The 2011 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard was the winning bottle in the September installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I did not decant the wine. Cayuse was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a native of France who grew up in family of winemakers in Champagne. Baron studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne, and had ambitions to make Pinot Noir…
Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. The Nittany Epicurean reviews the 2015 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel. Josh Raynolds writes Paso Robles 2016 & 2015: New Releases. Peg Melnik writes Wine Picks: With…
The Sobon Estate winery started in 1989 when Leon and Shirley Sobon bought each other a second winery for their 30th wedding anniversary present. They purchased the historic D’Agostini Winery, one of the oldest in the state. This winery has been designated as California State Historic Landmark #762. This site was chosen not only for its historical winery, but also for…
Elvio Cogno first came up with the idea to produce wine at the Ristorante dell’Angelo in La Morra. Elvio Cogno’s family had been growing grapes for generations, but no one had thought of turning that work into a job. It was so successful that by the late 1950s, with the support of a business partner and the growing prestige of…
The September Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on iconic Syrah from the 2011 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened this weekend and a Bottle Note will be published the following…
Dehlinger Winery is located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County and was founded in 1975 by Tom and Carole Dehlinger. Eva Dehlinger took over winemaking duties in 2007. Known for their Pinot Noir, Dehlinger also makes Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. Dehlinger Pinot Noir is sourced from the estate vineyards on Vine Hill Road. Goldridge is…
Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. Randy Caparoso writes The Physical Impact of Soil and Selection on Lodi Zinfandels. Joe Roberts writes The Good Sh*t (Biodynamic Preparations At Troon Vineyard). Isaac Baker review the 2016…
Chateau Montelena dates back to 1882 when Albert Tubbs bought 254 acres of property just north of Calistoga. Tubbs planted vines and by 1896 Montelena was the 7th largest winery in California. Winemaking came to an end with the onset of Prohibition. The current iteration of Montelena can be traced to 1968, when Jim Barrett was brought on as a…
Force Majeure was founded in 2004 by Paul McBride and made its name pairing some of Washington’s highly acclaimed winemakers with fruit from one of Washington’s highly acclaimed vineyards, Ciel du Cheval. The winery recently transitioned from Collaboration wines to Estate wines. Todd Alexander, formerly of Bryant Family Vineyards, is the winemaker for the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo. Force Majeure…
Lauren Ashton Cellars was founded in 2009 by Kit Singh. A Dentist by profession, Kit’s passion for wine was fueled by trips to Napa, Sonoma and Europe’s best known wine regions. Kit’s enology background includes classes at UC Davis and Seattle Community College along with an internship at Delille Cellars. The inspiration for the name of the winery was Kit’s…