Sausal

TRL/Staff/Wine: 7/7/6

We tried to go to Sausal some years ago during barrel tasting and it was a ZOO.  And this place isn't big enough to be a zoo. We decided to come back and give it a fair shot...and we did. The bottom line is that the wines had some merit, but not at the price point they were selling them at.

2008 Sangiovese Alexander Valley $20/$16/$-

Warm and toasty nose, with lots of spice. Fairly simple sangio, even for a California sangio. Bright acidity with soft tannins on the finish. Mild strawberry with a little vanilla note.

2009 Harvest Selection Zinfandel $35/$28/$-

Spicy, dry nose. Raspberry, vanilla, spices, with modest acidity

2009 Family Zinfandel $19/$/$-

55 year old vines.  First vines planted after it was started as Sausal. Another spicy zin, but with a smoother, fuller mouthfeel. Mild baking spices on the nose.

2008 Century Vines Zinfandel $40/$/$-

The nose is muted, which is very different from the previous wines. The palate explodes with spices, blackberry, raspberry. If you enjoy spicy, light-bodied zins then this is your wine.

2008 Private Reserve Zinfandel $24/$20/$20

95 year-old vines. $12/$bottle by the case, right now.

Real fruit on the nose, mild  vanilla and layers of cherry. The baked cherry pie is a nice delicate flavor across your palate.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon $35/$28/$-

Mild soft nose, with cassis and blackberry notes. The palate follows.  As a medium body cab, I yearn for something, but I can’t put my finger on it.

2008 Purrfect Petite  $15/$12/$15

Aromas of nutmeg, vanilla, and black fruits. It has a soft nose, but not as engaging as you might expect. This has a nice, smooth mouthfeel with a mildly velvety finish.

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.}

Martinelli

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/8/7

They’ve remodeled the TRL since we’ve been here last, and it’s quite beautiful. It’s much more focused on the tasting experience than before. I gave the wine a 7, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it seemed consistently over-priced. Seriously, if Sonoma wineries are going to claim that they are "Napa on a budget", then they should darn well act like it.

These grapes are typically grown in higher elevations, made unfiltered and unfined, with full malolactic fermentation. Their wines us the wild yeast off the skins for fermentation. In yet another way of making wines in the old style, they do not cold-stabilize.

2008 Charles Ranch Chardonnay $48/$/$33

Creamy, warm nose. Very oaky palate w/ melon and butter. Mild smokiness.

2007  Martinelli Road Chardonnay $48/$/$30

Grown in Russian River Valley. Very mineral palate with some creamy smooth mouthfeel. This is an enjoyable, but an anachronistic chardonnay. It’s light-bodied as focused on terroir as I’ve seen in a California chordonnay. It has hints of hazelnut that I’m not a fan of, but that’s just me.

2010 “Bella Vigna” Pinot Noir $40/$/$35

Mild spicy nose with mild body and thin strawberry, raspberry, and cinnamon.

2009 Moonshine Ranch Pinot Noir $60/$/$58

Grown in an alluvial soil with a shall clay layer. 

Rich, fleshy, full-bodied with perfect berry blend.  Tea and tobacco doesn’t hide from you on the palate. This is a wonderfully unique Pinot Noir. I broke my rule for this wine, but I don't feel too bad about paying more for it than my guilt-free price...it's close enough.

2008 Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir $60/$/$50

Black cherry cola on the nose. The palate surprises with cherry liquorice. This is another enjoyable wine with a long finish.

2008 Terra Felice Syrah $45/$/$34

This is not your earthy syrah, it’s all about the blackberry, plum, and mild tobacco, mostly on the palate, but somewhat on the nose, as well. This finish lasts forever.

2006 Lolita Ranch Syrah $75/$/$36

This is your meaty, more earthy syrah, when you stick your nose in it.  Grown at a really high elevation at a single vineyard.  There’s a note of ginger on the nose. The palate reverts to the blackberry and raspberry with some tobacco.

2008 Vigneto di Evo zinfandel $30/$/$25

Light-body zin with .5% residual sugar, that has notes of raspberry, cola, and figs. THIS wine you could actually call sweet...not that you would, really.

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.

Gary Farrell Winery

TRL/Staff/Wine: 9/7/7

It's still a beautiful setting and they've expanded their business model to include reserved tastings/lunches on the veranda or by the fireplace. Their staff is wine literate, but nothing special. I still, after all of these years, find their wines to be substandard and over-priced.

2008 Chardonnay Westside Farms/Russian River Valley  $38/$/$36

Slightly grassy nose, but definitely a crisp, lemony palate. Lime, vanilla with a nice acidity.

2008 Chardonnay Starr Ridge Vineyard Russian River Valley $40/$/$36

Orange citrus peel smell. The body has a nice medium-full mouthfeel with a lemony flaver.

2008 Pinot Noir Starr Ridge Russian River Valley $50/$/-

Nose is really muted. If there’s anything, it’s mild red fruit on the nose.  The acidity on the palate is far too strong; it obliterates everything!

{Lisa: Nose smells like a Grenache instead of a pinot.  It’s a true strawberry with a little bit of spiciness to it. NO strawberry on the palate.  Some sharper spices which do not balance well.}

2008 Pinot Noir Hallberg Vineyard Dijon Clones Russian River Valley $60/$/$42

Bright red fruit on the nose, with aromas of dried fruit, red cherry, and (if you chase it out of the glass) hints of rhubarb. Smooth as a glass table… the finish appears out of nowhere, flashing some odd earthy spices.

2008 Pinot Noir Ramal Vineyard Carneros $55/$/$40

Black cherries and strawberry aromas. Medium-to-light bodied.  Dried red cherries and plums are hiding in the flavors. If you want a good Carneros wine, this is fair, otherwise find Carneros on the map and drive there. The finish leaves some kind of film on your palate.

Lynmar Estates

TRL/Staff/Wine: 10/9/8

The offerings here are mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. They produce 6,000 cases per year, which I was intrigued by. This is a spectacular venue, I can't imagine how they're profit margins can afford it.  Some of their business diversity includes picnics and tastings, and other conference type accommodations. The tasting fee is $15 and I'm finding that the market economy has driven more and more wineries in Sonoma County to this model, where it was once prolifically gratis.

We were tempted to join the wine club here, but they deliver six bottles, four times a year, worth about $350 ea.  That was a little rich for my taste, today.

2010 Laguna Ridge Chardonnay $20/$17/$25

30% new French/70% neutral oak; partial malolactic fermentation.

Creamy, buttery nose, but a clean, light-body chard. A good balance between melon (honeydew) and lemon.

2009 Russian River Valley Chardonnay $30/$25/$32

10% new oak; full malolactic fermentation

Brighter lemon, but not tart. Wonderfully enjoyable wine!

2008 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $40/$34/$42

A little tobacco, cocoa, and cherry/raspberry on the nose. Red fruit, chocolate, and spice on the finish.  

{Lisa: delicious spice that does not overwhelm the palate in the least, just washes over.  I get mostly chocolate and allspice on the nose – interesting combination.}

2009 Freestone Cuvee Pinot Noir $50/$43/$35

Nice, soft spice nose consistent with the cool, coastal climate. (Hawk Hill and Zephyr Farms).  It’s light-bodied with very little fruit on the palate. The finish is where the flavor appears, with real cinnamon and mild baking spice.  {Lisa: The nose is fabulous as I’m able to draw a rich Washington apple flavor in the middle of all the baking spices.  The palate washes over too quickly and you briefly wonder if you tasted anything but water, until the after flavor settles and the nose you had in the beginning is rewarded.}

2008 Hawk Hill Pinot Noir $70/$60/$45

Based upon the nose alone, the Zephyr Farms ruined the last wine. The Hawk Hill nose is AMAZING!  The baked spice on the nose is so engaging. The body is light w/ thin red fruits. The spice is subdued on the palate, but it’s an enjoyable experience.

Red Car Wine Co.

TRL/Staff/Wine 8/9/8

The wines made here are predominantly from Sonoma Coast vineyards. The Freestone AVA is the coolest climate and both their pinot noirs and their chardonnays are grown here.  The tasting fee $15 per person; waived for wine purchases over $50 per person. They also make a cool climate style of syrahs, and are one of the rare few wineries that use a gravity-fed bottling process. For those who don't know, this is a process that is much gentler on the wines and minimizes bottle shock recovery time.

There was no question that the woman pouring for us was intimately familiar with her product. She discussed  some of the successes/failures they've had in past years, the details of how their Fort Ross vineyard was structured, and was eager to introduce us to one that wasn't on the menu. You will undoubtedly get the level of attention and interest from this staff.

2010 Trolley Chardonnay $38//-

This is a very lemony chardonnay. It has a nice cool nose, with hints of an astringent white fruit (lemon). Crisp, but not a complete palate cleanser.

2010 Trolley Pinot Noir $45//$35

This showed with mild spice on the nose with a hint of forest floor. The fruit is subtle and dried, but well integrated with the spices.  Medium-bodied, but typical of a good Pinot Noir.

2010 Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir $65//$40

Slightly milder-bodied; the coastal spices are starting to introduce themselves, along with their dance partner cherry. The spices lead, but you don’t know it until the music starts. The nose isn’t flashy, but the palate intrigues. {Lisa: If you “hamster it”, let it warm up in your cheeks before you taste it, it’s sooo flavorful!}

2010 Red Car Estate Pinot Noir Fort-Ross Seaview $65//$40

This is their first vintage of their estate Pinot Noir.  It has a bright nose and palate. In this dance, the cherrys, mild raspberries, and hints of pomegranate lead. This wine would benefit from some time in the cellar. 

2008 Trolley Syrah $38//$38

Earthy nose, with blackberry highlights. Mild tannins. A very cool-drinking syrah. The pepper appears on the finish to remind you that you’re drinking a syrah.

2008 Twenty-two Syrah $50//$38

Cote’ Rhone style with 1% Viognier and 1% Roussane

No pepper. This is a smooth palate, smooth finish syrah, where the floral nose and mild black plum are dominant. You wouldn’t expect this syrah to have been in new oak because the tannins are muted.  It’s a nice syrah…