Three sides of Sonoma

There are many things to love about Sonoma County wine, and variety is definitely one of them. It was the theme of the final day of wine tasting in California’s North Coast regions in April 2013. We visited three very different producers – beginning in Santa Rosa at the Punchdown Cellars facility to visit Ceritas Wines, on to Chalk Hill and Calluna Vineyards, and finally into the heart of the Russian River Valley to Scherrer Winery in Sebastopol.

Ceritas Wines is the brainchild of John Raytek and Phoebe Bass. Their mission is to produce site-specific Chardonnay and Pinot Noir most notably from the family vineyard – The Porter Bass Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast, just 8 miles inland in Forestville. There the vineyard rolls along slopes situated between ridge lines, benefiting from gentle fog, bright sunshine and cool nights. They sort grapes in the vineyard prior to harvest. In the cellar fermentation begins naturally without inoculation, and the wines are made without acid-addition. They avoid a cold-soak of the Pinot Noir, and ferment with 25% to 75% whole clusters.

Ceritas

We tasted three 2011 releases, as well as two barrel samples of 2012 Pinot Noir. My standouts included the 2011 Ceritas Peter Martin Ray Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains, which shined with bright citrus and floral notes, along with underlying depth of earthy minerals and dried herb – showing a dynamically rich structure with plenty of nervy tension. Very nice. The 2011 Ceritas Coastalina Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast showed clean tart fig and raspberry flavors along with deep notes of pine needle, tea leaf, and earth and brown spice – fine, silky, vibrant and complex. The 2012 Ceritas Porter Bass Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast from barrel was deeper and darker with black cherry and fig notes along with earth, forest, and savory spice that framed beautiful high-toned juicy mineral notes through the palate.

Calluna Vineyards

I first wrote about Calluna Vineyards after a visit three years ago. The vineyard was planted by David Jeffrey in 2003, and his moderately cool-climate site for Bordeaux varietals is producing balanced, powerful, and graceful wines – full of pleasure and sophistication. We tasted the current 2009 and 2010 releases.

Jon and I in the vineyard with David Jeffrey (photo by Justin)

My favorite was the 2010 Calluna ‘Aux Raynauds’ Merlot, Chalk Hill – showing plenty of mineral, floral, cedar, lead and leather sophistication, along with ripe currant fruit, all seamlessly layered and velvety on the palate, and finishing with plenty of brightness and firmness. What an awesome wine, it really shows the seriousness and sophistication that Merlot is capable of in California. I also really liked 2009 Calluna Vineyards Estate, Chalk Hill – this is a blend of the five Bordeaux varietals featuring Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot most prominently in the blend. This showed cassis and currants, with tea, floral, cedar, tobacco and black pepper notes, layered with big supple/firm tannins and juicy acidity on the finish. Also, look for the relative value of the 2010 Calluna ‘CVC’ CallunaVineyards Cuvee, Chalk Hill. This is another Bordeaux blend, that shows really well at a lower price point.

Scherrer Winery is located in an old warehouse building out on the far side of Sebastopol. Fred Scherrer produces wines from his family’s estate vineyard in Alexander Valley, as well as from numerous other sites in Sonoma County. It’s not a program that focuses solely on Bordeaux, Burgundy or Rhone varietals – instead it’s all of the above, along with Zinfandel too. Fred built production through the late 1980’s while working at Dehlinger Winery, finally moving into his own facility in 1997. Today production is between 4000 and 5000 cases. Fred’s winemaking philosophy often centers on minimal handling and non-interventionist techniques, and varies by varietal.

Fred Scherrer pouring for Justin

We tasted through a broad range of wine, with favorites ranging from the 2009 Scherrer Old Vine Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel, Alexander Valley – a broad and brambly dark fruited Zinfandel with lots of cola, spice and cedar depth, polished and rustic with a nice finish. A trio of 2008 Pinot Noirs shined- 2008 Scherrer Pinot Noir, Sonoma County and 2008 Scherrer Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley both showed nice, forward, spice-laden red fruit with earthy rhubarb notes. The 2008 Scherrer Platt Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast showed similar flavors with more depth and a more bracing structure. A 2005 Scherrer Cabernet Sauvignon Scherrer Vineyard, Alexander Valley showed the warm friendly dark fruit of Alexander Valley with plenty of cedar, leather, dried herb, and vanilla notes, along with a rustic feel and sweet ripe tannins. Finally, the sleeper of the lineup was the 2008 ScherrerTimbervine Vineyard Syrah, Russian River Valley – showing beautiful crushed rock, tobacco and cedar, along with robust blackberry and savory earth on the palate. Elegant and balanced and very nice.

In many ways Scherrer’s wines embody Sonoma County. Not just in the variety and flavors in the bottle, but also in the down-to-earth workmanlike aesthetic of Fred and the winery. Fred’s even got a band room off to the side in the winery – jammed full of big amps and drums and guitars.

This was a fine lineup of three very different producers - click here to see all tasting notes from the day. It’s always a little sad to leave Sonoma County. Until next time!

Tasting Sonoma County in a virtual tasting room

I looked forward to working on this post for two reasons. First, I've been interested from afar in the TastingRoom.com product and packaging. Additionally, I had a lineup of Russian River and Alexander Valley wines to taste through. Trione Vineyards & Winery put together a tasting kit of their current release wines through the TastingRoom.com packaging system (disclaimer- I received as a press sample).

I recently saw a Twitter post about TastingRoom.com, and have been curious about the concept. Basically they repackage wine into 50ml and 100ml bottles, to then market themed tasting kits (50ml), and by the glass bottles (100ml). The ultimate goal is to sell the featured wines at full retail, but to me the value of the program is in the tasting kits. Wines sold on the site cover a range of price points, and there are plenty of well-known and premium brands. Most of the wine is domestic, with some international available as well.

The Trione kit came in a black recyclable box. The 50ml bottles are glass with high-quality re-creations of the labels. The transfer of the wine happens in an anaerobic chamber, and the bottling date is listed on the label. Basically the wine is packaged well and the integrity of the wine is intact.

Yes, that's a Pac Man lunchbox in the background

Trione’s wines come from their estate vineyards in the Russian River and Alexander Valleys. Previously growers in Sonoma County dating back four decades, the family began producing wines beginning with the 2005 vintage. I tasted four Russian River wines, all from the clay loamy soils of their River Road Ranch vineyard located in the middle reach area of the valley – 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, 2008 Chardonnay, 2008 Pinot Noir and 2008 Syrah. The red Bordeaux varietals are grown in their vineyards in Alexander Valley. The 2007 Block 21 Cabernet Sauvignon features Cab grapes from a single block at Cloverdale Ranch, with small percentages of Merlot, Petite Verdot and Malbec coming from Geyserville Ranch. The 2007 Geyserville Ranch Red is a blend of Bordeaux grapes.

If there’s a thread that runs through these wines, it’s accessibility. The whites are nicely balanced with ample fruit, richness and acid, along with good Sonoma character - well priced too. The Cabernet Sauvignon and Geyserville Ranch Red are like big bear-hugs of wine - ripe and mellow dark fruits with roasted coffee, anise and cocoa notes across a stately warm & welcoming structure - totally Alexander Valley. The Russian River Syrah is a smooth drinker of ripe dark fruits along with nice-enough cool-climate savory notes. Click here for individual notes on all the wines.

However, the standout of the group is the Trione 2008 River Road Ranch Pinot Noir, Russian River. This is a blend of clones 115, 667 and 777. It’s made using traditional techniques such as open top fermentation with partial whole clusters and daily hand punch-downs. It’s pretty prototypical Russian River Pinot on the nose with fruitcake aromas of cherry, raspberry and plum. Things get interesting as this hits the palate with darker fruit, earthy forest and mushroom notes, and just hints of spice - all well balanced and nicely layered. It’s sharply textured with fine tannin and nice length on the finish. This is really enjoyable Russian River Pinot with good depth and interest priced below $30 – highly recommended!

2011- Sans Blog

Damn... what happened? The last time I posted the blog was called "Wineheimer" and it was September of 2010. It's been crazy busy since then with a wine sales job taking most of my time and energy.

2012 will bring a new location and hopefully the time and energy to post again. I'm relocating to Santa Barbara CA, and hopefully will be posting wine blogs in the new location from a new perspective. I'm no longer in the wine business, so I feel comfortable relaunching the blog from the perspective of a wine enthusiast and overall superfan!

In the meantime I'm posting a photo recap of my highlights of 2011.  The links below are photos from my vineyard travels of 2011... Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Monterey, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Columbia Valley. If you like vineyard pictures ad nauseum you'll want to check these out.

SANTA BARBARA 2011

PASO ROBLES 2011

MONTEREY, SAN BENITO, SANTA CRUZ

NAPA VALLEY

SONOMA COUNTY

MORE NAPA VALLEY

WILLAMETTE VALLEY 1

WILLAMETTE VALLEY 2

WALLA WALLA VALLEY

CHATEAU CHAMPOUX (please note that my team won the grape stomping championship!) and RED MOUNTAIN

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

Day 4- Sonoma- Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley

Sunday 4/25/2010
Arnot-Roberts Winery

Sunday had us back in the Russian River Valley, with 4 stops in its different regions before heading up to Alexander Valley. The first stop was in Forestville at Arnot-Roberts, a winery founded in 2001 by longtime friends Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts. Both have spent their lifetime around winemaking in Napa Valley; Nathan being a second generation cooper-making all of the new barrels that Arnot-Roberts uses, and Duncan formerly working at several big name Napa wineries. They operate out of an old winery warehouse building in Forestville, a small town in the west of the Russian River Valley. Their wines are produced using natural yeast fermentations, without fining or filtering, and with little sulfur added at the fermenter. For aging, new oak is used very judiciously and the barrels are toasted to work specifically for the vintage at hand.

Of note, Arnot-Roberts wines on balance are a point or more lower in alcohol by volume than most of their contemporary California wines. Very finessed and truly European in style. Produced in very small quantities, and sourced from distinctive vineyards in Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties. Arnot-Roberts fits a more appropriate definition of a cult wine in my opinion- down to earth guys making wines that fly in the face of current convention in California; and in an unassuming Bohemian-type warehouse space. I really dig the aesthetic of the packaging as well- embodied by the California Fuchsia painting by Nathan's grandmother, Margrit Biever Mondavi, that dons most of their bottles. It was a real treat to taste through this rare wine with Nathan, the time was much appreciated. Special thanks as well to Hardy Wallace and his Dirty South Wine blog for turning me on to these guys.

The Wines-

-2009 Green Island Vineyard Chardonnay, Napa Valley- Unfiltered, all neutral oak. Straw in color. Beautiful nose with aromas of brie, wet stone, lime, and caramel. Lemongrass flavors with lime, flint, honeycomb, and green apple. Chablis-esque. Tart acidity, nicely integrated and balanced---excellent---+/-$30.

-2008 Syrah, North Coast- Inky in appearance. Expressive feminine lavender, berries, and perfume aromas with lean and tart berry, mineral, and cured meat flavors- tightly structured with added berries on the finish---very good---$20-$30.

-2007 Bugay Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County- Bright purple in the glass. Floral notes of lavender, cherry, leather, and herbs with pepper, herbs, red cherries, & currants. Spicy tannins finishing with notes of vanilla---excellent---+/-$50??

-2007 Alder Springs Syrah, Mendocino County- Inky with notes of bacon, sweet red cherry, and boysenberry. Explosive on the palate with currants, cracked pepper, red raspberry, and cherry- accented by gamey notes and peppery tannins- structured with a racy acidity. Lingering finish---excellent---+/-$50.

-2007 Clajeax Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Chalk Hill- Bright purple. Spicy aromas-clove, nutmeg, cedar, with red and dark fruits. Flavors of lavender, black currents, cassis, leather, pencil lead- full throughout with gripping tannins and a lengthy finish dusted with traces of fruit. Impactful yet elegant-very much like a fine Bordeaux---excellent to stellar---+/-$75.

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Iron Horse Vineyards


In Green Valley near Forestville, Iron Horse was just a quick hop over from Arnot-Roberts. It served as a nice little diversion into sparkling wines. If you've never been to Iron Horse before, the tasting area is outdoors and the winery sits on top of a hill above the vineyards. There is a fantastic view east across Russian River Valley all the way to Mt. St. Helena. The pourers are cool and the vibe is laid back. We opted for the tasting with 5 of Iron Horse's méthode Champenoise sparking wines- all estate estate grown in the Green Valley appellation.

The Wines-

-2004 Blanc de Blancs- 100% Chardonnay aged 4+ years on the lees. Fine and persistent bead. Yeast, mineral, and light fruit notes open up into fresh citrus and apple- bright and crisp---very good to excellent---$38.

-2006 Wedding Cuvée- Blanc de Noirs- 86% Pinot Noir, 14% Chardonnay. Fine in the glass. Yeast, wet stone, light cherry, red apple, and chalk on the finish- nice and long---excellent---$38.

-2005 Classic Vintage Brut- 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. Aged 3 years on lees. Fine beads. Nice brioche and lemon notes with rich mineral, citrus, and apple notes and finish---excellent---$33.

-2005 Russian Cuvée- 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. Aged 3 years on lees. Still Brut, but slightly sweeter dosage. More red fruit- apple & cherry along with yeast notes. More fruit driven---good to very good---$33.

-2005 Brut Rosé- 81% Pinot Noir, 19% Chardonnay. Color comes from extraction rather than blending in still wine. Red cherry and strawberry with further darker notes predominate on the palate- the extraction is a little overpowering for my tastes---good---$50.



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Joseph Swan Vineyards




Moving back east into the heart of the Russian River Valley, we stopped to taste at Joseph Swan Vineyards. Joseph Swan was a pioneer of Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. The winery is now owned by longtime winemaker Rod Berglund. They still specialize in small lots of unique and interesting single vineyard Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. The wines are rich and bold with full fruit and spice, yet elegant and very refined with less extraction and alcohol than many contemporaries. In their way they really embody the Russian River Valley. The tasting room is in the middle of the cellar- very low key and all about the wines.



The Wines-

-2006 Cuvée du Trois Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Blend, Partial whole clusters, wild and cultured yeasts, 10 months in French Burgundy barrels, unfined and unfiltered. Dirty brick red with clarity. Cinnamon and sour cherry with nice full flavors of cherry and allspice. Lots of spice and good acidity. Dusty grip with a nice finish---very good to excellent---$28.

-2006 Trenton View Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Same brick red color. Similar cinnamon and cherry notes with a greater earthiness. Mushrooms, spice, and red fruit with a nice, long grip---excellent---$35.

-2005 Mancini Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley- Medium ruby color. Mulled cider, cherry, and maple with spice rack and red fruit. Silky tannins and finish---very good to excellent---$26.

-2005 Zeigler Ranch Zinfandel, Russian River Valley- Similar color to the Mancini. Spices and mulled raspberry notes with more sweet, mulled red fruit on the palate. Silky with nice length---very good to excellent---$26.

-2006 Saralee Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Clear ruby. Earth, spice-box, and red fruit with cherry and cola flavors. Great acid profile with gripping tannins and lingering red fruit flavors---excellent---$36.

-2005 Trenton Station Syrah, Russian River Valley- Inky. Smokey and gamey with black fruit, herbs, and pepper. Pepper, olive, and spice notes all compliment the black fruit. Pure silk through the tannins---very good to excellent---$22.

-2006 Matthew's Station Tannat, Russian River Valley- Brown-ruby. Port-like with maple notes. Big black fruit with firm tannins---good to very good---$28.

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Thomas George Estates


Our last two tastings were set up the previous day during our chance meeting with Fritz Stuhlmuller. He was nice enough to hook us up at Thomas George Estate, as well as Stuhlmuller Vineyards. Thomas George Estates is a fairly new winery along Westside Road in the north of the Russian River Valley- the historic former site of Davis Bynum. Jeremy Baker, a Toronto restaurateur, purchased the winery and the estate vineyards in a family partnership in early 2008, and completely renovated the winery complex. They're developing three vineyards for an estate program- Baker Ridge-above the winery, Cresta Ridge-in Green Valley, and Starr Ridge-in northeast of the Russian River Valley appellation. The winemaker is Chris Russi, formerly of Christopher Creek Winery in Russian River Valley.

The winery and tasting room are modern and upscale-contemporary in feel, with beautifully appointed grounds. There's much attention to detail-with the feel of a facility tied to a touring business. The wines were consistently enjoyable- bold fruit, good balance, some finesse, integrated oak spice- solid and consistently Russian River Valley in style.

The Wines-

-2008 Sauvignon Musque, Dry Creek Valley- Apple, citrus, and mineral aromas with honeyed citrus notes, apple, and lime. Clean finish with lingering citrus fruit---very good---$25.

-2008 Windsor Oaks Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley- 100% Stainless steel. Lime, banana, and citrus- with lemon grass and apple flavors. Lively acidity that balances and mellows as it finishes---very good---$25.

-2008 Viognier, Sonoma Valley- Stainless steel fermented, no malo. Full expressive aromas of Rose petals, minerals,apple, honey, and peach- with honeyed floral and peach on the palate. Good acid and balance and with a nice finish---very good---$28.

-2008 Stuhlmuller Chardonnay, Inox, Alexander Valley- Unoaked with no malo. Straw, honey, lemon, and apple with mulled apple and lemon meringue. Nice balance-smooth and creamy on the palate---very good to excellent---$32.

-2007 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- 2-4 day cold soak, inoculated, 10 months in 33% new French oak. Honey, maple, raspberry, and floral aromas-inviting. A silky rush of fruit with herbal and floral notes. Balanced with acid and spicy oak tannins lacing the red fruit finish---very good to excellent---$38.

-2007 Allen Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Aging in 33% new French oak. Cedar on the nose with floral-violet, earth, and cherry notes. Red fruit with mushroom and mossy notes- rich and silky with a great finish---excellent---$55.

-2007 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- 5 day cold soak with 8-10 day fermentation w/thrice daily punch downs. Aged for 10 months in 33% new, 66% American oak. 5% Syrah, 6% Petite Sirah. Vanilla, black cherry, and boysenberry with cedar and black fruit. Peppery and spicy tannins with a long finish---excellent---$28.

-2008 Tre Torrente Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley- Aged in 25% new American oak- 16.5 abv. Vanilla, spice rack, lavender, and subtle fruit with port-like black fruit and more vanilla spice on the tannins and some pepper on a big finish---excellent---$33.

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Stuhlmuller Vineyards


Stuhlmuller Vineyards is located on the southern border of Alexander Valley- to the adjacent north of the Russian River Valley appellation, and to the adjacent northwest of Chalk Hill. Their riverside Chardonnay vineyards benefit from the cool morning fog of the Russian River. The Cabernet is grown on the slopes off the river. The Stuhlmuller's bought the vineyards in the 1980's and operated the property solely as vineyards until 2000, when their son Fritz achieved the dream of establishing an estate winery on the property. The style is rich and crisp, cool climate Chardonnay; and approach-ably bold and balanced Cabernet. It's a great little spot in the middle of the vineyards- in a tucked away part of Alexander Valley. The modest tasting room looks into the winery.


The Wines-

-2008 Estate Chardonnay, Alexander Valley- Fermented with indigenous yeast and aged sur lie in 10% new French oak for 8 months, 76% undergoing indigenous maloactic fermentation. Pear, Meyer lemon, and citrus with additional spice, apple, and caramel. Very balanced with lively acid-finishing with apple and spice---excellent---$24.

-2007 Estate Reserve Chardonnay, Alexander Valley- Fermented in barrel and aged for 14 months sur lie with 40% new French oak. Unfiltered. Indigenous yeast with full malo. Richer in color. Butterscotch, caramel, and candied apple with rich buttery apple flavors---very good---$38.

-2008 Estate Zinfandel, Alexander Valley- Not yet released. Boysenberry, cherry, caramel, spice, and blueberry- with more cherry and spice, full through the tannins and long finish---very good to excellent---$28.

-2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley- 18 months in 46% new French oak. Black cherry, spice, mint- light and floral- with red fruit, tobacco, and earthy spice. Firm with nice length---very good---$36.

-2006 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley- 3.5% Petite Verdot blended in. 18 months in 55% new French oak. Red raspberry, boysenberry, and mossy earth with black cherry, raspberry. Gliding and silky with with spicy tannins before finishing long with smooth flavors of baking spice---excellent---$65.

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With good luck and good planning, it was another awesome day of wine tasting. Alas, it was time to see my buddies Justin and Jon off to a red eye flight back to Atlanta. I had another day before my departure. We ended up in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Rohnert Park, with the two of them trying to pack up massive amounts of wine to fly back home with... they managed to make it work and get to their flight. There was one more day to follow for me, with multiple stops in Sonoma County and Carneros...

Click here for all Day 4 pictures-

DAY 2- Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley (part 2)

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.

DAY 2- Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley (part 1)

Friday April 23, 2010

Hirsch Vineyards

The drive up to Hirsch was quite amazing. It took us through the morning fog of the Russian River Valley, up through Monte Rio, and along the Russian River to Highway 1. Following the rugged Sonoma coastline for a spell and then up into the coastal mountains, we finally found ourselves at the Hirsch Vineyards. But not before mile after mountain mile of one-lane road, hairpin curves, and even driving through backyards- ruins of crashed cars notwithstanding. It's a great way to bring the term "Far Sonoma Coast" to life.

Justin and Jon getting the vineyard tour

Upon arrival we were greeted by our hostess, Tess. We took a stroll around the vineyards, starting in the original OVY vineyard blocks- originally planted to Pinot Noir and Riesling back in 1980 before eventually being converted to all Pinot Noir. From there we talked about some of the viticultural practices of Hirsch and viewed the expanse of vineyards spread across hilltops off in the distance- with the Pacific Ocean in the horizon. Hirsch is only 3 miles from the coast, with the San Andreas fault lying between it and the ocean.

Back at the winery, we toured the open-top fermenters and the barrel room, as we were joined by winemaker Ross Cobb. Ross was great, entertaining my friend Justin's questions about his approach to natural fermentation, and showing us the 14 gallon glass demijohns in which his Chardonnay is partially fermented. Finally, we headed into the office to taste a couple of wines they had lying around. Thanks to Tess for setting everything up, and to both Tess and Ross for being so hospitable. This was a great stop, a fascinating departure from the rest of the wine trail circuit. My only regret is not allowing more time before the second appointment of the day. Our 10:00 appointment was followed by a 1:00 back in the Russian River Valley- an hour and fifteen minute drive back. We had to hustle to get back- bottoming out on a random speed hump coming down the mountain and almost nailing a sheep!

Justin and Ross Cobb talking about yeast

The Wine-
-2008 Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast- Partial oak, glass, and stainless steel fermentation. Wild yeast fermentation. Full malo. Unfiltered. Neutral oak aging. Earthy nose with pungent notes of aged cheeses and bright apple. Earthy on the palate with bright fruit and mineral balance. Good acid and a long finish---excellent---$50.

-2007 San Andreas Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast- A ruby color with good clarity. Gamey, cherry, and forest floor notes initiate velvety strawberry and cherry fruit soaked in silky tannins. Nice earthy fruit finish---excellent---I could see this further developing the depth of flavors with a few years time---$60.

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Merry Edwards Winery

The tasting at Merry Edwards was definitely structured and seminar-like. It's more of a pitch on the wines than a chance for dialogue. The winery itself is more of a modern working winery facility than a hospitality center. The tastings are put on at conference tables off of the office area. The grounds are really pretty though, with beds of flowers and the Coopersmith Vineyard surrounding the winery. What I liked about the tasting was having a map of the Russian River Valley in front of us with the vineyard locations marked. This was a great tool while tasting through the single vineyard Pinot Noirs. The Pinots were all nice and lush and rich- very prototypical Russian River Valley. Most were with silken red fruit and more spice than earth. For my taste, they lacked just a little bit of that extra depth that might have taken them above and beyond- but very nice all the same. The Sauvignon Blanc was outstanding.

The Wines-

-2007 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Black cherry & currants with a slight earthiness. Dusty tannins with pepper and baking spice on the finish---very good---$42.

-2007 Tobias Glen Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- A blend of Dijon clones. Lighter in color. Generous aromas of red cherry, mushroom, minerals with red cherry and strawberry fruit with white pepper on the palate. Lighter peppery tannins with a little more earth than spice on the finish---very good to excellent---$54.

-2007 Flax Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- From Pommard clones. Darker and more dense. Cherry cola and herbal notes with raspberry and light spice. A little loose on the finish---good---$54.

-2007 Meredeth Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- Darker with density. Baking spice and cherry with raspberry, dried herbs, and strawberry. Dried herb-laced tannins with additional berry notes on the finish---very good to excellent---$54.

-2007 Klopp Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley- A little lighter color and appearance than the Flax or the Meredeth. Generous red cherry, cola, and pepper with earth and mushroom notes. Silky tannins with a finish of oak and spice---very good to excellent---$58.

-2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley- Barrel fermented in 18% new French oak. Straw-gold. Aromatic with slight vegetal notes and a lot of tropical fruit. Creamy yet crisp tropical fruit flavors- pineapple and lime- with a great finish---excellent---$30.

Next, more notes on Day 2. Click the link for photos of Day 2 in Sonoma County.