The Chardonnay that Leverages the Chalk Hill AVA and Estate

The Chalk Hill Estate Winery benefits from tremendous name recognition based on the winery's outstanding reputation but also from the surrounding Chalk Hill AVA. This appellation, one of thirteen in Sonoma County, is located between the cooler Russian River appellation to the west and the warmer Alexander Valley to the northeast. The Chalk Hill AVA is slightly higher with lower soil fertility with the top soil a "distinctive layer of chalk-colored volcanic ash which inspired the name of Chalk Hill, the appellation, and the estate". Within both the AVA and Estate reside several microclimates with the lower cooler sites more suited for Chardonnay used in the Chalk Hill Estate 2016 Chardonnay ($42). The vines were planted using Vertical Viticulture techniques where the rows were planted to follow the rise of the terrain. Cover crops prevent erosion and the layout allows breezes and sun exposure which translates to acidity and ripeness. The grapes were fermented using native yeasts with frequent lees stirring and aged eleven months in 100% French oak. The result is a very balanced wine with depth and texture from stirring and noticeable butter and spices from the oak treatment. Yet, neither overwhelms the fresh fruit flavor of the Chardonnay and refreshing acidity that boosts the finish. A classic Chardonnay.

The Chalk Hill 2016 Sonoma Red Wine

The Chalk Hill Winery 2016 Sonoma County Red ($24.99) is a friendly wine as our group quickly and easily disposed its contents not long after uncorking. Expect a rich and smooth dark fruit sensation mingling with spices and vanilla, before finishing with a velvety and lingering tail. It is a Bordeaux-ish blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Malbec, 3% Zinfandel, and 2% Merlot. Whereas the Chalk Hill brand is normally characterized by estate fruit, this wine is derived from grapes sourced from a combination of Chalk Hill estate and Foley Family vineyards dispersed throughout Sonoma County. [Foley Family is the parent company to Chalk Hill Winery.]   According to the tasting notes, the Chalk Hill AVA fruit provides richness, concentration, and nuttiness, whereas the Sonoma County fruit provides fruit forward nuances. These grapes are barrel fermented in French and American oak (20% new) then aged in additional 12 months in barrel. The result is a delicious wine.

Farmhouse Wines and Green Spring Farm - "Beyond Sustainable" Farming

We grow by the motto “50% for humans, 50% for nature,” maintaining an important balance between the vines grown for humans and crops grown for soil improvement, Bob Cannard & Fred Cline --Green String Farm

This method of “beyond sustainable” farming, was developed by Bobby Cannard and Fred Cline of Cline Family Cellars and is now known as the Green String method of sustainable farming.  Their laboratory, Green String Farm, is located in Sonoma - specifically in Petaluma - and "serves to teach students how to improve the biology of the lands that they steward while growing naturally healthy food".  This method includes natural remedies for pest management, fertilization, and weeding among others. For instance they use over 1500 sheep and 500 goats to remove harmful weeds from their vineyards.  They also use native root stocks which can be dry farmed (no irrigation) and friendly insects are introduced to control harmful insects.

Farmhouse Wines is the brand name for the wine produced at Green String Farm and it takes its name from the school house located on the property. The portfolio is currently comprised of two unique blends each featuring up to six grape varieties and priced reasonably at $15. Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos is a 30 year veteran of Sonoma wine making and encourages the grapes to tell their story without the over use of oak treatments.

Farmhouse White ($15)
This is an interesting blend of 41% Palomino, 25% Muscat Canelli, 22% Roussanne, 6% Marsanne, 5% Viognier, and 1% Riesling - with Palomino better known as the Spanish grape used in Sherry.  The juice was cold-fermented in stainless steel tanks without malolactic fermentation which presents a fruit forward, clean wine expressing melon, citrus, and tropical notes and a long coated fresh finish. This wine is dangerous, the bottle is empty before one realizes how much was consumed. 

Farmhouse Red ($15)
This wine is comprised of handpicked 39% Merlot (39%) , Syrah (21%),  Zinfandel (20%),  Grenache (9%), Petite Sirah (7%) , and Mourvèdre (3%) . The fermented wine comes from a combination of both free run and pressed juice that is aged in 40% new French oak for one year.  The result of this process is an easy drinking medium bodied wine with plenty of fruit accompanied by texture and black pepper and a very bright finish.

A Pair of Iconic Cab Producers and a Sonoma linked Champagne

2012 Alexander Valley Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (750ml $72; 1.5l $199)
Jordan Vineyard & Winery has been an iconic producer of Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon since practically its first release in 1976.  Their estate is located in the Alexander Valley AVA - just north of Healdsburg - which is the largest wine region in the county. The AVAs boundaries have changed slightly over the years but the the original border extended from the banks of the Russian River eastward to the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains and is sheltered by the moderating influences of the Pacific.  This means the day times are dry and hot whereas the colder night temperatures create a large diurnal temperature swing leading to slowly maturing grapes and intense acids. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon contains 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot; and 2% Malbec from the Jordan estate and an allotment from 16 family growers. The fermented wine undergoes a year of oak treatment in various vessels and toast before final release. Winemaker Rob Davis considers 2012 "a phenomenal growing season" and this is exhibited in the wine, even a few years after its initial release. The wine is still considerably fresh with solid black fruit, a creamy mid-section, and a long soft landing. This wine is phenomenal on its own and will still pierce through any red meat.

Jordan Cuvée ($49)
Since its inception, Jordan Vineyard & Winery has offered visitors sparkling wine, initially true Champagne, but later sparkling wine from sister winery J Vineyards & Winery.  After J Vineyards became part of the Gallo empire, Jordan returned to the past and established a relationship with Champagne AR Lenoble in France as bother wineries share a "joint commitment to independent ownership, wines of balance and quality without compromise". In fact there are no financial investments or legal contracts -- the two wineries are independently aligned through mutual respect and friendship. This respect is born from AR Lenoble’s focus on quality by limiting yields in the vineyards, using exclusively first-press juice, and blending more reserve wine in its non-vintage bottling.  This holds true for the Jordan Cuvée which is a 2012 baseline blend of 30% Grand Cru Chardonnay; 35% 1st Cru Pinot Noir, and 35% Pinot Meunier using only first-press juice and 35% reserve wines. The wine is then aged 4 years on the lees with 18% aged in oak barrels and then aged in bottle for a year. And the sparkling wine is fantastic, starting a little bready but then transitioning to a creamy, racy citrus finale that persists long after the bubbles.  

2014 Concannon Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($20)
Another iconic and even more historic producer of California Cabernet is the Livermore Valley's Concannon Vineyard. The winery is "America's oldest, ongoing winery under the same family label and stewardship" and more importantly the source of approximately 80% of California Cabernet Sauvignon through three cones of a single vine imported from famed Château Margaux.  And this Mother Vine is located at the beginning of a row near the auxiliary house not far from the winery's main tasting room. Besides their Livermore estate, Concannon produces wine from other appellations such as Paso Robles, an area making a statement with Cabernet through the Paso Robles CAB Collective. The affordable wine is made in part from the Concannon clones and is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5% Petite Verdot, and 6.5% Petite Sirah. This is a bold wine, yet restrained; dense, but flows effortlessly throughout the palate. Dark fruit mingle with spices and chocolate before finishing with a silky and smooth. A bargain at this price.

#FCWinterWines with Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery

This time of year wineries across the country market selected seasonal wines ready to be uncorked for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last week Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery participated in this trend by hosting a #FCWinterWines Twitter tasting.  Executive Winemaker Sarah Quider lead this event  focusing on three wines they feel fit into this category.A little about Ferrari-Carano first. Don and Rhonda Carano started the winery in 1981 with the initial release in 1987 with a Fumé Blanc and an Alexander Valley Chardonnay. Both Quider and Steve Domenichelli, Director of Vineyard Operations, have worked for the winery for over 25 years which speaks for itself. From those first two wines, the winery now produces dozens of wines sourced from 24 vineyards located in five different appellations.


2012 Ferrari-Carano Reserve Chardonnay Napa Valley Carneros ($38) - produced from Wente clones grown primarily from their Carneros vineyard. The wine is heavily oaked, from primary fermentation, to malolactic fermentation, and aging sur lie (on lees) for eight months.  The individual casks are then blended together and the wine is aged an additional five months in neutral French oak. Thus, this is one oaked wine where the spice and malo creaminess are dominant. Initially the Chardonnay flavor gets lost among the oak, but resurfaces near the finish as the acids transport the flavor forward. There is plenty going on within this wine; maybe too much. The winery suggests pairing with shellfish, poultry and richer foods that "enhance this fuller bodied and deliciously creamy wine".

2013 Ferrari-Carano Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($36) - produced from three ranches in Anderson Valley and processed in a FC owned facility dedicated to solely to Pinot Noir. Why Anderson Valley? Quider mentioned that this region provides more tannins and denser fruit than in Russian River Valley- thus a bigger wine. After primary fermentation, using multiple yeast strains, the blended wine is treated 10 months in new and neutral French oak barrels. The result is an excellent wine starting with the dusty tobacco nose and moving to the creamy red cherry-currant center. The wine finishes rather long, with light tannins and some baking spice. This is a wine well worth sipping on its own, but the winery suggest "salmon, fowl and meat entrees such as beef bourguignon or rack of lamb".

2012 Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Trésor ($52) - five grape Bordeaux blend (71% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Malbec, 7% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc) harvested from the best lots in the winery's Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys vineyards. After primary and malo fermenting the wine is aged 21 months in various types of French Oak. And the wine stands tall with this oak treatment as the dark fruit is prevalent on the nose and in the palate. There's also plenty of chewy tannins that linger with the acids. Another fabulous wine. If only I could afford it more often.CF suggests that the "Trésor complements lamb, beef and duck dishes that are roasted or braised. Try Trésor with strong-flavored cheeses such as Gorgonzola and sharp Cheddar". I'm thinking brisket.

Another Unique #WineStudio Featured Rosé: Y. Rousseau 2014 Rosé of Tannat

"I don’t follow trend, I make wine of conviction. I make wine I want to enjoy myself." ~ Yannick Rousseau

The final Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series features Yannick Rousseau and his "one of a kind" Rosé of Tannat. Yannick was born in the Gascony region of South-West France and was introduced to wine making at an early age from his grandfather's homemade wine. As an adult he worked at various French wineries before relocating to Napa Valley in 1999 where he interned for Newton Vineyard and consulted at VGS Chateau Potelle Winery. In 2007 he set out to create his own brand, focusing on varietals from his native South-West France; first  with Colombard and then Tannat. Whereas Y. Rousseau Wines base of operation is in Napa, for this rosé he sourced fruit from Saralee’s Vineyard in Sonoma's Russian River Valley. During the tasting, Rousseau mentioned that producing a rosé using Tannat is very challenging - particularly with such a bold, dark grape. He also said his approach with Tannat is different from those produced in Madiran.  He wants his Tannats to be enjoyed early but also to age well.


Y. Rousseau, 2014 Rosé of Tannat Russian River Valley, Sonoma County ($24, 13.5%) - 100% Tannat from Saralee’s Vineyard – Matthew's Station; 75% pressed, 25% saignée; fermented in stainless steel; aged for 5 months on the lees with no stirring. The wine starts with a watermelon aroma moving towards strawberries on the elevated palate, finishes dry and acidic.

#WineStudio Rosé: 2014 Donelan Rosé Sonoma County Syrah / Grenache / Pinot Noir

The third week of the Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series features more Sonoma County rosé, this time from Donelan Family Wines in the 2014 Rosé Sonoma County Syrah / Grenache / Pinot Noir ($25, 13.3%). Now, we all enjoy a nice GSM wine, but a GSP? This shall be interesting.

But first, Donelan winemaker Joe Nielson answered our questions regarding the wine's production. It is made using the Saignee method, where the grapes are loaded into tanks and juice is pulled after short skin contact of 1 hr to 24 hrs. The extracted juice represents 5% to 20% of total volume as it serves a dual purpose of making the red wine, from the remaining juice, more concentrated and allowing for the production of a second wine - a rosé. The exact percentages in the blend is 55% Syrah, 29% Grenache and 16% Pinot Noir, with all juice fermented in neutral oak - similar to fermenting Chardonnay. Nielson believes prefers neutral oak over concrete/stainless steel because "it helps with micro-ox which keeps #rhone wine from stinkin'". The grapes were harvested across multiple Sonoma County vineyards with the lots interestingly named #babs #direstraits #DavidLeeRoth #Prince #BonJovi  - all #terroir driven personality. The one exception to the saignee juice came from the #Prince lot from Bennett Valley, which was lightly pressed.

The result is a wine where the acids comes alive providing a clear contrast to the creamy center and tropical nose. Mango and pineapple comprise those tropical attributes; the neutral oak rounds out the finish and contributes that creamy palate. The acids are key though, helped along by the Syrah harvested from the cooler Russian River Valley Walker Vine Hill and Kobler vineyards. This is a solid wine, one to savor. Well done. Cheers.

#WineStudio Rosé with the POE 2014 Sonoma County Old Vine Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier

The Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series continued this week by featuring the POE 2014 Sonoma County Old Vine Pinot Noir / Pinot Meunier Rosé ($22, 12%). This unique winery was founded in 2009 by Samantha Sheehan, who wanted to create a wine brand that would showcase the distinct terrior of single vineyards in California. And the name comes from her affection for the famous writer and poet - as portrayed by the wine's label. The rosé is a curious blend of 66% Pinot Noir from Olcese Vineyard and 34% Pinot Meunier from Sonoma Mountain's Van der Kamp Vineyard. The two pinots were specifically selected to mimic Burgundy and Champagne with the Pinot Noir providing "nuance+depth" and the Pinot Meunier providing "fruit+form". Old Vine is appropriate since the Pinot Noir was planted in 1974 and the Pinot Meunier in 1953. She also specifically targeted the Van der Kamp vines and fortunately a few rows became available after her inquiries.

Sheehan told the #winestudio participants that the grapes were harvested early, as in Champagne, to provide bright acids and low alcohols. The grapes were slightly pressed (no saignée) and treated the fermenting juice as a white wine - with cold fermentation and no malolacatic fermentation. For me, the wine opens with raspberry that transitions to a juicy and chewy citrus flavor. Sheehan also hinted at the orange peel and orange blossom characters. The wine finishes long and acidic. Another fabulous dry rosé; give the wine a try and decipher the label. Cheers.

Time to Start Thinking About Sauvignon Blanc - Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley

As Spring hits peak bloom and Summer on the horizon it's time to start thinking of refreshing white wines and a good place to start is the signature grape of Sonoma's Dry Creek Valley: Sauvignon Blanc. This week I received samples from three wineries in this region and came away quite impressed. These were not your lemon grass kiwi style Sauvignon Blancs; instead they represented a richer and creamier Bordeaux style. The wines were presented through a #DCVSauvBlanc twitter tasting and the virtual feed featured Ed Sbragia of Sbragia Family Vineyards, Emmett Reed of Gustafson Family Vineyards, and Tim Bell of Dry Creek Vineyard. And for you foodies, the suggested pairing for the three was shellfish - oysters, crabs, scallops.

Dry Creek Vineyard was the first winery to plant Sauvignon Blanc in the valley, so it was suitable to start the tasting with their 2013 DCV3 Estate Sauvignon Blanc Dry Creek Valley ($25, 14.1%).  The winery has 16 acres of the grape planted in this estate vineyard, a small fraction of the 9,000 acres of Sauvignon Blanc that is planted in the valley. However, this small production yields a powerful wine. It starts with a citrus aroma, then a creamy mineral laced middle, and finally nice acids with a subtle spicy finish. The lift from the mid-palette was most impressive.

Next up was the Gustafson Family Vineyard 2014 Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($22, 14.1%). This wine includes a field blend of 20% Sauvignon Musque, a Sauvignon Blanc clone with more aromatic qualities. The floral and white fruit aromas are prevalent. The Gustafson estate is the highest of the three at 1800 feet consisting of rocky, red volcanic soil. The wine starts with a white fruit and spicy aroma, more spice and cream on palette, nice acids on the finish. This is not your typical Sauvignon Blanc, perhaps the most complex of the trio. 

We finished with the Sbragia Family Vineyards 2014 Home Ranch Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc ($22). Home Ranch is located on the east side of Dry Creek Valley and has been farmed by the Sbragia family for decades. The father\son winemaking team of Ed and Adam Sbragia, with Ed the former winemaker and current consultant at Beringer Vineyards. The Home Ranch vineyard is a cooler site, close to the ocean which attracts the heat. Thus expect higher acidity and this wine finishes with acids galore. It starts with a strong lemon-honeysuckle aroma, followed by a slightly creamy middle.  And the tail stays around for an extended period.

Wishing We Were Headed to Sonoma Wine Country Weekend 2011

Its been a couple years since our last venture to California wine country and reading about the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend (September 2 - 4, 2011) really gets the juices flowing for another trip. Just think about it, wineries from Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Dry Creek Valley all at 32nd Annual Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch on the 3rd. Then there's several Winemaker lunches, BBQs, and dinners. Ticket prices vary, but if you are a Visa Signature card holder, you can receive steep discounts on all tickets. Plus these card holders can participate in special Visa Signature Tours. Maybe a trip West, maybe....

California Wine Tour Day 4 - Sonoma County

We had an early afternoon appointment at Ridge Vineyards - Lytton Springs so we headed north on State Road 128 crossing back into Sonoma County and traveling through some of the nicest countryside we had seen: the Knight and Alexander Valleys. Don’t miss this drive – its one of the best in the area. We arrived and were greeted by David Gates, the winery’s vineyard manager since 1989. Most of Ridge’s operation is located in Cupertino – near San Jose – but in the early 1990’s they purchased the Lytton Springs vineyards after purchasing its zinfandel since 1972. They eventually built a tasting room to take advantage of Sonoma tourism. Today the vineyard contains primarily Zinfandel with smaller amounts of Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mataro – which we learned is an alias for Mourvèdre, and Grenache.

Ridge Vineyards is also included in the Paul Lukacs book, "The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages", for its Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine also participated in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting and for the 30th Anniversary of the event, it was select tops overall from a panel of American and British officials. Obviously it ages well. Unfortunately the winery was not pouring this wine, no need to waste a wine with a $175 price tag. Mr. Gates also explained that many wines are not poured in tasting rooms because not only do wineries lose by not gaining the income from wine poured for free, but that they also have to pay taxes to the federal government for each bottled wine – regardless whether the bottle is sold or poured at the tasting room. That is one reason that has increased the use and price in tasting fees as wineries attempt to recoup the taxes paid to Uncle Sam.

While reviewing their tasting sheet the immediate benefit that we noticed was that the tasting offered a good sample of wines from various California appellations as single site wines. Besides Lytton Springs and the Monte Bello Vineyard in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ridge owns vineyards in Geyersville, Paso Robles, Pagani Ranch (Sonoma Valley), and York Creek (Spring Mountain – Napa County). We started with the 2006 Chardonnay Mikulaco – from grapes grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We really like this wine – Chardonnay flavors throughout – and one of the most affordable at $25. The next was also a Santa Cruz Mountains wine, the 2005 Estate Cab – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This is another wine they recommend aging – but after already aged 21 months in American Oak – it’s ready now. It has a strong fruit flavor and a smooth finish for a wine aged that long in oak. We moved next to several Zinfandel wines, starting with the 2005 Lytton Springs, a blend of Zinfandel (77%), Petite Sirah (17%), and Carignane (6%). This composition of grapes has become somewhat of an industry standard for Zinfandel based wines and for good reason. The blend produces excellent wines and the Lytton Springs is no exception. At the same time this wine is full bodied, yet fruity and smooth. At $35, we wish it would only fit our daily budget. The same could be said for their 2006 Geyserville a similar blend with only different percentages of the same grapes, plus a little Mataro. The wine spends 14 month in the barrel and feels a little stronger than the Lytton Springs. Still, it’s very smooth. The 2006 Zinfandel Paso Robles is a 100% varietal that is aged 13 months in the barrel. The wine is slightly spicier than its brethren, but possesses a strong cherry flavor. Another 100% varietal was the 2006 Carignane Buchignani Ranch. This is the first 100% Carignane that we have tasted and we were immediately impressed and at $24 this wine is more affordable than the Zinfandel. Its fruity and young – let it sit awhile after opening. The final wine we tasted was the 2005 Syrah Lytton West - a red wine that includes 6% Viognier. The Syrah was aged 21 months so it’s a strong wine – I guess the Viognier adds to the aroma and maybe contributes to the spicy finish. This wine is very drinkable now – and would love to pair with food.

After our tasting, David took us on a vineyard tour where he showed us the various zinfandel and petite sirah plantings. That day he was also overseeing new plantings of vines in another part of the vineyard, which he had to return to. In parting he suggested that we visit Bella Vineyard’s wine cave so off we went.

While driving to Bella Vineyards we got our first look at Dry Creek Valley and its narrow roads, hilly terrain, and vineyards throughout. A great area to bike. We knew nothing about our destination, except for oral directions. Afterward we learned that during the 1990s, Scott and Lynn Adams toured the wine country frequently, got married in the area, and eventually, partnering with family members, purchased the current estate in 1999. The couple quickly began immersed themselves in vineyard management and wine making and after almost 5 years – the winery was operational. The tasting room resides in a cave, excavated in 2003, carved into one of the rolling hills on the estate.

When we arrived we found a very popular winery – perhaps the most crowded tasting room to date - and several interesting red wines. It finally dawned on us that white wines were definitely in short supply in Sonoma County and Bella was not alone in producing only red wines. We first tried the 2006 Dry Creek Zinfandel; a wine with black cherry flavors. We experienced firsthand how the same grapes grown in different vineyards helps create dissimilar wines. For the next wine was the estate vineyard’s 2006 Lily Hill Zinfandel from 90 year old vines located above the cave. This wine tasted of blackberries, was more fruit forward with an especially smooth finish. This was our favorite of the day – we could have easily sat on the hillside, or in the cave, and finished off one of these bottles. While the first two wines were fruit forward, the second two were earthier. The 2006 Sonoma County Syrah is produced from grapes from the Lily Hill estate and Sonoma Coast vineyards. It had the most distinct nose of all the wines with a strong full bodied flavor and spicy finish. The 2006 Lily Hill Petite Sirah had more of a plum flavor with a peppery finish. It was nice to be able to taste another 100% Petite Sirah since Foppiano Vineyards and we will be searching for this varietal back east. The final wine was the 2007 Late Harvest Zinfandel. This was our second dessert wine on the trip – we figured that late harvest wines are scarce since the grapes were just too valuable to let sit on the vines. This one had a cherry flavor, and was sweet – not gritty, just sweet. Maybe this sweetness was our perception from just drinking several dry full bodied reds – we are not sure. In any case – this is a winery to visit. And in the meantime, search for their 2006 Lily Hill Zinfandel.

Since we enjoyed the drive through Alexander Valley, we decided to return to Napa via that route and if possible visit another winery. We had previously spotted White Oak Vineyards & Winery and its Mediterranean-style buildings and arrived just minutes before closing. The tasting room employees merrily greeted us and as we tasted the wines, we learned more about the winery’s history. After a career as a building contractor and salmon fisherman, Bill Myers relocated to Healdsburg in the 1970’s. He purchased a vineyard from proceeds from selling his fishing boat and purchased a vineyard in the Alexander Valley. Winemaking soon followed. Over time he gained a reputation for producing quality Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc. In 1997 he expanded his vineyard capability by aligning with Burdell Properties, who purchased vineyards in Napa Valley and the Russian River Valley. A little later the existing tasting room was built, surrounded by seventeen acres of Zinfandel vines first planted approximately eighty years ago.

Although we were hoping to try an Alexander Valley supplied wine, we started out our tasting with two Russian River Valley whites, their Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Finally, some white wine. The Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc is now the winery’s signature wine; it is a refreshing wine with nice acidity and citrus flavors. This is your wine for a hot afternoon. And priced at $16 well within our budget. The Chardonnay has more of an apple flavor with a slight oaky finish. This is a good wine – it should fare well alone or with a meal. The first round of reds were big wines from Napa Valley grown grapes: a Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines were all very good, but we preferred the Merlot above the others. It had a cherry-chocolate flavor and a tail that lasted through the next sip. And at $24 it is very reasonably priced – maybe the best bargain in the area. Since we were hoping to taste an Alexander Valley wine, our courteous reps poured us samples of the 2005 Estate Zinfandel and the 2004 Estate Reserve. BTW, this is a very relaxed group. They came out to play with our son and were overjoyed when a couple strolled in with their two small dogs. Getting back to wine, the Estate Zinfandel was very smooth – slightly spicy – but smooth. Although it had a full-bodied fruit flavor it was also a bit earthy; another great Zinfandel. White Oak Vineyards & Winery was a great final stop for the day. Great wines, good company, and a fountain to play in.

See the Compass Tours section at Wine-Compass.com for pictures.

California Wine Tour Day 3 - Russian River Valley

We have been fans of Foppiano Vineyards since we tasted there wines and heard their unique history at the 2007 Washington D.C. Food & Wine Festival. For Foppiano Vineyards is Sonoma County's oldest continually owned family winery, having operated since 1896. Thus, we made sure we started our day at this historical site. After emigrating from Genoa, Italy, Giovanni Foppiano failed to strike it rich mining for gold, so instead he purchased a working winery and started supplying wine to Italian families locally and in San Francisco. His son, Louis A. Foppiano, joined the operation and eventually purchased the franchise in 1910. Apparently father and son had differing visions. During the next decade, the winery flourished and the vineyard expanded as new grapes were planted. One of these was Petite Sirah, which would become the winery’s trademark wine. Then Prohibition hit. Since individual could still make 200 gallons of homemade wine, Foppiano stayed in business by shipping grapes east and by switching to other fruit for the local market. The winery retained its previous vintages and probably supplied the black market. But 6 years into Prohibition, the Feds finally realized the winery continued to posses wine and raided the facility. They released 100,000 gallons of the 1918 vintage into the neighboring creek. Since it was still lawful to consume wine, people from miles around raced to collect the wine for personal use. By this time Louis J. Foppiano had ascended the mantle after Louis A. passed in 1924. The Foppiano tasting room contains a picture of Louis J. sitting under a Federal Agent next to the creek, with one wine consumer passed out on the other side of the red river. When the Volstead Act and prohibition were repealed in 1933 Louis J, resumed operations and headed east in search of new markets and distribution channels. His efforts succeeded and by “1941, Foppiano Vineyards was sending six rail cars a week to the east coast filled with wine, and increased its production to over 800,000 gallons of wine annually.” The winery sells a miniature Lionel version of one of these rail cars – which we added to our train collection. A few years later Louis J. helped create the Sonoma County Wine Growers Association as California started gaining a winemaking identity. After conquering the jug wine market in the 1950’s the winery switched to more premium grapes as growers in the Central Valley were more cost competitive. New grapes were planted in the vineyard, with only the Petite Sirah remaining. From that time, Foppiano has slowly gained recognition for producing premium red wines and their Petite Sirah “is known nationwide as one of the country's top Petites year-in and year-out’. Louis J. passed the helm to son Louis M. and today, in his 90’s still resides near the winery. Louis M. shares he family affection for the Petite Sirah and was one of the leaders in forming the PS I Love You, Petite Sirah advocacy organization. With his sister, Susan Foppiano Valera, he plans to continue this family legacy into the next century.

When we arrived at 10:00 – yes they open that early for tasting – the winery was busy bottling and cleaning. A few other visitors were also trickling through, but the tasting room was relatively free so that the tasting room representative could give us his complete attention. We skipped the Pinot Gris and headed straight to the 2006 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. This is a jammy cherry wine throughout, with a slightly toasty finish. This would be an interesting wine to compare with a Willamette Valley Pinot. Next up was the 2004 Russian River Valley Merlot. This is a full bodied wine – with more of a blackberry flavor than cherry. Vanilla is very noticeable at the finish. One of our favorites was the Lot 96 Bin 002 NV; a blend of Sangiovese, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Carignane, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. This is a smooth fruity wine and priced at $12, this is a great value everyday drinking wine. The 2004 Russian River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was similar to the Merlot in body and at the finish – although a little spicier at the tale. We last tried the 2005 Russian River Valley Petite Sirah – and again more blackberry than cherry. The most interesting part is the slight chocolate flavor at the finish. We thought we were through, but then the tasting room representative announced to the room, “Happy early 4th – here’s a library tasting of our Petite Sirah”. We tried the 2001 Russian River Valley Estate, 1988 Sonoma County Petite Sirah, and the 1994 Russian River Valley Estate Petite Sirah. What a bonus. The wines were still full bodied but incredibly smooth; with the 1994 Estate wine being our favorite of the three. We were getting ready to leave when Louis M. Foppiano volunteered to walk us through the vineyard – discussing the family history and showing off the Petite Sirah vines. What a great visit; thanks to everyone at Foppiano Vineyards.

Leaving Foppiano, we headed a couple miles south on Old Redwood Highway to J Vineyards and Winery. This winery was founded by Judy Jordan, whose family also founded Jordan Vineyard & Winery. J Vineyards is known for their sparkling wines so we were eager to visit. Entering the winery is also a bit confusing since they share a driveway with Rodney Strong Vineyards. Just look for the signs. The grounds and tasting room were quite impressive which created a new concern as we worried how they would react to our son being present. This concern quickly dissipated when our tasting represented pulled out a can of apple juice, animal crackers, and a miniature wine bottle filled with. Boy, is this winery prepared for children. Thank goodness. Although we don’t really get modern design and architecture – J Vineyards tasting room was comfortable – even with this style. The design behind the tasting bar was especially interesting.

With our son occupied with food and bubbles, we started tasting, beginning with the sparkling wines. These wines are made “Methode Champeniose” where they sit, not 2 or 3, but 4 years on lees. The result is awesome sparkling wine - tiny bubbles, fruit flavors - nice acidity. We tasted the J Cuvee 20 (in honor of their 20th anniversary), the J Brut Rose, and the 1999 J Vintage Brut. The last was our favorite, made from Russian River Chardonnay. These wines are slightly pricey ranging from $30-$50 – but well within the range for excellent sparkling wines. Changing to white still wines, their J Chardonnay Russian River Valley is one of the few oaked chardonnay wines that we have tasted. It’s creamy, with good texture – but not overly buttery. The fruit still dominates. Our favorite white was the J Viognier Alexander Valley. We tried both the 2006 and 2007 vintages and noticed several distinctions between the two which makes it interesting to taste a vertical series. The 2007 is fruitier with a vanilla finish, whereas the 2006 is creamier. Both are excellent.

Moving to reds, J Vineyards offers several Pinot Noirs, a Zinfandel, and even a Pinotage. The latter was a good interpretation of the variety. The wine was slightly smoky, but not to the extremes as made in South Africa. Sometimes with these versions you wonder if you are drinking a coastal Scotch. The Zinfandel was also different than the spicy versions made in Amador and Lodi – its fruit forward with a blackberry flavor and slightly vanilla finish. Finally, the Pinots were very good. The Russian River Pinot Noir is a blend from 5 vineyards and interestingly the nose is very peppery – but not the flavor or finish. Instead you get cherry. We next tried the J Pinot Noir Nicole’s Vineyard which our rep described as masculine and the J Pinot Noir Robert Thomas Vineyard which she described as feminine. We agreed with her assessment, but for some reason preferred the Thomas Vineyard version.

We ended our session by tasting the J Ratafia dessert wine; a blend of several varieties included Pinot Meunier and fortified with brandy. This is a great dessert wine – it tastes like peaches and apricots with a nutty finish. And this was one of only three wines that we purchased the entire trip. J Vineyards was extremely accommodating during our entire visit – which probably lasted over an hour and a half - just in the tasting room. If you are traveling to Sonoma with children, this is one winery you must visit. And for those without children, come to sample and excellent array of sparkling and still wines.

Our final winery visit of the day was to Limerick Lane Cellars, the only American producers of Furmint wine. The winery has also built a respectful reputation producing zinfandel wines. Plus, Limerick Lane is located in the same southern Healdsburg local as the first two wineries. The winery started over twenty years ago when Michael and Tom Collins and their friend Ted Markoczy, purchased a run down 30 acre vineyard on Limerick Lane. They resuscitated the existing vines, planted new vines and razed and cleared land for a new winery. After producing a Sauvignon Blanc wine at a custom crush facility, they decided to concentrate on the variety best suited for their terrior: Zinfandel. Their first vintage was bottled in 1993 and immediately recognized as an “an exemplar of the finest California Zinfandel”. In the meantime Michael Collins also travelled to the Tokaj region in Hungary and returned with Furmint and Hárslevelu cuttings. The results of this endeavor is posted here, but needless to say we were excited to try their Furmint wine.

When we arrived we were fortunate that winemaker, Ross Battersby, was pouring wines that afternoon. Mr. Battersby joined Limerick Lane in 1997 after working at Stonestreet Winery. There are not many in Sonoma with his interested background either. The U.K. native has an Honors degree in Agricultural Economics, worked as a safari guide in Africa, and moved to Berkeley to manage an international adventure travel company. That proximity to Sonoma and Napa raised his interest in wine and many years later we meet him at Limerick Lane.

We started the tasting with the zinfandel, the Collins Vineyard Deco Zin and the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel. Both were produced in the Russian River Valley style that we have come to appreciate on this trip: fruit forward cherry and raspberry flavors with just a hint of vanilla. And completely smooth. The difference between the two is that the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel is a blend of Zinfandel grapes from throughout the estate with the average age of the vines being about 50 years. On the other hand the Deco Zin is produced from a lot of 74 year old vines. Some of the grapes from this lot also go into the Collins Vineyard Zinfandel – but the initial selection comprises the Deco Zin. We have become complete converts to Russian River Valley Zindandel. And also Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Limerick Lane produces their version, the Orsi Vineyard Pinot Noir. If you prefer the big bold, high alcohol pinot noirs, this wine is not for you. Instead it is medium bodied – and I hate to use the adjective – but silky smooth and somewhat earthy. A European wine. The winery also produces a European style dry rose in the Rose Sec. This is a 50-50 blend of Zinfandel and Syrah – also from estate grown grapes. The wine has a strawberry flavor and out of the few rose styled wines offered on our trip, this was one of the best.

We finally came around to the NV Late Harvest Furmint a blend of the 2002- 2004 vintages. The wine is made in the Tokaji Aszu fashion at approximately 3 puttonyos – with 6 puttonyos the sweetest. Please see Dezel's Virginia Vine Spot for another good overview of Tokaji Aszu. The wine was golden as expected and tasted just like the Hungarian version: apricots and honey. The one difference is that Limerick Lane’s version has a slightly nutty finish – whereas the last Tokaji Oremus Aszu 5 puttonyos that we tasted was all apricot from start to finish. Look for a later posting for a live comparative tasting between Limerick Lane’s NV Late Harvest Furmint and a couple Hungarian 3 puttonyos dessert wines.

Limerick Lane Cellars is a must visit for any tourist to Sonoma County. For one, there is no place in the United States where you can taste a Furmint wine and perhaps their dry Furmint would be available during your visit. Their Zinfandel wines are outstanding as well and the Rose and Pinot Noir. Apparently their Syrah is not too shabby either. Plus the staff, as displayed by Mr. Battersby, are extremely courteous and entertaining. Traveling with children. You should see how quickly their winemaker fixed broken Kung Fu Panda chopsticks using a cork and a rubber band.

See the Compass Tours section at Wine-Compass.com for pictures.

California Wine Tour Day 2 - Russian River Valley

We started our first day in Sonoma overwhelmed, staring at the Russian River Valley winery brochure and its listing of over 100 wineries. We eliminated the wineries which were open by appointment only - but still had quite a few to choose from. We decided to start at the closest open winery to our hotel in Sebastopol: Martin Ray Winery. The winery is historically significant because it is the oldest winery in continuous operation in Sonoma County and one of the oldest wineries in California. The winery started in 1881 as the Twin Fir Winery, then changed ownership to the Martini family and operated as Martini & Prati from 1902. The winery remained operational during prohibition by shipping sacramental wine to New York. For during prohibition it was not illegal to drink wine, only to produce wine with a certain alcoholic content. And religious organizations received waivers. Thus Rabbis in New York would receive an allotment of sacramental wine and deliver it door to door for the sabbath. Sneaky. But it helped the winery continue operations. Five generations of Martinis ran the facility until Courtney Benham acquired the winery in July 2003 and renamed it Martin Ray Winery.

Martin Ray is also interesting because they obtain grapes from other vineyards even though there are hundreds of acres of vineyards surrounding the property. These vines are leased to other wineries. Instead the winery produces three series of wines from different appellations throughout California. On our visit, we stuck with predominately the Martin Ray and reserve series. For the white wines we tried the Mendocino County Pinot Gris, Angeline Winery Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc, and Russian River Valley Chardonnay. The Sauvignon Blanc was excellent with a citrus flavor from beginning to end. And priced at $14, this wine has great value. The Chardonnay was our favorite white, slightly creamy with vanilla flavors that doesn't overwhelm the fruit. For reds, we tried their regular offerings, which were good (Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir), but they quickly took a back seat to the reserve tasting. These wines were awesome, particularly the Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon. The Stags Leap District and Santa Cruz Mountains Cabs were also extraordinary. When visiting Martin Ray, the additional $5 for this reserve tasting is well worth the cost. In Napa, you'll be paying 5 times that for equivalent wines.

During this tour we are also noting how friendly the wineries are towards adults visiting with children. And Martin Ray was more than friendly. A tasting room representative came out and played with our son and his blocks. This allowed us to taste without constantly looking over our shoulder. Thank you. On all accounts Martin Ray Winery was a perfect start to the day.

From Martin Ray we traveled a couple miles to Martinelli Vineyards for no other reason that it was close and open. We quickly learned that the Martinelli family has been growing grapes in Sonoma County since 1887. In that year Giuseppe and Luisa Martinelli planted a small vineyard on a 60 degree slope, which later became known as Jackass Hill vineyard, because only a jackass would plant on that steep of a slope. And today, this vineyard is still the steepest planted vineyard in Sonoma County. Their son Leno took over operations, followed by his son Lee Sr. In 1973 Lee Sr. and his wife Carolyn took the next step and starting producing wine from their highly sought after fruit. They converted two hop barns into a production facility and tasting room, and with the help of consulting winemaker Helen Turley, Martinelli Vineyards was operational. Lee Jr. and George Martinelli joined their parents as the fifth generation of the Martinellis working in the wine business.

During our visit we sampled several wines that were truly amazing. The "Tessa Lee" Sauvignon Blanc possess apple and citrus flavors and with the nice acidity, this is a refreshing drink. The chardonnays were even better. The Martinelli Road Chardonnay is awesome. The grapes are harvested from a vineyard just below the original Jackass Hill Vineyard and is one of the coolest sites in the Russian River Valley. Even though the wine is aged 10 months in new French oak, the wine remains fruity. At this point of our trip, this is the best Chardonnay we've tasted, ever. The Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay was not too far behind - it has a similar fruit flavor with a spicy longer finish. The reds were equally impressive. The "Bella Vigna" Pinot Noir was fruity with strong cherry flavors and a slightly spicy tail; whereas the "Vigneto di Evo" Zinfandel is what all Zinfandel wines should taste like. Its fruity but not overly spicy. In fact there is very little spice, just layers of fruit. An excellent wine and visit.

Our final stop for the day before heading to Safari West, was Hook & Ladder Vineyards & Winery. In 1975 Cecil and Christine De Loach began producing wine after seeing other wineries produce award winning wines from their old vine Zinfandel. For the next thirty years they make wine under the De Loach label, which they sold a few years ago. Having also produced a wine under the trademarked Hook and Ladder label, the family started anew as the Hook & Ladder Vineyards & Winery. This name also honors Cecil De Loach's years as a San Francisco firefighter.

Upon entering the tasting room, we quickly saw that this venue is child friendly. A toy fire engine rested next to barrels and an open carpet awaited our toys. Now to examine the 15 wines available for tasting. Their selection is truly interesting from white and red blends to a dry Gewürztraminer and White-Zinfandel. The last two are very interesting wines. The Gewürztraminer has .7% residual sugar and contains the usual spiciness associated with the variety. We understood why it was the winery's second best seller. The White-Zinfandel is also made dry, with just a hint of sweetness. Otherwise, its just strawberry flavors. Hook & Ladder also makes two good chardonnays, The Estate Grown RRV aged half in oak and half in stainless steel. There is just a hint of vanilla in the finish as the chardonnay grape takes charge. The "Third Alarm" Estate Bottled RRV is creamier from aging in 100% French Oak.

The red wines were even better. The RRV Pinot Noir is made from the top 10% of grapes with the remaining grapes sold as juice. This wine is marketed as a food friendly wine, but we liked it solo. The Zinfandel Estate Grown is a blend from different vineyards and is smooth as any Zin we've tasted. It also has a slight chocolate aroma that makes it even more interesting. Then there is the "Third Alarm" Reserve Gambogi Ranch Zinfandel made from vines planted in 1909. Another good zin. Our favorite may have been the Station 10 Zinfandel a blend of Petite Sirah, Carignan, and Alicante Bouschet. The winery's best seller is "The Tillerman" a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Sangiovese. This is a smooth wine at a value price: $17. Our favorite red was the "Third Alarm" Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 22 months in French and American oak. Its big, but not overpowering. With this large selection, there is something for everyone - and for us - we liked it all.

See the Compass Tours section at Wine-Compass.com for pictures.