourselves at the first station where a three year vertical of their chardonnay was awaiting us. More on the wines, later, but one exceptional note was that the 2008 vintage was aged in 100% French oak (and here’s the exceptional part) at the customers’ request. Right next to that was a station serving a lobster bisque soup to pair with the wine. Ahhhh…that was nice!

Because they offer such a wide variety of wines and they were taking the opportunity to showcase them, the next station rounded out the list. Taking notes at this point became challenging, but because this was the first stop of the day, we mustered up and soldiered on. While we stood at the table taking notes, a charming member of the Windsor Oaks team introduced himself (Brian) and engaged us in long, deep discussions over their wines. Moments later, he disappeared and returned with three more bottles, and we were happy he did! More about those wines later.

Overall, this was a monumental stop for us, leaving with two cases of futures and a case and a half of their current offerings. I’ll bet you can’t wait to hear about that!

As a side note, through the course the tastings, we learned that Balverne Manor resides in the middle of the vineyards with a spectacular view. For a reasonable rate, the winery provides accommodations for up to three couples, an incredible meal, and all the wine you’d want to go with it. I’m looking forward to maximizing that experience one day.

2011 Reserve Chardonnay Block 8 Russian River Valley (futures) $35/$26/$30

Cool, creamy nose; light vanilla. Lemony, tart on the palate (like lemon filling of meringue pie). Clean mouthfeel.

2011 Pinot Gris Russian River Valley (futures) $25/$19/-

Organically Grown Block 10

Light pink grapefruit nose. Crisp and a little oaky w/ lemon zest on the palate.

2010 Pinot Gris Russian River Valley

Much more settled and less oaky. It has a little better mouthfeel but not as flavorful. Light apricot on the nose.

2010 Red Mountain Cuvee Chalk Hill (futures) $35/$26/$40

Blend of Syrah, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon

The sangio really asserts itself on the nose in a classic Brunello kind of sense. Perfect tannins and mouthfeel for this type of blend. The vanilla and mocha comes trough on the palate with a thin note of raspberry.

2009 Super Tuscan Estate Reserve Chalk Hill (futures) $45/$34/$42

Wonderful nose! Bright fruit on the nose. No acidity on the palate, but still had a mild, velvety finish. I expect this to improve with time. See WM NOTES

2008 Super Tuscan

This is blended with syrah instead of cab franc. It has a better palate and nose.  This is a really good wine with the same mild, velvety finish. Very complex notes. Dark blackberry, brambles, black cherry, cassis with hints of cedar.

2010 Zinfandel Estate Reserve Russian River Valley (futures) $29/$22/$35

Nose is consistent with an old vine zinfandel – Jammy and rich, grown in a higher elevation. It has an extremely well balanced palate. The oak and pepper balance with the blackberry fruit is fantastic!

2009 Zinfandel

This older sister has more oak bias but has very consistent fruit to the newest member of the family.

2009 Estate Petite Sirah Russian River Valley (futures) $35/$26/$38

Soft nose with layer of vanilla, fig, mocha. Nice velvet finish, but the palate doesn’t follow as prominently. A nice dinner might bring out more of the flavors.

Now we get to the point in the story where we entered the VIP room for the rest of the experience.

2007 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

French oak and stainless steel (aged 16 months)

Nose: nice, creamy – buttery lemon sauce for crab

Palate: Much more fruit than most chardonnays like a soft apple, tempered with pear.

2008 Russian River Valley Chardonnay

24 months in 100% French oak (30% new)

Nose: Milder nose with hints of lime

Palate: more tropical melon flavor

2009 Russian River Valley

Nose: Soft, almost muted. Paler color than the other two.

Palate: Watery mouthfeel and flavor…I guess the color was right.

2009 Russian River Valley Rose’ of Pinot Noir (Vin Gris) $19/-/$19

Very light, crisp, nose; a little strawberry. Completely refreshing and wet for a rose'.

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $35/-/-

Nose: Cold and a bit muted.

Palate: Cinnamon and red currant, strawberry-dominated by the spice. Very subtle fruit.

Very light palate. I didn’t get the fruits that were on the nose. Nose had a cinnamon, fig, and sweet rhubarb.  Not for me… -Lisa

2008 Super Tuscan

Nose: Hard to find

Palate: Big! Tannic with cassis, blackberry, mocha

2008 Malbec

Nose: Big jammy fuit, black anise, black currant

Color: Deep burgundy

Palate: I have a different expectation of malbecs, with a desire for more earthiness that just didn’t exist.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $35/-/$50

Nose has bell peppers, a little truffle, light pepper, but good dark earth. Needs to open. Palate is deep, rich, and earthy, with no truffle, but a lot of chocolate and cab franc taste to it. Spices open up in this quickly. Fantastic cab!

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon $45/-/$52

Even more accessible nose, coffee, toasty, peppers, spices, rich dark fruits.

2009 Cabernet Franc

Big nose – good bell pepper, but lots of fruit and spice on the nose. Italian hard salami. Great cabernet franc.

Sheldon Wines

Last stop of the day and we run into an old buddy from Siduri of many years ago! JODY! He’s shilling for Dylan and Tobe of Sheldon wines and doing a good job of it! For what it’s worth, since Lisa took over the tasting notes at Siduri, these are also almost all hers.

2010 Vinolocity Blanc $30/$22/$25Only 100 cases produced. Very nice nose; crips but not tart at all. Nutty, with notes of apricot.

2007 Sleepy Hollow Old Vine Chardonnay, Monterey County $36/$30/$35Notes of pineapple; oaky and a little bit tropical. Unfiltered with 100% malolactic fermentation. Yummy!

2008 Krutz Chardonnay, Sleepy Hollow Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands $38/-/$29A little too sweet for my nose, but Jamie likes it. That palate is very smooth and creamy.

2007 Sheldon Pinot Noir Main Coast $28/$24/$25Very light spice and light red fruits, light-bodied, summer pinot

2008 Sheldon Vinolocity $36/$31/$20100% Grenache
Not much of a nose for me. Jamie said a “good Grenache”. I didn’t get the strawberry I look for.

2009 Weatherly Cuvee $42/$35/$3250% Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon / 50% Petite Sirah
You can really smell the petite sirah in this nice round wine. Light on the body but still has some complexity.

2007 Deviant Velocity $28/$23/$35Nice full nose; a bit of syrah smell, or is it gin, or is it cab…no it’s petite sirah. Too light for Jamie, doesn’t have enough punch. Lisa likes the relaxed taste.

Mazzocco

As club members to Mazzocco and the Wilson family of wineries (which also includes Wilson, Matrix, DeLorimier, and Soda Rock), we have found value in their wines over the years. They are consistently successful in winning awards for their zinfandels, and for good reasons. The complaint that we consistently have, however, is management of their club and tasting room. In October, we stopped in to see if we could pick up our club case so that we could transport it back with us. In spite of the fact that they were one (1) day away from "releasing" the club shipment, they wouldn't accommodate us. In years prior, we would see the club shipment hit our credit cards without so much as an enthusiasm-generating heads-up email. The 99% of us who actually care about such things like a little warning when $400 affects our finances (especially before holiday shopping season). This year, as we concluded our transaction, little attention was given to securing our personal/financial information after we completed the transaction for the futures. In other words, the signed receipt and futures form was left out on the counter, unattended as we left the winery. Oh, and for what it's worth, they couldn't provide us March's club shipment...It had apparently shipped the day before. I can't remember a single time when we've left here and haven't felt like dumping the club. It must the be wine that keeps us from it...

2011 Zinfandel Sullivan (futures) $34/$24/$20The bouquet is undeveloped, but the palate is light-bodied with bright red fruits, such mild strawberry, red currant, and mild raspberry. This is an easy-drinking wine that I’d buy and drink…if it was already bottled. This isn’t a wine that I’d want to commit $268 (club prices) worth of cash outlay, much less the full price outlay.

2011 Zinfandel Stone (futures) $34/$24/$32Very characteristic STONE wine. Even as young as it is, the oak is subtle, revealing the bright red fruits and a splash of dark fruit for body and flavor. The acidity on the palate reminds you that it’s a zinfandel, with cassis, currant (both black and red), raspberry and a splash of blackberry. This is a crowd pleaser at any event and usually worth the wait.

2011 Zinfandel Smith Orchard Reserve (futures) $52/$37/ -Far less fruit and more herbaceous in flavor and nose. This is a wine that is usually fantastic…I don’t know how this vintage is going to fair. It’s too young, too oaky, with nothing on the nose and little more on the palate. This is another thing that annoys me about Mazzocco; they barrel taste zins from the most recent harvest. This is exactly the reason we haven't gone back to Wilson Wines since our first year of barrel tasting; they served a syrah from the recent harvest and it was still effervescent from the fermenting process!

2011 Zinfandel Seaton (futures) $34/$24/-Even better nose than the Stone , but still a little too young to judge on the palate. This could go as a big, well-loved Mazzocco zinfandel. -Lisa

Fritz

We started our odyssey at Fritz on Friday, this year, but was surprised to see that the tasting was from bottled samples, through no fault of the winery, however. The Wine Road event organizers bungled and ignored Fritz's communiques that they wouldn't be participating on Friday's. Being the professionals that they are, Fritz accommodated those who were signed up to start there, anyway, and poured from barrel samples that had been bottled (as a contingency).

Now, on to the wine!

This is really a place where you need to inquire/coax/cajole/seduce your way into their reserve offerings. As much as I have enjoyed their estate grown wines over the years, their reserve wines are...well...reserve quality.

2010 Vino Valpredo Bianca Mia $14/$11/$12
Chardonnay/Sau Blanc Blend: bright melon on the nose. Light-bodied palate, with mild, crisp lemon and cumquat. If you don’t care for Sau Blanc, but would like a light, crisp, palate-cleanser, then this is a good buy.

2009 Vino Valpredo Squeezebox Red $20/$16/$17Zinfandel/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon Blend: The nose is very enticing with delicious, sexy flavors. The palate is light-bodied, implying a mild summer blend. I would positively LOVE this wine if it had just a bit more body...but then again, I'm partial to full bodies (wink).

2008 Estate Zinfandel $25/$20/$20The nose on this has changed ethnicity; this wine has historically been full of anise on the nose, but this has a new breed in it. The anise is gone and in its place is black currant, rhubarb pie, and brambles…yes, brambles. As it rolls over the palate, this zin demonstrates an identity crisis. Light-to-medium bodied, typical of their wines, but this is a zin wanting to be a syrah… which explains the nose. Don’t mistake me, it’s a nice zin, but you should definitely set the appropriate expectations for yourself.
“I don’t know…I’m too confused.”-Lisa

2007 Dry Creek Valley Syrah $30/$24/-You can get a sense of the body on the nose, but the flavors are muted. It could be that it simply needs to warm up, a bit.

“Ahhh! There it is!”-Lisa

The tannins on the edge of the nose find their way into the open on the palate. The nose of modest earth, dark, slightly bitter fruits, greets you more assertively on the palate. As syrahs go, it’s not bad and you’d find it quite suitable for a relaxing day alone, but if you’re looking for a syrah to plant your petunias in, this isn’t it.

2010 Estate Malbec (futures) $40/$28/-Fully engaging nose with a bit of tobacco, wood, then it settles down quickly and loses that nose leaving just the earthy skin. The mouth feels more fruit than the nose did, but I struggle to name them. -Lisa

This one is still young and woody for me, hiding the fruit inside. I’d be curious to see what it’s like in a couple of years, but not curious enough to buy it on futures. As a club member, I’ll get a bottle in June. If you're not a club member, sign up. If you're not going to sign up, get a half case of futures and lay it down for a year or two.

2011 Reserve Zinfandel (futures) $50/$32.5/$24Aha! Now this is the Fritz zin, I know! The nose has the appeal of old, with bright fruits and a splash of red currant. The woodines on the palate leaves me with “holy oak, batman”, but it gives me the sense that it’ll mature w/ time. The palate does follow with appropriate hints of red currant, a watered-down plum and very mild pepper. This’ll be another club bottle, and I have no qualms about waiting for that.

So, this is one of the things I love about Fritz... After sampling their wines for the day, Brad Longton (the winemaker) passed through the tasting room, recognized us, and took time to stop and chat about his wines. (My best attempt at name-dropping...) In the course of our conversation, Lisa solicited his personal recommendations, that we might use to augment our purchase. The following is the fruits of her efforts (that pun was for you, honey).

2010 Jenner $25/$18/ $29

This has a lot more cherry, and frankly, alcohol on the palate. The nose is a clean, crisp pinot with all the right red fruits, and I’m drinking it cold. As this warms up, the rich spices begin to show on the nose and palate. This is a fantastic pinot that is completely drink now! -Lisa

The more it warms up, the more the body and fruit reveals itself. So smooth and delicious, this is an everyday pinot with a green closure that means “GO”!

2009 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Morelli Lane Vineyard $45/$34 /$39The mouth feel on this wine is perfect! This is how all wines (at least all pinot’s) should feel. The nose is all about green leaves (winemaker says tea). The palate is a little puzzle, because the nose says green, but the palate says red dark current…just light. -Lisa

Slightly herbaceous and slightly sweet flower on the nose. I agree with green tea aroma suggestion. The mouth feel is soft and cleansing. I prefer a less acidic pinot, but this has a place on every table.

2009 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Reserve $50/$40/$44Smelled a wonderful rich, dark strawberry and deep red fruit with full earth and body. I have no idea how to aptly describe this zinfandel when it is such a full fruit palate without loss of body. Wonderful. -Lisa

Blackcurrant (but no anise) dominates the flavors on the palate in such an appealing way that you don’t want to set down the glass to eat anything! (or take notes!) The nose sucks you in with the complex blend of dark black fruits. The body is heavier than any zin they’ve produced in recent memory and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Mill Creek

Why do we stop at Mill Creek…? Let me count the ways… Mill Creek has a quaint little tasting room set back from the main road. With a water wheel at the side, the tasting room has a cathedral ceiling to accommodate a loft above the long tasting bar. The TRL rating notwithstanding, the value we’ve found in their wines over the years has been great! In past reviews, you may recall that I’ve felt they’ve had a bit of inferiority complex, being so close to Twomey as they are. The boon is to the consumer, however, because the wines are REALLY good at a GREAT price!

This was an interesting stop, this year, because it’s growing in popularity with the neophytes that seep up from The Bay. It’s close to Armida, who is WILDLY popular, so spillage is bound to occur. We managed to slip in and begin tasting before the flood, but it was short-lived. Two, maybe three tastings in and the patients were loose in the asylum. For whatever reason, though, I was being patient, patient, patient…and it paid off. We had been there almost an hour, still “slogging” through the offerings, when we were invited upstairs to the loft (reserved for club members, of which we are not). This is where the fun really began and a whole new dimension of Mill Creek was revealed to us.

When this is all said and done, you’ll notice a couple of things: 1) our value ratings were pretty close to retail prices; 2) we bought a lot of the wine. It’s important to note that there were other discounts being offered, and with the rapport that we developed with the staff, they were exuberantly offering more!

2009 Sauvignon Blanc $19/-/-Notes of pink grapefruit. Dry and slightly acidic

2009 GewurstraminerCalifornians are trying to make a name for themselves with Gewurstraminer, so they’re doing what’s not usually done with the grape; they’re making it dry. This is one of those dry gewürztraminers with plenty of citrus fruit flavor. It has a smooth, simple, good palate with notes of lychee and honeysuckle… yes, I said lychee.

2007 Chardonnay Reserve $32/-/-This chard was aged in French oak for 9 months. It has a soft nose that is not inviting but very unimposing. It displays an unusual integration of flavors of melon, citrus, and slight butteriness (I know, it’s not a word; deal with it). It’s a wine that goes down nicely but makes me think about it.

2009 Zinfandel $30/-/$34The obvious youth of this zinfandel should discount most less favorable comments that I might offer. For example, it’s very light bodied, in a way that reminds me of a smoky pinot, but is still fruit forward, with strawberry and boysenberry on the palate. -Lisa

The nose hasn’t developed yet, but it hints at the some floral qualities that will be interesting once it has developed as a wine. The red fruit qualities are dominant and quite appealing. The anise, characteristic of Dry Creek Valley, doesn’t present itself. As zinfandels go, there’s no spice, just bright fruit deliciousness. I liked this wine and would buy a bottle or two in the future, but it didn’t compel me to buy futures.

2006 Zinfandel $26/-/$32This zin had much more spice on the nose. The anise appeared alongside the red fruit in this vintage. A nice wine... better than the 2009.

2006 Syrah Estate Corner Pocket Vineyard $33/-/$32

There’s a bit of toast on the palate which smoothes out the dark fruit and spice in this wine. Not sure of the spice I get on the nose, but feel it’s well integrated on the palate.
Deep dark blackberry, raspberry, black currant and mild smoke. Without the earthiness of a typical syrah, this is a delicious wine!!

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma county -/$30/$34By now, you should know that we’ve been invited up to the loft, away from the clamor and cacophony of the neophytes below. This will prove fortuitous when one of them breaks a bottle of white wine vinaigrette whose aroma permeates the building, making it nearly impossible to smell/taste anything.
This is a club member only wine, so no retail price was provided. Again, it’s very young (especially for a Cabernet Sauvignon), so the nose is a bit undeveloped. It did have slight floral notes with the slightest hint of mint/eucalyptus. 90% Cab/10% Merlot. Smooth with mild tannins and modest-to-no complexity. It had an unusual sting /tingle in the back of my throat/mouth that may be associated with the fermentation process that it’s still undergoing.

2004 Reserve Merlot $32/-/$45
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ah, yes, the merlot for which we are most fond! Soak in the warm nose of baked cherries with tannins that are perfectly balanced with the fruit. This is a fantastic Merlot! There’s a spicy red fruit that I’ll have to look up, but the mystery only enhances the allure of the wine.

2006 Wine Club Blend -/-/$30Since we were in the “clubbers” loft, we were introduced to one of the perks of membership. A number of years ago, they brought their club members together to offer them an opportunity to blend their own wine. I’ve seen other wineries do this, but have never participated. The product of this event, however, will be bottled and sold under the Mill Creek label and the club member’s special designation. This is a fun, fun thing to do if you have aspirations in the wine industry.
This is a blend that is really interesting. The spice on the palate brings blood to the senses. 28% Merlot/50% syrah/22% Zin. They let us taste this, but it wasn’t being released, yet, so no pricing was available. With a little more maturity and bottle aging, this will be worth upwards of $30 per bottle.

2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley $44/-/$45This cab originates from a 10 acre Vineyard in Alexander Valley used for the Reflections blend. It has a warm nose and smooth palate. The nose increases in complexity as time passes. It has a soft quality to it that is quite beguiling. The palate is smooth but would still stand up to a very mildly smoked porterhouse with white pepper. (not sharp, very smooth).

2009 Reflections Bordeaux blendThis is what Clos du Bois’ Marlstone has always wanted to be. The nose has bright red fruit with notes of raspberry, strawberry, cherry, and red currant. The tannins are smooth and almost subtle. The current blend is Cab/Merlot. The palate follows well, with little or no surprises…perhaps some mild white pepper. Even as young as it is, I’m going to implore my club member friends (whom I introducted (my new word) to Mill Creek) to acquire some for me.

The Final Take : 21 bottles, totaling $493.20 to include2005 Mill Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
2007 Mill Creek Vineyards Left of Starboard Zinfandel
2004 Mill Creek Vineyards Merlot Estate
2004 Mill Creek Vineyards Merlot Reserve
2006 Mill Creek Vineyards Syrah Estate Corner Pocket Vineyard

Fritz

Predictably, our first stop of the year was at Fritz. It was the Friday of the second weekend and my wires were crossed...they weren't tasting from the barrel that day, "but if I came back tomorrow..."

I was characteristically noncommittal because I knew that, as a club member, I'd have my chance at a good deal on their new wines. (Not as good as the futures price, but you win some and you lose some...)

We had to stop, if for no other reason, to pick up our futures from last year. It had been a good selection last year, with a purchase of a half case of each of their offerings. Unfortunately, they chose to barrel age the Zinfandel just a little longer. No worries, though, the Cab was good to go without a word to say! Ahhh, but if that were the end of the story, there'd be little reason to go on, now would there!

2009 Sauvignon Blanc
I've been a big fan of these Sau Blancs over the years and this one doesn't disappoint as much as it surprises. It has intense flavor on the nose, fully integrated, indistinguishable, but undiluted. Having said that, the huge acidity over the palate almost took me aback. As Sau Blancs go, I prefer a creamier mouthfeel, but I'm not averse to a crisp finish. This one, however, was so crisp it could have shaved your tongue off! All kidding aside, the shortcoming of this wine is that the acidity completely masks the flavors on the nose. If you buy this wine, lay it down for a while and if you do serve it, pair it with some oily/buttery fish or chicken.

2009 Jenner Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
So, Jenner is a new label of Fritz's and I was curious how it would stand up to their estate chardonnays. This wine lures you in with hints of lime on the nose... and then it EATS YOUR FACE with explosive tartness (lemon lime) on the palate! I can't remember anything like this in recent memory. If you really enjoy Italian Pinot Gris, then this will be your chalice of choice. For half the price, though, buy a Pinot Gris.

2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Now, on to their estate grown chardonnay... This wine had mild citrus on the nose, and with trepidation, I sipped it anyway (still re-arranging my face from the last wine). The palate followed with more intensity than the nose, but not so much that it frightened you off Chards for good. It was fresh and crisp; it's a nice wine, but not what I want in a chardonnay, these days (I miss the buttery chards of old). I wouldn't tell you to not buy this wine; it certainly satisfies a demographic.

2009 Jenner Pinot Noir: $25/$20/$28Back to Jenner, the new label... This wine has a mild red fruit on the nose, with slight hints of herbs. It was a very appealing nose, if I'm honest. The fruit and herbs are spicy on the palate with quite a bit of acidity. It could settle (be laid down) for another year.
Lisa's notes: Huge herbs (say that three times real fast), but does not overpower the fruits on the nose. The palate is easy and drink now, but will improve in the next year. My guiltless price is $38.

2008 Lost Canyon Pinot Noir Saralee’s VineyardThis wine has rich, red fruits on the nose. A dried red fruit flavor appears on the palate with modest spice and acidity. We still have a few bottles of this from our futures purchase last year. It’s showing better here than when I served it with salmon last weekend. What did I do wrong? Well, for one, I served it with salmon. You really want something biased toward herbaceous than fruit when pairing with salmon.

2007 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley: $25/$20/$22This was mild and muted on the nose. It’s light-bodied with spicy, fruit flavors.

2008 Zinfandel Dry Creek ValleyMedium-to-light-bodied Zin with much more flavor. More than modest amount of anise, red currant, and a flavor I can’t identify. If you subscribe to the "wine has an ethnicity" philosophy, then this one has the Nose of Dry Creek Valley (much like the Italian noses of New Jersey).

2008 VinoValpredo Squeezebox Red: $20/$16/$3050% Zinfandel/35% Cabernet Sauvignon/15% Syrah
This wine exudes a lightly flowery nose with hints of a dark red fruit. It's medium-bodied with subtle tannins from the cabernet. A splash of petite sirah would really liven it up. It's a perfectly enjoyable wine that I classify as an over-achiever at its market price.

2007 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: $35/$28/$35What a full-bodied cab, with great flavor! The mild anise confuses the tannins a little, but that's the ethnicity of a Dry Creek Valley wine, even the cabs.
Lisa's Notes: I'm not sure this will mature to anything more complex or full. The last of the glass demonstrated a little light for a cab, but it is a great drink now for an inexpensive cabernet that would nicely complement a regular sirloin (no real spice). This could not stand up to a spicy or well smoked steak.

2007 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: $50/$40/$45This is what I call my "big dog" of Fritz's cabs. It's an extremely smooth, very drinkable Cab with lots of big red fruits. It has very little tannins, or acidity so it won’t hold up to much red meat, but for a cab out of northern California at this price, it's a good deal.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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…

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

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