Tasting Notes

The 2003 Estate Chardonnay greets you with a rich golden honey color - a hint of what's to come. The nose supports the richness of the color with orange-blossom honey aromatics and undertones of pineapple and stone minerals. The mouth feel of the wine confirms the perception of richness with a lush honey texture and flavors of orange-blossom honey. This is accompanied with creamy hints of pineapple and vanilla. The luxurious finish is clean and exceptionally well balanced, with bright mineral acidity.

Tasting Notes

The 2003 Jemrose Pinot Noir is a bit more aromatic, more fruit forward and a bit heavier than the 01 or 02 vintages. It's an evolutionary change that reflects the changing balance in California Pinots from the Burgundian style to the more fruit centric California style.

The 2003 Jemrose is very aromatic, with pronounced floral aromas. It is full and round on the palate, with forward fruit that is dominated by that haunting Pinot Noir flavor. We often pair it with grilled salmon and seared tuna. It goes equally well with chicken, steak and lamb. We've done Winemaker Dinners where the Jemrose Pinot was paired with a complex salad. Just use lemon juice in the dressing instead of vinegar, and the wine and salad will compliment each...

Tasting Notes

This exquisite Chardonnay is bright golden yellow in color, and aromas of ripe, juicy apples and ripe tropical fruits jump out at you. These ripe fruit flavors fill the palate along with vanilla, caramel and cream derived from aging 10 months in high-quality French oak. The texture is supple with a smooth, silky feel in the mouth.

This is a complete and opulent wine that releases its sweet, spicy oak and pineapple flavors before leading to a long, insistent finish. This well-balanced wine has layers of complexity and richness that demonstrate the care and attention to detail in the making of this wine.

Bonneau Chardonnay goes well with Brie and fruit, as well as light pasta, rich seafood, poultry & veal. Enjoy the wine now - however,...

Tasting Notes

Ripe anju pear, marzipan and créme brulee are attributes of the warm fall. The long cool Carneros growing season provided the crispness and lemon citrus flavors. Brilliant, radiant gold with citrus orange zests and a finish that doesn't finish.

From the Winery

Vinum, cantus, amor - wine, song, love. Trademark words for Ceja Vineyards and the Ceja Family, third generation winegrowers in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. We match vines to terroir, planting each variety where it grows best. Fruit is handled gently to create our limited collection of hand-crafted wines. Enjoy with family, friends and your favorite dishes. ¡Salud!

Tasting Notes

The wine shows a deep purple-ruby hue accompanied by fragrant suggestions of blackberries, dark plums, raspberries and cassis with supporting notes of black pepper and oily spices (clove and nutmeg). On the palate the wine is smooth, juicy and plump with great integration of fruit and spice, with full body and great purity. The finish is long and refined. Having been aged 18 months in high quality French Oak barrels, you may enjoy this wine currently or allow for additional aging in the bottle.

Suggested food pairings include pasta, red sauces, robust cheeses, lamb and venison.

From the Winery

UPDATE (Jan 2007): This wine has won a SILVER Medal at the 2007 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

Bonneau Zinfandel is produced from grapes grown on...

Tasting Notes

The meaty and leathery characters and hints of Provençal herbs and spices might have you thinking this Rhône-style blend of Mourvedre, Syrah, and Grenache just fell out of a "California Cheese" commercial. Well, the name is the only cheesy thing about it! Those bright fruit flavors of boysenberry and raspberry sure ain't no bull! (Note: No animals were harmed in the writing of these tasting notes.)

Food Pairings:
Pairs and rhymes with Duck! Also barbecued baby back ribs and Szechuan foods.

From the Winery

The 2005 edition of this tastelessly named red Rhône-style blend is the first vintage with grapes sourced almost entirely from Calaveras County. All of the vineyards were chosen for a particular attribute that makes those vineyards very special places. Most...

Tasting Notes

Winemaker's Notes:
This varietally correct Pinot Noir reflects the traditional Burgundian style of silky elegance balanced by depth and complexity.

Aromas:
Intense raspberry, light cherry and black pepper spice are complimented by a toasted oak and vanilla bouquet.

Palate:
Moderate palate weight with concentrated, mouth-coating flavors of raspberry and black cherry spice, surrounded by a creamy vanillin structure.

Finish:
Soft tannins linger, with intense raspberry spice and toasty oak components.

Pair With:
Seared day boat sea scallops in a Portobello mushroom and truffle emulsion served on mashed celeriac, or with rich autumnal fruits and a ripe creamy Camembert.

From the Winery

Jeriko Estate produces hand-crafted artisan wines from 100% organically grown and certified grapes from our vineyard in beautiful southern Mendocino county - which means no chemically synthesized fertilizers or...

Tasting Notes

Brimming with berries and spice, the seductive nose of our vintage Port invites you to discover what lies beneath its many layers of aromas. The velvety texture reveals more fruit, chocolate and a mature tannin structure.

From the Winery

Iberian varietals. California terroir. Incredible wines.

Barreto Cellars is a Central Coast Winery dedicated to producing premium-quality wines featuring grape varietals from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Having relatives who migrated to America from these regions, we have a strong connection and desire to develop wines utilizing these varietals, a number of which are grown in small amounts in select vineyards throughout California.

The Mediterranean climate and soil is very similar to much of California, providing us with the opportunity to create new varietal wines...

Tasting Notes

Our Bradford Mountain Zin has more personality than the main character in a good mystery. The aromas seem dark and brooding yet somehow inviting, with layers of fruit, oak and spice all blended together. Deep rich flavors on the palate and a consistent thread of mineral essence run throughout to form a well-balanced and full-bodied wine. Concentrated blackberry flavors meld with a spicy backdrop to create an intensely delicious Zinfandel. This wine could easily hold in your cellar for years, or be consumed immediately with a juicy tri-tip or robust Italian meal.

From the Winery

I fell in love with mountain wines and mountain vineyards in 1979 when I first laid eyes on Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I carried that...

Tasting Notes

Our '02 Petite Sirah hits the ground running with robust aromas and flavors that punch on through to the finish. The deep inky color lures you in and the aromas -- brambly and spicy, with herbal notes and rustic earthy essence -- lead you on. The rich berry and vanilla flavors are framed in a balanced yet powerful structure of tannin, oak and acid. The midpalate reveals coffee and blackberry followed by a long mocha and fruit-driven finish. This rough-hewn wine deserves a hearty meal or cheese course to show its true merits.

From the Winery

The West Vineyard is an 80-year-old dry-farmed, head trained Zinfandel vineyard that is the source for our Tradizionale Zinfandel. I worked with the grower Tom West on a more...

Tasting Notes

Delicious aromas of currants and mineralty lure you to sip this smooth and full-bodied Cabernet. Gentle tannins and the firm acidity of mountain fruit frame flavors of currant, cherry and cedar. The lasting finish of lush berries and sweet vanilla bring you back for more. Our 2002 Cabernet can be enjoyed now or cellared for many years to unveil further complexities in the wine.

From the Winery

This is our most terroir-driven wine -- a Peterson wine that shouts out its origins with every sip. The Bradford Mountain vineyards produce wine grapes with a unique and very recognizable minerality, and that expression of place reaches its apex in the Bradford Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.

The intensity of the Cabernet Sauvignon is complemented with fleshy fruit...

Tasting Notes

Rich, jammy, blackberry flavors fill the mouth and stir memories of childhood experiences in a blackberry patch. The middle palate is full and rich. The wine's bouquet reveals hints of berry and vanilla, and the finish is agreeably long and abundant. Try this 2001 Croze with roasted meats and anything from the grill. Or, sip Croze in front of a fire, with a friend!

From the Winery

Our 2001 Croze comes from Sweetwater Ranch in the heart of the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. This young and vigorous vineyard produces fruit with bright flavors and moderate tannins.

A long, cool fermentation and 39 months in barrel created an elegant Bordeaux style wine. The 2001 Croze Cabernet Sauvignon is balanced and complex. The subtle tannic...

Tasting Notes

The 2004 Syrah treats you to a bouquet of flavors - ripe, black fruit and underlying spices. There's a hint of mint in the nose and again in the finish. All of this is supported by a solid, mature tannin structure. The result is a mellow blend with a touch of velvet.

From the Winery

Tanner Vineyard lies on a rocky, south facing slope in the Sierra foothills, in Calaveras County near Murphys. The grapes were crushed and fermented in small lots to preserve the varietal flavors.

The vineyard is situated at 2000 feet elevation in the Sierra foothills. The rocky, south facing slope has great drainage and long sun exposure. Hot days and cool nights make for the ideal climate and soil conditions for...

Tasting Notes

Bonneau’s first red wine release from Sonoma County features equal amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes selected from two outstanding vineyards - one located in the Dry Creek appellation and the other on Sonoma Mountain. To enhance and compliment the wine, Petit Verdot and Malbec varietals were blended. In the glass, you'll find a deep purple-ruby color and wafting aromas of blackberry, ripe raspberry, and cranberry mingled with mocha, cassis and allspice.

Our Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied and luscious on the palate, with tannins that are finely integrated with a defined amount of French oak. The texture is smooth as black cherry, juicy black fruit and ripe fig flavors capture the mouth, and the finish is long lasting and satisfying. This wine is made to enjoy...

Tasting Notes

Our 2005 Sonoma County Syrah is a lush wine and still the darkest wine we have ever seen - lots of color pigments translate to lots of flavors! This Syrah comes from a small, hillside vineyard in the Mayacamas that is farmed organically and biodynamically. Fermented with native yeasts, the wine is dark and rich with flavors of berries and aromas of stone fruit, white pepper and earth. A true Northern Rhone style Syrah with explosive aromatics and a smooth palate.

From the Winery

Committed to local sustainable agriculture, Sky Saddle is a small, boutique winery making fine wines exclusively from organically and/ or biodynamically grown grapes. The wines are single-vineyard designates and are made to capture the essence of the land from which they...

Tasting Notes

Bold, tangy with hints of guava and gooseberry. Intense layers of bright fruit and mineral flavors. Gold with hints of lime, fresh and crisp, with long lasting flavors.

From the Winery

Vinum, cantus, amor - wine, song, love. Trademark words for Ceja Vineyards and the Ceja Family, third generation winegrowers in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. We match vines to terroir, planting each variety where it grows best. Fruit is handled gently to create our limited collection of hand-crafted wines. Enjoy with family, friends and your favorite dishes. ¡Salud!

Tasting Notes

Big yet balanced, dense yet distinctive, our 2004 Eaglepoint Ranch Syrah is major league! The ethereal mineral quality of the mountain soils shows in waves, along with rich blueberry-blackberry, mocha, plum and light red-fruit spice notes. The style of the wine is definitely "California" but with the quasi-terroir of Northern Rhone. It will greatly impress now but will most certainly reward with patience, drinking beautifully and improving over the next decade!

From the Winery

"Redline" is a term for maximum engine revolutions. Used in the context of auto racing & harkening back to winemaker Larry Roberts' racing photographer days - it also implies top performance, which Larry is dedicated to achieving with Redline Wines.

Balance, density, richness, structure, complexity - the Redline winemaking philosophy is...

Tasting Notes

The 2003 Estate Zinfandel embodies the definition of Zinfandel aromatics and flavors crafted in the classic claret style. Upon the initial pour, the eye is greeted with a deep garnet color and the nose with cocoa powder and bright raspberry.

This medium bodied Zinfandel has an amazing framework of acidity, dusty tannins and a long, dry finish. As the wine begins to open, the tannins become silkier and the viscosity of the wine increases, eventually morphing into raspberry and cherry jam hedonism -- all supported by the lively acidity. With the breathing of the wine comes spice as well, with fresh crushed black pepper on the nose that persists through the mid palate and finish. All the while, the initial cocoa continues to flirt in and...

Tasting Notes

The 2004 Tanner has the classic heavy mettle of Calaveras Syrah that Led to us Going to California and making wine here. Heady aromas of raspberries, pepper, and leather are sure to leave you Dazed and Confused. We also expect you will have a Whole Lotta Love for the big strawberry, vanilla and rhubarb flavors. Chewy tannins Bring It On Home for a nice finish. We know we could Ramble On about this Heartbreaker of a wine, but we don't want to end up swinging from the Gallows Pole... (OK, sure, we wanted to work in Stairway to Heaven - but it got Trampled Under Foot.)

Food Pairings: Carnivores, you have a choice! Beef, pork, game - enjoy it with a whole cowl, leg of lamb...

Tasting Notes

Meritage, pronounced like heritage, is an invented word that combines the words merit and heritage, reflecting the spirit of the Meritage Association to identify wines that represent the highest form of the Winemaker's Art - blending.

Deep in color and rich in flavor, this wine exhibits a smooth and elegant texture. Flavors of black cherry and plum converge with hints of chocolate and mint, leading to a smooth, long finish. Great with lamb, beef, or chocolate!

From the Winery

Hannah Nicole Vineyards is a family-owned winery producing award-winning Bordeaux and Rhone varietal wines in the eastern portion of Contra Costa County, California. On the edge of the California Delta Waterways, we enjoy long warm summers with cool evenings. During the average growing season, we...

Tasting Notes

Winemaker's Notes:
This is what Jeriko Estate is known for - lots of juicy berry fruit and well balanced tannins. This lavishly oaked varietal marries lots of juicy blackberry fruit with peppery spice, suggestions of bacon and accents of both chocolate and coffee.

Aromas:
A deep woodsy nose with accents of coffee & black cherry.

Flavors:
Juicy red fruits give way to dried apricot, raisin & star anise with spicy touches of cocoa, white pepper & mole.

Finish:
A lightly toasted finish with smooth tannins & ripe fruit.

Pair With:
Serve with bacon wrapped beef tenderloin, brown mole sauce, black bean enchiladas, dark organic chocolate or with Cheesecake Momma's Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.

From the Winery

Jeriko Estate produces hand-crafted artisan wines from 100% organically...

Tasting Notes

From the get go, this wine has been all about savory plum-blueberry fruit infused with dusty mocha-earth spice notes and supporting oak texture. The low-yield concentration of flavors in the grapes resulted in a much more terroir-influenced profile in the finished wine, which shows great balance and density at moderate alcohol. The fruit was mature and flavorful at what would typically be a lower-than-optimal sugar level for Paso Robles Syrah. Rather than trying for a high-sugar, high-alcohol Paso Robles "jamball" style, the Redline effort was focused on emphasizing vineyard character. As it developed, elements of red fruit spice and smoked meat appeared. Elegant and complex, this wine shows a side of Paso Robles Syrah character rarely seen.

From the Winery

"Redline" is a term...

Tasting Notes

The 2004 vintage was significantly different than 2003 in its nearly ideal stability of temperature without significant temperature spikes and lack of rainfall during the growing season. The seamlessness of the season is reflected in the wine. Redolent with aromas of fig, lime peel, orange water, and roasted nuts, the brightness of fruit upon entry (think lemon oil and pear) leads immediately to a massive middle.

In the mouth, this wine grows abundantly, an organoleptic equivalent of the Greek O. The biscuity flavors of 18 months of aging on the lees couple with the exotic flavors of cardamom and crushed stones and continue upward and outward, carried on the back of a streak of acidity. The wine finishes very long with minerally notes of lime leaves and...

Tasting Notes

The fruit for this wonderful wine was harvested from the Distant Bay Vineyard in the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County. Characterized by rich notes of apple, white flowers and hazlenut, this wine will age beautifully for 2-5 years.

From the Winery

The 2005 Pinot Blanc was barrel-fermented in a combination of older French and American oak barrels. Because we wanted to emphasize the round, ripe fruit notes, the wine saw limited sur-lie again, being racked off the lees and back into barrel after about 60 days. The absence of malo-lactic fermentation was a wine-making decision intended to emphasize the balancing acidity with which Arroyo Seco blessed the fruit. The wine has a satisfyingly unctuous texture to it; the wine's balancing acidity is fully...

Tasting Notes

This Cabernet Sauvignon is elegant and focused. The nose reveals blackberry, blueberry and currant flavors with underlying floral tones. The wine possesses purity and supple tannins on the finish.

From the Winery

The 2004 Esca Cabernet Sauvignon was made from 100% Napa Valley grapes from several regions including Rutherford, St. Helena and Conn Valley. The wine was aged for 18 months in 100% French oak barrels and was bottled in April 2006.

Esca means "allurement or "bait" in Italian. Just as the nectar of the Hibiscus flower attracts the bee on the label, these wines entice the enophile.

Tasting Notes

We could have just called this wine Merlot. However, that would miss the point! It’s all about the blend. Good winemaking is like good cooking. What makes a reduction sauce so delicious is the combination of flavors, the layered sensations. Our Merlot Cuvée is all this in the glass. The femininity of the Merlot is emboldened by the Cabernet Sauvingon. Sangiovese elevates floral tones. The Malbec gives flavor low on the palate and the Cabernet Franc adds to the ethereal chocolate note.

Our winemaking focused the individuality of each varietal, and long barrel aging gave them wonderful texture. The blend, done by taste, married them into a harmonious, full flavored sensation, each element playing on the other, nothing out of place, every sip memorable.

The grapes came...

Tasting Notes

When we talk about wine, we talk about where we taste it on our palate, in addition to what it tastes like. Wine writers like to compare the flavor to other fruits and rather esoteric flavors such as wood, tar, tobacco, etc. Each grape flavor in our blend focuses on a particular region of the palate. This is our art. It’s what we like best about making wine! It sets us apart from the big industrial wineries, which make wine by recipe and don’t take the time to taste and blend. You can taste our art as well as our passion.

Our 2004 North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon represents boldness married to elegance. This is a Meritage-style Cabernet, with fruit-forward balance. The Cabernet flavors are mellowed and rounded...

Tasting Notes

This richly extractive wine is an excellent example of Graciano’s versatility. It is inky and dark with robust aromas of black cherry, spice and a hint of anise. Powerful flavors of a warm basket of ripe berries with an underlying earthy richness give way to unbelievably smooth tannins and a lingering finish. Luxuriously full bodied in the mouth, it is balanced by good acidity. This wine will continue to age nicely for 2-4 years.

About Graciano:

Graciano is thought to be the oldest variety commercially grown in Spain today. Its origins predate the arrival of the Romans, when Iberian tribes pressed and fermented their lovely Graciano juice in the old terraced hillside vineyards of the Rioja Alavesa. It is a richly colored, perfumed variety that commences the...

Tasting Notes

Blueberry, cranberry and plum fruit elements gradually yield to the vineyard's characteristic cardamom, mace, sandalwood, tea and tobacco components as the wine breathes. The general flavor profile skews toward the dusky and cool. The '06 is a bit more focused than the '05 and has a slightly firmer structure in terms of both acidity and grip. In its youth, the wine, particularly the finish which starts out pretty tight, benefits from decanting. This wine has been purposely bottled without a foil capsule.

From the Winery

Kendric Vineyards is a vigneron's operation, making wine from the ground up. We've tended our wines through every stage of their development, from site selection, to planting, to farming the vineyards, to making the wine. We are based in...