Red Teeth on Red Mountain- A Visit to the Red Mountain AVA

People in the know about Washington wine often call Red Mountain the "crown jewel" of Washington AVA's. Last month I attended the Wine Bloggers Conference post-conference excursion to the Red Mountain AVA. The Red Mountain vintners and growers who hosted my group set out to make us believe it.

Red Mountain is located just east of the Yakima Valley AVA, and just north of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. It's the smallest of Washington's AVA's, distinguished by it's tributary (Yakima River), its sand and clay silt loam soils left from ice age glacial floods, and its gentle slope up the 1400 foot Red Mountain. The weather is high desert climate; with only 4 to 6 inches of rain a year, hot summer days, moderating breezes, cool evenings, and a long growing season. All these factors combine to create a terroir well-suited for the Bordeaux red varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Rhone varietals such as Syrah.

After meeting the group at Terra Blanca Winery, we headed up the slope to Col Solare. Col Solare is an instant classic of a wine estate; founded in 1992 as a partnership between Chateau Ste Michelle and the Antinori family of Tuscany. It produces one of Washington's preeminent wines. Col Solare's red wine, a blend of mostly Bordeaux varietals with just a touch of Syrah, is sourced from top vineyards throughout Red Mountain, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope, and Horse Heaven Hills- including Col Solare's Red Mountain estate vineyard.

The modern and stately winery is beautifully situated toward the top of the Red Mountain slope. It overlooks the Red Mountain AVA below as well as the Horse Heaven Hills in the distance. We listened to the story of the winery on the patio overlooking the vineyards, then headed into the aging cellars to taste the 2006 Col Solare, Columbia Valley ($80). Aged in 100% new French (75%) and American (25%) oak, the 2006 is a wine of great beauty, finesse, and seamless structure. It is marked by mineral, cherry, and spice aromas; and beautiful lush black fruit, spice, and vanilla across the palate. Lush and rich in tannic structure, this is a stunner that I'd love to watch develop over time. As an added bonus, we tasted the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon component for the blend from barrel- a promising preview...

After the tasting, we hiked through the vineyards and down the slope to Hedges Cellars. Learning along the way about some of the prevailing viticultural philosophies of Red Mountain growers (covered later at Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard).

Finally, at Hedges Cellars, we were greeted by Christophe Hedges. Christophe, the national sales manager, expressed strong opinions to the group about the importance and distinction of estate wines- grown and produced. He talked with conviction about his belief in Red Mountain as unique terroir, and about how Hedges strives to maintain this in their wines. He tied in the role of critics and wine ratings to diminishing the unique terroir of places like Red Mountain and other areas throughout the wine world.

From there, we headed into the aging cellars to taste Red Mountain wines side by side with landmark wines from other famous regions. The pairings included:

~2007 Obolisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain with 2007 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley- comparing the former's leafy savory fruit elegance with the latter's powerfully lush structure and rich dark spicy fruit. Two different expressions of Cabernet, both excellent wines.

~2008 Descendant's Liegeois Dupont Syrah, Red Mountain with 2008 Kaesler Shiraz, Barossa Valley- comparing the former's musky & gamey tobacco and fruit with the latter's lush black fruit and sweet spice. Distinctly different Syrah/Shiraz with great results.

~2006 Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain with 2006 Chateau Talbot, St-Julien- comparing the gamey black fruit & musky herb/spice notes & silky minty structure of the former with the latter's dusty tobacco and spice & mineral fruit. An incredible comparison, both great wines.

~2006 Goedhart Family Bel' Villa Syrah, Red Mountain with 2006 René Rostaing, Côte Rôtie- both exhibiting a wild and free gaminess along with brambly fruit, tea, and mineral- along with various spice accents. What a couple of magical Syrahs!

Lesson learned- the wines of Red Mountain stand toe to toe with world class wines from more famous regions. If there's an identifier of Red Mountain that I'm picking up at this point of the day, it's fine structure and elegance... and ripe fruit delivered deftly yet powerfully. This was the common thread that I picked up from Red Mountain on this day.

From there we were off, just down the way, to the famous Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard. Originally developed in 1975 and planted with Riesling, Chadonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon; Ciel Du Cheval is now most known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. Its wines have averaged 92 point scores from major publications over the last 5 years.

We were greeted by owner, Jim Holmes. Mr. Holmes talked about his philosophies on vineyard and people management. The vineyard workers don't work when the temperature hits 95 degrees. He practices his own brand of sustainable farming, deeming sulfur sprays as harmful to the soil, his people, and surrounding lands (sulfur is approved for use in organic farming). They don't change the soil composition by introducing organic compounds and composts. And the vineyards is developing alternatives to use of artificial fertilizers. We then got our hands dirty with the soil, learning how to distinguish the different types of soil by how it responds to moisture.

Such Washington luminaries as Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will, and Januik make wines from Ciel Du Cheval.

Finally, it was back to Terra Blanca Winery. Located toward the bottom of the Red Mountain slope, Terra Blanca is a grand setting for a winery. It's set among its vineyards with grand views of the Horse Heaven Hills. Proprietors Keith and Renae Pilgrim led us into the cellar for a vertical tasting of Terra Blanca's Onyx- a Bordeaux blend from their Red Mountain estate vineyards. We tasted the 2006, 2001, and 1999- all very enjoyable with savory, spicy, minerals, and earthy depth; and laced with lush refined fruit and elegance. The older two wines very much exhibiting and enhanced depth and silky feel.

From there it was on to a grand tasting of Red Mountain wines from various vintners, and then a Spanish-style barbecue dinner on the patio of Terra Blanca overlooking the Horse Heaven Hills at sunset.

What a wonderful day, complete with great wines and great learning about this beautiful area of Washington. This was a wonderful close to my time in Pacific Northwest wine country. For more pictures of the Red Mountain AVA, click the link.

Alla Walla Walla

With last month's Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla, WA; the local wine community rolled out the red carpet in a big way. Friday night featured a downtown walkabout, with all of the downtown tasting rooms open and pouring.

Saturday morning brought a seminar on Walla Walla terroir with geologist Kevin Pogue. The seminar centered around many factors that are key to the success of Walla Walla wines. The ice ages and the Great Missoula Floods left silt soils rich in minerals. The high desert climate and it's bitter cold winters has kept out phylloxera, allowing Walla Walla's vines to remain ungrafted. The northerly latitude and warm summers allow for a long growing season, with plenty of radiant sunshine to the vines. Conversely, the cool nights keep acids high enough and allows for even ripening. Finally, the dry weather allows for consistent vintages due to the predictable amounts of water to the vines. These are notable built-in advantages that have helped Walla Walla (and many other areas of Washington for that matter) come into its own as a wine growing region.

The seminar concluded and we were off to tour vineyards and wineries in Walla Walla. Our exact destinations were unknown, as we randomly choose school buses to board with various destinations.

Les Collines Vineyard

I boarded a bus that started at Les Collines Vineyard for a vineyard tour and tasting. Les Collines is a leading vineyard in Walla Walla. Our hosts were vineyard founder and Amavi Cellars vintner Norm McKibben, and Brandon Moss from Gramercy Cellars. Les Collines features 240 acres of vines in the southeast of the Walla Walla AVA. With more rain in the eastern foothills of Walla Walla, this is one of the wettest vineyard areas in Eastern Washington, albeit with only about 24 inches a year. The vineyard is less reliant upon irrigation than other nearby areas, with only light irrigation in August. Les Collines is certified sustainable, practicing minimal input farming and a self composting operation. Vineyard practices include meticulous pruning, shoot thinning, green harvesting, and control of soil moisture. The three primary grapes grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah,
and Merlot.

We took a walk through the vineyard, with Norm pointing out their shoot positioning and the stage of berry set on the vines. The vineyard is stunningly beautiful, and in the prettiest area of Walla Walla that I saw over the course of the weekend. It was a stark and desolate beauty; located next to wheat fields, and spread across gently rolling hills, with expansive views of the surrounding foothills.

The Wines-

Finally it was time for the real treat. We tasted three wines made from Les Collines grapes.

~2007 Amavi Cellars Les Collines Syrah, Walla Walla- Aged 16 months in 20% new French oak. Rich in the glass with gamey fruit, olive, and savory herb aromas. Lush and smooth on the palate with black fruit, leather, pepper, and mint; and a dusty gripping structure and finish---excellent---$34.

~2006 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo, Walla Walla- Tempranillo, Grenache, and Syrah. Soft floral and mineral accented by the fruit. Drinks nice and elegant with red fruit, coffee, & earthen spice. Silky with spicy tannins and nice length---very good to excellent---$40.

~2008 Gramercy Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla- The nose held aromas of violets, cured meat, black olive, pepper- accented with subtle fruit. On the palate the fruit came to life with notes of lush blueberry, while carrying through the depth of the nose, before finishing with peppery tannins and a long finish---excellent---$42.

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Panel discussion at Reininger Winery

The second stop on our tour was at Reininger Winery. On the way there, our bus driver nearly caused an accident as we pulled right out in front of oncoming cars. A honk and a bird later, we made it in one piece to Reininger! There, we sat for a panel discussion with Chuck Reininger, Ron Coleman of Tamarack Cellars, and Mike Tembreull of Tero Estates. It was an interesting discussion with questions and input from our group.

Some of the things that were discussed included: the relative ease of doing business in Walla Walla compared to California wine regions (and how that has helped the area's development as a wine region); the evolution of the AVA- they are still discovering what grapes and practices work best; and what wines should be the identity of the AVA.

The Wines-

We tasted a wine from each of the vintners in attendance.

~1999 Reininger CIMA, Walla Walla- Sangiovese, Cab Sauv, and Merlot. Very dark in color with brick highlights. The nose reminded me of chocolate covered cherries, along with hints of earth. The cherry was riper and more prevalent upon drinking, with hints of coffee, tobacco, and cocoa. Silky with smooth loose tannins. Nice, seemed a little past its peak---good to very good---$? (no longer available)

~2008 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley- Deep garnet color with aromas of dried herbs & violets, vanilla, and minerally red fruit. Lots of red fruit on the palate with backing spice and pepper. Silky and creamy tannins and spice on the finish---very good---$28.

~2007 Tero Estates Windrow, Walla Walla- Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec- harvested at the same time and fermented as a field blend. Aged in 500L oak puncheons. Meant to be a precise representation of the vineyard at a particular moment in time. Aromas of mineral, black cherry, pipe tobacco, and coffee- with the addition of caramel, black fruit, and light spice on the palate. Supple structure with opulent tannins---very good---$42.

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Northstar Winery

The final stop of the day was for a lunch and private tour at Northstar Winery with winemaker David "Merf" Merfeld. Northstar is Chateau Ste. Michelle's Walla Walla property, and is in the south of the AVA. They've set out to highlight the potential of Merlot in Walla Walla and the Columbia Valley, making big Merlot wines with lots of oak character and firm structure. Northstar is a large-scale winery with full visitor amenities.

The Wines-

~2006 Merlot, Walla Walla- 78% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cab Franc. Aged 17 months in 56% new French oak. Big and unctuous with lots of cocoa, coffee, and black fruit- oak driven. May need some time for the oak to integrate further---good---$50.

~2006 Merlot, Columbia Valley- 76% Merlot, 19% Cab Sauv, with Petite Verdot & Cab Franc. Aged 18 months in 70% French & 30% American oak (total 65% new). Savory black fruit and notes of spice- with hints of mineral, spice, black fruit, and integrated espresso oak notes. Well structured and firm---very good to excellent---$41.

Not available on their website, we also tasted the 2005 Columbia Valley Syrah, and the 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet was my favorite wine of the visit; with plenty of leather, cedar, red & black fruits, spice, and tobacco- all with peppery firm tannins---very good to excellent.

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Being a younger region, and without the high profile of the California wine regions, an AVA like Walla Walla is one that I previously viewed from the periphery. Knowing some of the benchmark wines, but not really knowing Walla Walla. This was a great indoctrination, and one that I'll look forward to exploring further in the future.

Click the link for all Walla Walla photos.

A Visit To K Vintners

Seeking a quick sabbatical from the Wine Bloggers Conference, I headed west of downtown Walla Walla to visit the venerable K Vintners. K is one of Charles Smith's three primary brands, along with Charles Smith Wines and The Magnificent Wine Company. The story is well known- Smith comes from Northern California via Europe, where he managed rock bands. He somehow ended up in Walla Walla, WA as a rock star winemaker, both literally and figuratively. He's famous for Washington Syrah, mostly from the Walla Walla Valley and the Wahluke Slope.

His branding, modernist and surreal, is iconic. Fortunately his wines walk the walk. K Vintners and Charles Smith wines are not only among the most highly regarded domestic Syrah; they've established themselves among the most highly regarded domestic wines period. Smith's Syrah wines have been rated consistently in the classic range in the Wine Advocate and in Wine Enthusiast. Aside from high-end Syrah, Smith's more value oriented brands such as The Magnificent Wine Company's House Wines and Charles Smith Wines' Kung Fu Girl Riesling bring style and value to everyday wine drinking.

The K Vintners winery and tasting room is located inauspiciously among the Phil Lane estate vineyard in Walla Walla. It's marked by a life-sized "K" along the road. There's farm pasture land across the street, with curious cattle that scampered off when I walked up to take a picture. With an old farm house, quaint vineyards, tall trees, and the winery in a old barn off to the side; the setting reminded me of the rolling Midwestern farm land that David Lynch brought to life in "The Straight Story" film.

The tasting room further reminded me of surreal themes of David Lynch- stark and mostly bare with concrete-colored walls... tiny little windows into the barrel room cut in asymmetrical patterns... the wines laid out on a bare antique table accompanied by a lone candle... a random assortment of weird tunes blasting from behind a mysterious black door... and my host sitting on a tiny little chair behind the table. The scene tied the cinematic and surreal influence on K together for me. As great as the wines are, every little nuance of the overall aesthetic is part of the show.

-The Wines



Per their technical information- K foot-crushes their fruit, ferments with only native yeasts, manually punches down, uses basket presses, and are aged in French Burgundy barrels.

~2009 Viognier, Columbia Valley- Barrel fermented in neutral barrels. Rocky and floral aromas flushed with stone fruit. Lush on the palate with peach, honey, apple, and apricot. Crisp and balanced---very good---$20.

~2008 "Milbrandt" Syrah, Wahluke Slope- 90% Sundance and 10% Pheasant Vineyards, sustainably farmed and owned by the Milbrandt brothers. Unfined. Floral notes with leathery spice and red fruit. Gamey on the palate with earthy red and blue fruit notes, layed over a spicy structure and finish---very good to excellent---$25.

~2008 "Clifton" Syrah, Wahluke Slope- Another vineyards owned and sustainably farmed by the Milbrandt brothers. Unfined. Cured meats, leather, baking spice leading into brambly red and black fruits. There's a spicy rich structure, tightly wound, leading into a full silky finish---excellent---$35.

~2007 "Phil Lane" Syrah, Walla Walla- From the sustainably-farmed estate vineyard in Walla Walla. Cobbley loam soil with vines trained low to the ground. Large brambly fruit on the nose with smoked meat and pepper. Lush fruit, black pepper, black olive, and spice- firm with a beautiful finish. This one could be special---excellent to stellar---$70.

(Domaine Drouhin & Eyrie) Hey Turkey! Follow Me To The Willamette Valley!- Part 2

The second half of the day brought two of the great names in Oregon wine. There was a tour at Domaine Drouhin, and then a stop in Mcminnville at Eyrie.

Domaine Drouhin Oregon

Throughout the 70's and 80's, Robert Drouhin of Burgundy's famed Domaine Drouhin, developed an appreciation and love for the terroir of the Willamette Valley. Participating in, and sponsoring tastings in France that helped to showcase Oregon Pinot Noir in comparison to its Burgundian brethren. In the late 1980's, Domaine Drouhin Oregon was born. Robert's daughter Véronique was tapped to make world class Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley. The attention of a world class vintner from Burgundy became another feather in the cap of Oregon wine.

Located in the southeast of the Dundee Hills AVA; Domaine Drouhin is a state of the art, gravity flow winery. Its regal, hilltop location overlooks an expanse of 225 acres, including 95 acres of vineyards. The view from the winery is epic; expanding past the vineyards, out over the valley, and toward Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood. The winery is stately and traditional in feel & decor, but fits in well with the aesthetic and feel of the Northwest.

While our tour was looking out over the vineyards, the recorded sound of squealing pigs moaned in the background. Meant to scare off deer looking for the sweet fruit, our guide joked that it may have reached the point of diminishing returns. Drouhin's vineyards are among the most densely planted in the US, with over 3,300 plants per acre. With site specificity in mind, Drouhin cultivates their own rootstock and propagates their own plant materials. The vineyards are sustainably farmed, and yields are very low at around 1 ton per acre.

I asked if Véronique had divided the vineyard into separate lots or blocks for designated bottlings, and was told that she was still waiting for the 20+ year old vineyard to mature before making such designations. Currently, reserve bottlings come from designated fruit as opposed to designated lots. Intuitively, these are wines made in old-world traditions to be refined in style. Uninoculated fermentation, minimal handling, and judicious use of new oak are common.

Our tour headed inside and lasted throughout the winery, stopping to converse with cellar workers along the way. We were treated with a sample of the stainless steel portion of the 2009 Chardonnay, still in tank and yet to be filtered or fined. It was rich and crisp with a beautiful toastiness from the lees. Finally, we headed back upstairs for a seated tasting with fine cheeses and vineyard views. Wines aside, this was an exceptional tour and winery experience. Kudos to Terrie for her hospitality.

The Wines-

~2009 Pinot Noir Rosé, Dundee Hills- Natural yeast fermentation. Saignée method of extraction. Aged 6 months in stainless steel. Vibrant with lush cherry, apple, and melon flavors that are accented with mineral and honey. A beautiful rosé---very good---$20.

~2008 Chardonnay "Arthur", Dundee Hills- Dijon clones. 50% fermented in barrel (20% new), and 50% fermented in stainless steel. Aged 8 months and blended. Light gold. Notes of mineral, green apple, pear, and lilac flowers- with ripe melon, pear, and apple flavors highlighted with floral and light spice. Crisp yet rich, a beautiful wine---excellent---$30.

~2007 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley- Native yeast fermentation. Aged in 20% new French oak. A garnet color with medium to light density. Earthy on the nose- with mushroom, cedar closet, and tobacco highlighted with subtle notes of candied cherry. Very balanced flavors with great depth- mineral, cherry, cranberry, and earth. Lithe and luxurious with hints of pepper on the tannins, all culminating in a long finish. Poetic---excellent---$40.

~2006 Laurene Cuvée, Dundee Hills- Native yeast fermentation. Never more than 20% new French oak. Barrel selected. Slightly darker color. Aromas of tangy cherry, wet forest floor, and mossy earth- with further notes on the palate of caramel, cherry, vanilla, and earthy spice. Long finish. I'm smitten---excellent---$65.

~2004 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley- Similar methods as 2007 WV Pinot. A little more brown and brick color. Medium density. Red fruit, caramel, and mossy earth- with flavors of cherry & cranberry, along with traces of floral and mineral notes. All layed out long with spicy tannins and silky fruit on the finish---excellent---$?

~2002 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley- Similar methods as the other WV Pinot's. A softer brick color. Leafy cherry tobacco aromas with cedar and spice. Bold fruit on the palate, earthy with subtle spice and traces of cedar. Seamlessly balanced. Silky and spicy in its structure and finish. Epic---stellar---$?


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The Eyrie Vineyards

The history is Eyrie is well-writted. In 1965 David Lett moved north to Oregon to plant the first Pinot Noir & Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley; as well as the first Pinot Gris in the US. His Pinot Noir went toe to toe with the finest Burgundy in high profile tastings throughout the 1970's. His work led the way for players like the aforementioned Drouhin family to put down roots in the Willamette Valley. Today, Jason Lett carries on the tradition of excellence at Eyrie.

While Eyrie's estate vineyards are all located in the Dundee Hills AVA, the modest winery and tasting room are in downtown Mcminnville. Jacques, our host in the tasting room, explained that in such early stages of Oregon's wine evolution, the banks would not loan money to the Letts to build a winery in the hills. As a result, the winery has always been located inauspiciously in the town. Jacques was a great host and it truly was a pleasure to taste through the wines.

The Wines-

~2007 Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills- Orange, Juicy Fruit gum, stone fruit- with very pleasant spice---Very Good---$14.

~2008 Original Vines Reserve Chardonnay, Dundee Hills- Selected from old vines. Aromas of toast, stone and tropical fruits come alive on the palate and are melded with pleasant spice---Very Good to Excellent---$45.

~2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- Pleasantly light in color; with aromas of cranberry, cinnamon, and violets. Deepens on the palate with black cherry, pepper, and fruit cake- with silk and spice in the structure---Very Good---$30.

~2008 Black Cap Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- Rich style. Aromas of maple, caramel, black cherry, and plum- tightly wound. The palate holds silky spicy red and blue fruit and minerals all solidly structured---Very Good to Excellent---$45.

~2006 Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- Earthy, gamey, musky, and feminine on the nose. Opens up to spice, rich red fruit, and earth on the palate. Lithe and silky throughout with solid structure---Excellent---$60.

~2005 Reserve Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- Lighter. Still earthy, but with vanilla and white pepper along with its red fruits. Candied red fruit flavors, cola, spice, and pepper- all silky and lush---Very Good---$60.

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We capped off a great day of tasting with a dinner at the McMenamins' Kennedy School in Portland. Then it was time to hit the road for Walla Walla, WA and the Wine Bloggers Conference. It was a dusk drive into the Columbia Gorge and beyond. More on wines from Walla Walla and Red Mountain in the coming posts... Cheers!

Columbia Gorge at dusk

All Willamette Valley photos here-

Hey Turkey! Follow Me To The Willamette Valley! - Part 1

Traveling out to last week's Wine Bloggers Convention, I stopped in Portland for a day of tasting Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. My friends Chad and Erin were kind enough to take in a weary traveler from the East Coast. From Georgia, they've taken well to being cool and eccentric Portlanders. He's a college professor, and she designs umbrellas. They also raise chickens and have a pet turkey ("Turkey") in the backyard.


Needless to say, Erin and I were eating local eggs for breakfast, before heading south into the Dundee Hills and Yamhill-Carlton districts of the valley. This was my first time in Willamette. The plan was to visit some of the valley's famous names before heading out to the conference in Washington later that evening. After struggling to get out of Portland traffic, we made it to our first stop at Archery Summit ready for action.

• The Willamette Valley lies at roughly the same latitude as Burgundy.
• The climate is mild and moist, with cool & damp winters and dry & warm summers.
• Mineral-rich sediment soils were left after the Missoula Floods that flooded the valley between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago.

Archery Summit Winery

Located in the Dundee Hills, Archery Summit produces wine from vineyards throughout the AVA, as well as in the adjacent Ribbon Ridge AVA. Their program is 100% estate, and they cater their farming to suit each individual vineyard. Sustainable practices such as natural pest-control and hand cultivating are often used. The winery is 100% gravity flow, allowing minimal handling of the wines during production. They have an aggressive new French oak aging regimen on their Pinot Noir (consistently getting more than 50% new oak during cooperage). The style of the wines is bold and rich, with pronounced oak influence and comparatively high alcohol levels (mid 14% range). Although the tasting room is small and quaint, visitors can roam the aging caves.

The Wines-

~2007 Premier Cuvée Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley- A blend from all their estate vineyards, combining Dijon, Pommard, & Wädenswil clones. Fermented with 12% whole clusters using native yeast fermentation. Aging was 10 months in 54% new French oak barrels. The wine was front-loaded with black cherry, plum, and cola notes with a bit of mossy earth. Silky and solid with smoke and further earthy notes to close---good to very good---$48.

~2007 Renegade Ridge Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills- Biodynamically farmed vineyard using Dijon clones. Native yeast fermentation. 10 months aging in 65% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Sweet & spicy red cherry, cranberry, and plum notes are enhanced with maple syrup and earthy depth. Lush and silky with dusty tannins---very good---$85.

~2007 Looney Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge- Dijon, Martini, Wädenswil, and Pommard clones. Native yeast fermentation. 10 months aging in 60% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. I really liked this one- leads with mineral, floral, and mushroom notes that are accented with cherry. Refined on the palate with savory notes- truffles, dried herbs, then highlighted with red fruit. Light peppery tannins and a lengthy spice finish. Should age well as the fruit enhances with time---excellent---$85.

~2007 Arcus Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills - Dijon and Pommard clones. Fermented with native yeasts using 3% whole clusters. Aged in 62% new French oak for 11 months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Lighter in color. Aromatic and savory- truffles highlighted with floral and cherry & plum fruit notes. Silky and light with nice earthy mineral accents. Politely firm with a nice finish---very good to excellent---$85.



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Penner-Ash Wine Cellars

The second stop brought us to the eastern edge of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, just west of the tiny Ribbon Ridge AVA. There, Lyn Penner-Ash makes killer Pinot Noir from single vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley. The modern-rustic eco-friendly winery has a tasting room that overlooks the gravity-flow cellars, also with sweeping views of across the valley. Lush landscapes and vineyards surround the winery. Warm, friendly, and elegant surroundings were a nice precursor to the wines.

The Wines-

~2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- Aged 10 months in 35% new French oak. Cherry, floral, and mineral notes releasing further savory and dark berry flavors. Silky with lots of earth and fruit to finish----very good---$45.

~2007 Palmer Creek Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills- Dijon & Pommard clones. Aged 10 months in 29% new French oak. Lighter, with expressive mineral, floral, and spicy cherry aromas. Beautiful spice, herb, and honey aromas framed vibrant yet subtle fruit. Nice acid-tannin balance. Fine structure and finish. Should age well.---excellent---$55.

~2007 Carabella Vineyard Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains- Dijon & Wädenswil clones. Aged 10 months in 36% new French oak. Cherry cola, toffee, floral, and mineral notes. Firm with nice acid, closing with berries, mineral, and spice---excellent---$55.

~2007 Dussin Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton- Their estate vineyards, planted to Dijon clones. Aged 10 months in 40% new French oak. Deeper and richer. More blue fruit and black cherry with only very subtle hints of mineral and earthy elements. Silky tannins---very good---$60.



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Next up was a tour at Domaine Drouhin, and then a tasting at Eyrie. To be continued...

In the meantime, check out more photos from the day in Willamette Valley here.

North GA Montains- Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Montaluce Winery

The view at Wolf Mountain

With the gloomy Atlanta heat & humidity, it was a great day to head north toward the Appalachian foothills of Dahlonega. The weather is a few ticks cooler, and there's usually a shady spot to find some respite.

There's a burgeoning wine scene in the hills around Dahlonega. Georgia wineries dedicated to growing and producing Vinifera grapes are making good quality wines. Climatically, the growing areas are moderate in temperature due to the high elevations- typically in the 1500 to 2000 foot range. Moreover, the growing season is long. Much of the soil for wine growing in North Georgia is Terra Rossa clay, well draining and often planted on steep hillsides.

Fellow Atlanta-area wine bloggers Joe Herrig and Ed Thralls have done a great job chronicling this wine scene and bringing extra awareness to it. My experience with it is fairly limited, previously tasting wines from Wolf Mountain, Frogtown, and Persimmon Creek. I had a bit of a negative experience the last time I drove up to Dahlonega to taste, so it's taken me some time to get North Georgia tasting back on the radar. The plan was to start at Wolf Mountain, whose wines I had enjoyed in the past. Second would be the newest vineyard and winery in Dahlonega, Montaluce.

Wolf Mountain Vineyards

Wolf Mountain was founded in 1999 by the Boegner family. The 25 acre property features estate vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Mourvedre, Tannat, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Touriga Nacional. For whites, they source Chardonnay and Viognier from local vineyards outside the property better suited to those varietals. Atop the hillside vineyards sits a Craftsman-style gravity flow winery with a full hospitality area. It's a fabulous vista point overlooking the vineyards and surrounding mountains. The tasting room staff was knowledgeable and attentive.


The Wines-

These were consistently well made and solid wines. Wolf Mountain does a great job. Their philosophy is to make blended varietal wines. With Vinifera grapes being newly reintroduced to North Georgia, and with the sometimes unpredictable growing conditions from vintage to vintage, this approach allows them to adjust the blends as necessary to make the best possible wines.


-2008 Blanc de Blancs Brut- The only Georgia winery producing Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine. 100% Chardonnay. This had nice bready and yeasty character on the nose with some nice floral aromas. Notes of citrus, sweet golden apple, and wheat were full with a pleasing effervescence. Very enjoyable and quite an accomplishment in Georgia wine---very good---$26

-2009 Plenitude- 70% Chardonnay and 30% Viognier, stainless steel fermented. A little tight on the nose, offering honey, lemon, and mineral notes. More mineral notes along with stone fruits on the palate---good---$20.

-2008 Chanteloup- 70% Barrel fermented and sur-lie aged Chardonnay with 30% stainless steel fermented Viognier. A rich gold color. Light notes of toast and vanilla without much fruit on the nose. Pleasant on the palate with melon, crème fraiche, stone fruit, and light floral notes---good---$24.

-2008 Sunset Rosé- Mourvedre, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the traditional saignee method and fermented in neutral oak. Aromas of honey and cherry; with forward apple and cherry fruit, along with floral and mineral notes. Opens up nicely in the glass---good to very good---$16.

-2007 Instinct- A field blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged in lots for 10 months in new French oak, then blended and re-barreled for 8 additional months. A ruby-violet color with medium clarity. Notes of maple, cigar humidor, black cherry, and black raspberry; with dark berry, light spice, and cedar closet notes. The tannins are supple with an elegant finish---good to very good---$26.

-2007 Claret- Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre. Aged for 16 months in new French oak, blended & re-barreled for 8 months. Darker, richer, and deeper in color. Woodsy and cedar notes with rich dark fruit aromas. Full bodied. Rich berry flavors with cedar, light mineral, and spice. Supple tannins and spice on the finish---good to very good---$28.

-n/v Delicieux Port- Not fortified, double fermented. Jammy red and black fruit with mineral and cedar notes closing with spicy tannins---good---$?


Montaluce Winery & Estates



Montaluce is a newly developed property. It's a real estate development with European style homes and villas scattered throughout the rolling hills and vineyards of the property. It features a hospitality center, restaurant, and winery as the centerpiece of the development. The grand villa-style hospitality center overlooks the main vineyard of the property. The vineyard slopes toward the Etowah River, providing a moderating influence to the summer heat. The tasting room staff was friendly, and included a sommelier to enhance the educational aspect.


The Wines

I tasted the wines of Montaluce's inaugural 2008 vintage. There were five wines, mostly single varietals. With this being the first vintage, I get the sense that they're still finding their way. However the wines were all well made, with a couple of nice highlights.


-2008 Risata- A rosé made from 80% Sangiovese and 20% Viognier. A pleasantly interesting nose of perfume, melon, berries, and spice- with similar flavors along with mineral notes. Crisp and lively---good---$19.

-2008 Chardonnay- Blended with 5% Viognier. Stainless steel fermented. Straw and honey with hints of fruit and mineral. Melon, citrus, and light mineral with some toasty notes despite this seeing no oak---good---$26.

-2008 Viognier- My favorite of the tasting. Stainless steel fermented. Expressive stone fruit, citrus, and floral notes- with honey, melon, stone fruit, and spice long and lush throughout the palate---very good---$24 (sold out).

-2008 Merlot- Dark rich violet. Gamey cedary and dark fruit notes- with raspberry, black cherry, and woodsy notes. Finishes with dusty, minty tannins---fair to good---$25.

-2008 Cabernet Sauvignon- A rich, dense, and dark violet color. Cedar, red & black raspberry, and violet notes of the nose. Tart red and dark berries, violet, tar, and spice on the palate. Supple tannins, a little loosely structured, but a nice young wine---good---$22.

I'm happy that I got up to North Georgia again to experience its wines and scenery. Wolf Mountain & Montaluce were enjoyable stops. Both offer a good look into the new and exciting world of fine winemaking in North Georgia. The wines are interesting, as they represent a developing definition of what constitutes the characteristics of North Georgia wine. I think of them as an interesting mix of bold fruit, unique earthiness & minerality, presented with restraint and subtlety. A mix of old and new world styles. The tasting experiences were well done, with the same bells and whistles you see in more famous wine regions. All just a quick jaunt up GA 400. Cheers!

Cru Bordeaux Tasting

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage is interesting to me. Mainly, because I've been fortunate enough to taste a fair sampling of the wines. I went to the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux trade tasting in January and tasted wines from throughout Bordeaux, then got to follow that up with a Bordeaux tasting class at Atlanta Wine School that featured another sampling of 2007's. Furthermore, 2007 is a less than stellar vintage. With the wines initially priced high, and as inventories throughout the trade stagnate, there should be some nice bargains available over the next couple of years. For what it's worth, here are some notes on the wines that I tasted tonight.

~2007 Domaine de Chevalier Bordeaux Blanc, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, Pessac-Leognan- 80% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon. Nose of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and river rock that grows more floral with time in the glass. Crisp citrus on the palate with mineral notes and light touches of heather honey. Finishes with lilac floral notes and lime---very good to excellent---$75-$100.

~2007 Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion- 55% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Really detailed with secondary depth on both the nose and the palate, with the black fruit wound tightly within. Aromas of cedar, coffee, cracked pepper, and minerals. Flavors of fig, currant, slate, violet, leather, apple, and espresso. Cedary tannins with closing notes of tea and wood that further clip the fruit. With some age and the fruit opening up to intermingle with the host of other notes, this could really shine---Very Good to Excellent---$60 up to $130 online.

~2007 Chateau Larrivet Haut-Brion, Pessac-Leognan- 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Woodsy notes of cedar, chocolate, cherry- inviting with forward notes lavender, raspberry, mineral, and tea. Lush feel with herb-laced tannins. Good now.---Very Good---$20-$30.

~2007 Chateau Beaumont, Haut-Medoc Cru Bourgeois- 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Piney aromas of eucalyptus and pipe tobacco- with espresso, sour cherry, tea, and bitter chocolate. Finishes with silky tannins---fair to good---$15-$20.

~2007 Chateau du Tertre, Margaux, 5th Growth- 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Leathery, anise, floral notes, and raspberry- with raspberry tort, cherry, wet stone, and chocolate. Velvety with lush finishing notes---Very Good---$30-$40.

~2007 Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac, 5th Growth- 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Musky nose with leather and hints of fruit, and slightly medicinal- with berries, currant, violet-ripe with light secondary notes. Lush tannins with spice and fruit. Good now.---Good to Very Good---$38.

~2007 Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien, 4th Growth- 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Dense in the glass. Nose of tea, river rock, raspberry jam, cedar, and coffee- with integrated raspberry and currant fruit, slate, clove, tea, espresso, mint. Racy tannins with a long finish. Beautiful stuff with a long life ahead---Excellent---$35-$50.

~2007 Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey Sauternes, 1er Grand Cru Classé- 90% Semillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Muscadelle. Shines in the glass. Profound floral notes, mineral, key lime, and tropical fruit on the nose. Viscous texture with notes of tangerine, banana, coconut, and apricot-seamless. Lively and slightly medicinal. Decadent and long. Amazing stuff---Classic---$40-$60.

Day 5- Sonoma County- Calluna Vineyards + Four More Stops

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Napa and Sonoma in April 2010 were marked by celebration and discovery. A celebration of the spiritual connection to the world of vino, being there among it and soaking it all in-both old and new-discovery. There was one more day to achieve these goals, primarily in untapped areas on this trip. Starting in Chalk Hill and then working my way through Sonoma Valley and into Carneros.

Calluna Vineyards

The day started at Calluna Vineyards in the Chalk Hill AVA. I learned of Calluna from reading a post on the CabFrancoFiles blog about Calluna and some of ideas about winemaking, myths of California wine, and Chalk Hill. Calluna is a fairly new vineyard and winery, the brainchild of proprietor and winemaker David Jeffrey. Jeffrey was a longtime New York area wine collector and enthusiast who decided to pack up and move west, diving head-first into a new vineyard and winery project. He studied Enology at Fresno State and then worked the 2003 harvest in Bordeaux with Alain Raynaud at Château Quinault in Saint-Émilion, all the while searching for a vineyard site in Sonoma County that would meet his goals of making world class wine that combines the power and balance of Bordeaux, with the bold and rich flavors of Sonoma.

That site was newly developed as Calluna Vineyards in the Chalk Hill appellation, an AVA that Jeffrey believes achieves the perfect climatic balance for Bordeaux varietals. It gets a cooling influence from the Russian River Valley to the west, but with plenty of warmth and a smaller diurnal temperature variation than most other areas of Napa and Sonoma. Jeffrey relates these climatic factors to the great sites in Bordeaux, with ideas that sometimes fly in the face of conventional wisdom regarding California viticulture. The hallmark of the Calluna Vineyard sites for Jeffrey, is the ability of his grapes to reach full phenolic ripeness without excess sugar development. This allows him to make wines that fully express the terroir of Chalk Hill, without the addition of water to the must or tartaric acid. He is also in the process of implementing a barrel fermentation method, unique for red wines, where the barrels are able to be rolled in place helping to submerge the cap of skins back into the wine without having to punched down.

Mr. Jeffrey gave me a detailed tour of his vineyards, explaining the different exposures and soil variations that worked best for each of the Bordeaux varietals that he grows. Aside from being a great vineyard site, the property has spectacular panoramic views of the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, and the mountains of Napa Valley. Then it was on to taste the wines- current releases including the 2008 Calluna Vineyards Cuvée, the 2008 Merlot "Aux Raynauds", and the 2007 Windrift. The limited production Cabernet Sauvignon wines are sold out from the 2007 vintage, with the 2008's not yet ready for release. The wines are detailed below, but overall I can say that the proof is in the wine that this is an impressive undertaking. With the 2008 being only the second vintage, it amazes even further. What was available for tasting primarily was Merlot-based. It's pretty clear to me that this is a special site for Merlot. I look forward to trying the Cabernet-based wines in the future.


The Wines-

-2007 Windrift Red, Chalk Hill- This is Calluna's everyday wine. 39% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Malbec. Aged 20 months in French oak. Expressive aromas of red and black currant, slight herbal, and peppery notes- with fresh herbs, baking spice, and full secondary fruit. Sweetly spiced tannins finishing with nice length---very good---$20.

-2008 Windrift Red, Chalk Hill- Starts with tea, leather, rubbed herbs, and secondary fruit on the nose. Red fruit, spice, and graphite notes lead into silky coffee flavored tannins. Darker and more dense than the 2007---very good---$?

-2008 Calluna Vineyards Cuvée, Chalk Hill- Aged in 40% new French oak. 44% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, and 1% Petite Verdot. Great color- a rich purple-garnet that shines in the glass. An expressive nose with smoky black cherry, floral-violets, blackberry, and secondary spice. Much the same vein on the palate with lush and silky tannins brushed with white pepper and secondary fruit on the finish---excellent---$30.

-2008 Merlot "Aux Raynauds", Chalk Hill-Aged in 50% new French oak. 96% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc. A bright ruby/garnet. Aromas of coffee, cherry, red currant, and spices- fully expressive. A ton of depth on the palate with coffee, leather, mint, dark berries, and currant- full throughout, with gripping dusty tannins. Finishing long with berry and spice notes---excellent to stellar---$40.

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Arrowood Vineyards


Heading down into the Sonoma Valley, I stopped for a quick tasting in Glen Ellen at Arrowood. Arrowood is the namesake of famous Sonoma County winemaker Richard Arrowood, who still makes the wines there today. The winery is located along Highway 12, surrounded by a few parcels of their estate vineyards, and abutting the Mayacamus Mountain. The property is very much New England-style farmhouse in style, with a tasting room that overlooks Sonoma Valley. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the wines were uniformly good- a mix of Rhone, Burgundian, and Bordeaux varietals.

The Wines-

-2006 Réserve Spéciale Chardonnay, Sonoma County- Russian River Valley fruit from multiple vineyards. Unfined, 100% Barrel and Maloactic fermentation. Aged a total of 14 months in French oak. Nose of floral and mineral notes green apple fruit. Slight creamy notes, well balanced with crisp fruit and lively acidity---very good to excellent---$40.

-2007 Côte de Lune Blanc, Saralee's Vineyard, Russian River Valley- Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier with barrel aging and full malo. Floral aromas with peach and tropical fruit. Honey, mango, and peach flavors- nicely layered and with good acidity---very good---$25.

-2006 Estate Malbec, Sonoma Valley- Aged 27 months in French and American oak. Unfined and unfiltered. Coffee, tangy black cherry, and plum aromas with ample black cherry & plum flavors over a backdrop of secondary spice. Mellow tannins on the finish---good to very good---$40.

-2004 Réserve Spéciale Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County- From select mountain and benchland sites around Sonoma Valley- including Monte Rosso. Unfined and unfiltered with up to 30 months in French and American oak. Coffee, mocha, vanilla bean, with undercurrents of black fruit. Balanced on the palate with currant, spice, mocha, cocoa, and raspberry. Nice and supple with spicy tannins and a long finish---excellent---$110.

-2006 Côte de Lune Rouge- Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. Unfined and unfiltered with 16 months in French oak. Smokey plum and cherry with spice box aromas. Coffee bean, plums, and chocolate with spicy tannins---very good---$30.

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Audelssa Vineyards


The next stop was an appointment at Audelssa Vineyards above the Sonoma Valley floor. It's located far up the western slope of Mt. Veeder. A visit up to Audelssa begins and ends with the incredible view. Standing in the vineyards, the southern view starts with the famous Monte Rosse vineyard just below, and extends all the way across the San Pablo Bay to the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge. The western view is of the entire Sonoma Valley floor. In an area not short of spectacular views, this really stood out.

We did a quick overview of the vineyard and history of the property. The Shaefer family developed the vineyards in the early 1990's, and their wine was originally made by Richard Arrowood at his winery on the valley floor below. Winemaker Erich Bradley, who worked at Arrowood, eventually started to work with the Shaefer's, developing a program completely customized to fully express the estate's Sonoma Valley/Mt. Veeder terroir. I tasted through their current releases at the tasting bar overlooking the vineyard.

Your humble author, guilty of wineteeth

The Wines-

-2008 Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley- Rich gold color. Much fruit on the nose, with light creamy notes. Explodes with oak and malo notes on the palate- butter and creme fraiche with lighter pear notes. The acid holds up, but this definitely fits the bill for big buttery oaky CA Chardonnay---good to very good---$??

-2006 Alder Springs Merlot, Mendocino County- Aged 28 months in French oak. Violet, perfume, vanilla, and underlying fruit on the nose. Oak-driven spice flavors included vanilla, clove, and cigar box; with black cherry. Underpinned with more baking spice on a lengthy finish---very good---$60.

-2007 Summit, Sonoma Valley- 38% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot, 12.5% Cab Franc, 10% Malbec, 4.5% Petite Verdot. Aged 22 months in 40% new French oak. Earthy aromas of black truffles mixed with black raspberry & cherry and other spices. Plummy, with black cherry and spice. Silky tannins are deceptively gripping with a nice finish---very good---$52.

-2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley- 28 months in French oak. Smoky notes of black currant, spice, cherry, and baked earth- with beautiful mixed berry flavors and supple spice-laden tannins, finishing with good length. Some bottle age should help the depth of the nose integrate into the flavors---excellent---$40.

-2006 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley- 28 months in French oak. Chocolate, cherry, red raspberry aromas with red currant, leather, tobacco, and mocha- silky with a light grip. Good finish---very good---$90.

-2007 Zephyr, Sonoma Valley- 37% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 29% Mourvedre, 1% Voignier. 18 months in neutral French oak. Vanilla & cloves, cherry, sarsaparilla that moves onto the palate with mellow red berries, mulled fruit, and firm tannins---very good to excellent---$48.

-2007 Tempest, Sonoma Valley- 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier- co-fermented. 18 months in 20% new French oak. Red cherry, raspberry, currant, and lavender- pepper, currants, and a dusting of spices. Gripping, peppery tannins that preclude a long finish---excellent---$48.

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Bouchaine Vineyards

As I was leaving Audelssa, I realized that I was dangerously close to running out of gas. With nothing between Audelssa and the valley floor, it was going to be a long 15 minute ride to the bottom... wondering if I was going to make it. Luckily, I was able to ride the whole way down the mountain in neutral... only once giving any gas. When the car leveled out, my gauge looked a little more optimistic, so I was able to comfortably get to a gas station while heading south toward Carneros.


Bouchaine is on the Napa side of Carneros, heading to the south of the appellation. Carneros is an interesting region for me visually. It seems like most of California's vineyard scenes have a background of mountains somewhere in the picture. In Carneros, I look around and see only benign rolling hills carpeted with vineyards. With a relative lack of trees, I can imagine it as a desert if the vineyards were removed. With the proximity to the San Pablo Bay and its cooling effects, this is a prime Pinot Noir and Chardonnay region; and Bouchaine certainly has plenty to choose from. It's a historic winery property that dates back before prohibition. Beringer bought the property in 1951, re-establishing the winery. It was purchased in 1981 by the current owners, Garret and Tatiana Copeland, who refurbished the winery into a rustic hop kiln style. Eventually they hired Carneros veteran Michael Richmond as winemaker and general manager, establishing their current viticulture and winemaking standards. The tasting room was warm and welcoming, with friendly staff and a great view.

The Wines-

-2008 Chêne d'Agent Estate Chardonnay, Carneros- Unoaked. Green apple, lilac, and river rock notes open on the nose- with crisp pear, apple, and honeycomb. Lively balance---good to very good---$24.

-2008 Estate Chardonnay, Carneros- Primarily barrel fermented with some stainless fermentation, partial malo. Expressive mineral notes-floral and with bright fruit. Stone and apple on the palate with pleasant creaminess, butterscotch, and vanilla---nice depth on the finish---very good---$25.

-2008 Laird Cold Creek Pinot Gris, Carneros- Neutral oak fermentation and aging with full malo. Bright apple and tropical fruit highlighted by floral notes- with pear and honey- full bodied and creamy. Good acid balance---good to very good---$25.

-2006 Rockin H Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast- Barrel aged with partially new Hungarian oak. Notes of honey, butterscotch, truffle, and black fruit- with black cherry, plums, and creamy tannin spice---very good---$25.

-2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Carneros- Smoked meats, cherry, and herbs- with earthy and lightly spiced cherry and raspberry. Tannins with a touch of rubbed herbs, finishing with good depth---very good to excellent---$40.

-2007 Mariafeld Pinot Noir, Carneros- Mushroom, black cherry, herbs, and spice on the nose. Good acid greets the palate-with earthy & smoky black cherry, plums, and silky baking spice- with peppery tannins and nice spice on the closing---excellent---$30.

-2007 Estate Pinot Meunier, Carneros- Pepper, cherry, and violets- with more cherry and spice. Silky texture---very good---$??

-2007 Rockin H Syrah, Sonoma Coast- Gamey black fruit and spice throughout. Lush and fruity---good---$24.

Overall, these were nice wines for their price point. Nothing that blew me away, although the Mariafeld Pinot comes close when you consider the price. I like to add a little info about the winemaking, but their website was lacking info and hard to navigate...

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Gundlach Bundschu


Not content with 23 wineries in 5 days, I slid into Gundlach Bundschu right before closing. Those sneaking in under the bell stops can be a little iffy, see my 1st day stop at Peju in Napa. The staff at Gundlach Bundschu however, was helpful and engaging. I was able to taste through their reserve lineup, with a couple of extra pours thrown in.

There are a couple of interesting things about Gundlach Bundschu. Remarkably, it has been owned within the same families for over 150 years; surviving events like phylloxera and prohibition. Also, the property sits right on the border of the Sonoma Valley AVA, adjacent to Carneros AVA, and just over the Mayacamus foothills from Napa Valley. The Rhinefarm Vineyard's location- spread across 230 hillside, benchland, and valley floor acres- with the different climatic influences meeting- means that there's a good spot for just about any varietal somewhere on the property. There are underground caves, the tasting room is built into a hillside, and there is a really cool mural on the winery to honor its generations of vineyard workers. By all rights, my palate should have been shot by now, but I enjoyed the full range of wines that I had here, and still felt like what I was tasting made sense. Like Bouchaine in Carneros, these were well priced, extremely well-made wines, with nice balance and good depth.

The Wines-

-2008 Estate Chardonnay, Sonoma Valley- Inoculated and indigenous yeasts, barrel fermented, lees stirring up to 5 months, 30% malo, 9 months in 10% French oak. Caramel, buttered popcorn, apple and pear aromas- with apple, heather, and honey- full bodied with a nice finish---very good---$27.

-2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Sonoma Valley- Dijon and Pommard clones, up to 40 year old vines, 12 months in 40% new French oak. Truffle, cherry, and clove aromas- with vanilla, cherry, herb, and spice notes full throughout the palate. Vibrant with gripping tannins, and a long spice-laden finish---very good to excellent---$34.

-2007 Estate Tempranillo, Sonoma Valley- 14 months in 40% new American oak. Leather, spice, maraschino cherry, rose petals- with spice, ample fruit, baked earth, and green herbs- fairly well balanced and a light finish---very good---$36.

-2007 Estate Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley- 15 months in 35% new American oak. Plums, cherry, butterscotch, and vanilla- with pepper, nutmeg, black cherry, and lavender. Silky with spicy oak tannins and nice length---very good to excellent---$38.

-2007 Estate Syrah, Sonoma Valley- 14 months in 40% new French oak. Blackberry, leather, cocoa, and espresso notes- with earthy, gamey cherry & spice. Silky and long---very good---$36.

-2007 Estate Cabernet Franc, Sonoma Valley- Violet, lavender, plums, and other black fruits- silky on the palate with black currant, cherry, and herbs. Cracked pepper on the tannins with nice length---very good to excellent---$38.

-2006 Vintage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley- 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 6% Petite Verdot. Aged 18 months in 50% new French oak. Fig, tea, cherry, and coffee notes- with leather, roasted coffee, cigar box, and black currant. Silky and spicy throughout with depth to ride it out---very good to excellent---$80.

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And so it goes, Spring 2010- Napa & Sonoma, is in the books. Thanks to my friends Justin and Jon for tagging along with me for most of the trip. Thanks to all the helpful and friendly people that I met along the way. I didn't taste a bad wine while on the trip, just varying degrees of quality. Great times and great memories... cheers!

Link to all day 5 photos