4/23/2010
Dutton-Goldfield Winery
After a quick lunch at Bill's Deli & Grocery on Gravenstein Hwy in Sebastopol, we headed across the street to the new Dutton-Goldfield tasting room. I visited Dutton-Goldfield at their shared location with Balletto Vineyards last year, and loved the wines. With the proximity to Merry Edwards, this was a great chance to pop in for a quick visit to taste through the new releases. The new facility serves the dual purpose of being a tasting room and their warehouse storage facility. It's a nice open space with a contemporary feel and artwork on the walls. While we were there, winemaker and co-proprietor Dan Goldfield was blasting out some Stevie Ray Vaughn tunes to test out the sound system. Dutton-Goldfield is a no-frills tasting experience; just extremely solid wines served at the bar- perfect for a drop-in tasting.
The Wines-
-2008 Gewurztraminer, Green Valley- Peach cobbler and crisp citrus fruit, with honey and heather notes. Nice and refreshing with good aromatics---good to very good---$25.
-2007 Dutton Ranch Chardonnay, Russian River Valley-All barrel fermented in 40% new French oak with twice monthly lees stirring, 100% malo. Straw-gold. Butterscotch, apple, and caramel with bright mineral notes and nice finish---very good---$35.
-2007 McDougall Ranch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast- Aged 17 months in 45% new French oak. Medium clarity. Red cherry, pepper, and earth notes highlighted with red apple and baking spice-laden tannins. Great finish---excellent---$58.
-2007 Freestone Hill Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Aged 17 months is 55% new French oak. Brighter garnet color. Cherry cola and violets with bright cranberry, cherry, and cinnamon with silky tannins and a lengthy finish---excellent---$58.
-2007 Sanchietti Pinot Noir, Green Valley- 17 months, 55% new. Earthy and gamey red berries with cherry cola and baking spice. Spicy tannins and finish---very good to excellent---$58.
-2007 Devil's Gulch Pinot Noir, Marin County- Terrace and slope lots fermented and aged seperately, 17 months-60% new. Deeper and more dense. Cherry and pepper- silky red berry and light spicy tannins---very good---$58.
-2008 Morelli Lane Zinfandel, Russian River Valley- Like pinots- cold soaked with gentle punch-downs, aged 16 months in 40% French oak barrels. Ruby & bright with medium clarity. Black fruit and cherry with silky berry notes and spice. Cool silky tannins and long finish---excellent---$40.
-2007 Cherry Ridge Syrah, Russian River Valley- 20 months in 40% new French oak barrels. Ruby and dense. Gamey black cherry and spice notes with gamey rich red fruit with supple tannins and a berry finish---excellent---$35.
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Peterson Winery
We headed up into Dry Creek Valley to taste at Peterson Winery. Peterson is located on Dry Creek Road in the Timbercrest Farms complex along with several other wineries. Fred Peterson has been producing wines in Dry Creek Valley for over 20 years, with his son Jamie recently moving to the position of winemaker. The Petersons believe in sustainable farming and minimal intervention in the winemaking process. Much of their wine comes from their own Bradford Mountain vineyard in the northwest of Dry Creek Valley. We tasted through the Peterson wines with Jamie.
The Wines-
-2009 Timbercrest Farms Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley- 96% Sauvignon Blanc, 4% Muscat Blanc. Fermentation begins in stainless steel then is moved to French oak (10% new), full malo. Lemon-grass nose with ample tropical and citrus fruit on the palate. Balanced acidity and minerality---good to very good---$17.
-2007 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- 84% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah, 6% Carignane. 80% neutral mixed oak, 10% new Hungarian, 10% new American. Ruby with medium density. Bacon, cherry, vanilla with coffee, black fruits, and baking spice tannins. Nice and ripe but not overly aggressive---very good---$23.
-2005 Bradford Mountain Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- Unfined and unfiltered. Aged 21 months in 20% new French, 20% new Hungarian, 60% 3-5 year old French Oak. Ruby and dense. Black cherry and anise with currant, pepper, vanilla. Peppery tannins and long cinnamon on the finish---excellent---$32.
-2007 Shinbone, Dry Creek Valley- 60% Shiraz, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfined and unfiltered. 40% new Hungarian, 20% new French, and 40% 2-4 year old American barrels. Full throttle-cocoa, mocha, and black fruit with soft tannins and spice on the finish---good to very good---$28.
-2002 Agraria, Bradford Mtn Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley- 80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot. 26 months in 100% new French Oak. Floral on the nose with tobacco and cedar. Violets and strawberry, baking spice, cherry. Silky firm with spice on the finish---very good---$60.
-2007 1-2-3 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley- Inky and dense. Gamey, briary red fruit with licorice, ripe blackberry, and peppery tannins---good---$23.
-2006 Bradford Mountain Syrah, Dry Creek Valley- 92% Syrah, 7%Viognier, 1% Petite Sirah. Unfined and unfiltered. 22 months in 60% new French Oak. Inky and dense. Meaty wild black fruit with mocha, vanilla, and dried herbs. Smooth and silky tannins with a long finish of herbs and spice---excellent---$45.
-2007 Home Farm Muscat Blanc- 75% Muscat Blanc, 25% Orange Muscat. Fortified. Lightly sweet orange and honey notes with great balance---excellent---$30 375ml.
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Ridge Vineyards-Lytton Springs
We snuck into Ridge-Lytton Springs right before closing time; which ended up being a coup, as they were pouring the Monte Bello Cabernet. Lytton Springs is right on the eastern edge of Dry Creek Valley heading back into Healdsburg. It's an eco-friendly winery and tasting room with 125 year old Zinfandel vines greeting you as you head inside. Our pourer was friendly and engaging; I have to give alot of credit to her as we were tasting at the end of the day.
The Wines-
-2006 Monte Bello Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains- Unfiltered. Mineral, creme fraiche, and lemon grass with honeysuckle, pear, and butterscotch with balanced acidity and a nice finish---very good to excellent---$60.
-2006 Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains- 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Natural yeasts. Brambly fruit- boysenberry and red berries, leather and pencil lead- classically styled with ample red fruit and spice. Dusty and firm with herbs and spice, finishing long and elegant---excellent to stellar---$145.
-2006 Lytton Springs, Dry Creek Valley- 80% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 4% Carignane. Cherry pie, raspberry tort, vanilla with blue & red berries, vanilla, and light spices. Spicy, firm and long---very good---$35.
-2006 Geyserville, Sonoma County- 70% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 10% Petite Sirah, 2% Mataro. Red ruby and less dense. Tight nose with herbal black fruit. Black fruit with touches of strawberry & plums with supple tannins of black pepper and lengthy finish---very good---$35.
-2006 Old School Zinfandel, Alexander Valley- Black currant, vanilla, with ample black fruits and clove spice- silky and long---very good to excellent---$???.
-2006 Ponzo Zinfandel, Russian River Valley- Natural fermentation and aged 12 months in American oak. Musky, mushroom, and red fruit with plums, pepper, and lush tannins---very good---$28.
-2007 Nervo Zinfandel, Alexander Valley- Candied red fruit and peppery black fruit with firm tannins and cinnamon notes on the finish---very good---$???.
-2006 Caboose Zinfandel, Nervo Vineyard, Sonoma County- Natural fermentation, 15 months in American oak. Medicinal, tar, and floral notes with black & red fruit, clove & cinnamon. Silky with spicy tannins finishing long---excellent---$28.
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Wow- what a crazy day of wine tasting and touring. We went from coastal mountains along the Sonoma Coast to the pastoral Dry Creek Valley, tasting a crazy variety of wines. We grabbed a beer at the Dry Creek Valley General Store, where we met the owner- Gina Gallo. Dinner was at Bistro Ralph in Healdsburg. A pretty amazing cheese plate precluded the best Caesar salad I've ever eaten. A pretty decadent lamb meatloaf topped pretty much did me in from there...
Full photos from day 2. Next- back to Napa Valley-Storybook Mountain, Keenan, and Seavey.
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