Butterfly Wine Events
Previous Wineries Participating
Andrew Geoffrey Vineyards’ 13 acres of red wine grapes are situated within a 60 acre parcel of prime hillside vineyard property on the highest slopes of the Diamond Mountain District sub-appellation of the Napa Valley.
Annapolis Winery was the Syrah winner Double Gold Best of Class for Syrah above $30 in the 2006 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. Annapolis Winery is a family owned and operated winery located in Sonoma County, California 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean. At an elevation of 1000 ft., Annapolis is the highest elevation winery in Sonoma County. Nestled on a sunny hilltop and surrounded by redwood forests, the views are as beautiful as they are breathtaking.
We are excited that Arger-Martucci Vineyards is mentioned twice in the book, Wine Report 2006, a paperback published this year by Dorling Kindersley. In the California chapter, written by Dan Berger, we are listed as #4 among the ten “New & Up-n-Coming Producers”.
Since 1993 Archery Summit has been producing superior quality Pinot Noir from 100 acres of estate vineyards in Oregon’s acclaimed Dundee Hills. Here the Jory soils of the Red Hills combine with Archery Summit estate vineyards to make this geographic area one of the finest Pinot Noir producing regions of the world. The 2003 Arcus Estate Pinot Noir was just 95 Points by the Wine Spectator. The Wine Spectator says Archery Summit produces from their estate vineyards in Red Hills wines of intensity and tremendous depth.
Barnett Vineyards is said to be one of the best wineries to visit in Napa Valley. Check out their web site for pictures. The views will blow you away.
Rattlesnake Hill is a small rocky knoll on the estate, located at 2050 ft elevation on Spring Mountain. The fruit from this knoll is incredibly intense due to the stress put upon the vines by the rock nature of the soil on the hilltop. Each year the Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet is a blend of all of the fruit from this hilltop as well as the best barrels we produce from other parts of the Estate Vineyards. Rattlesnake Hill is not produced in every vintage. If we feel the wine, for any reason, is not up to our standards for this special bottling we do not produce it.
Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate said in his outstanding rating about the 2004 Zinfandel BK Collins, “The southern Rhone smelling (an 82-year old site) is a beauty. An impressive wine to drink over the next 4 years.” Benessere says, “This may be the best BK we’ve made to date! The elements were all there for this vintage: Small crop, perfect maturity and small, intensely flavored berries.”
Calera was included in Paul Lukac’s book “Great Wines of America, the Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages in America!” The Calera 2002 Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir just received 95 Points from Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Enormously aromatic, endlessly complex, this one is also highly rated by the Wine Enthusiast. Calera is Spanish for ‘limekiln.‘ Limestone had been commercially quarried from the property 100 years earlier, as evidenced by the existence of a recently restored 30 foot tall masonry calera, the symbol and logo of Calera Wine Company.
A top vineyard who is now beginning to make their own wine, a Syrah. Other wineries to have purchased grapes from this vineyard include Paul Hobbs, Pax Cellars, Rosenblum, and Kosta Browne.
The Wine Spectator’s Number One Wine over a 10-year period is the Caymus Special Selection.
Celebrating their 22nd anniversary, Domaine Charbay Winery and Distillery is known for small, handcrafted releases of wines, ports, brandies, spirits, and liqueurs. The “Still On the Hill” is where the Karakasevic family lives and works amidst peaceful pine trees overlooking Napa Valley. Marko is the family’s 13th generation to carry on the tradition of winemaking and distilling.
Clos La Chance’s mission is to provide our customers with high quality, stylistically consistent wines that are varietally distinct. We strive to capitalize on all of our resources, including a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, Estate vineyards and Hospitality center, to provide a unique ‘wine-country’experience, as well as superior value in the ultra-premium wine segment.
Clos La Chance’s 2002 Biagini Pinot Noir was in the San Francisco Chronicle Top 100 wines. Here are the comments: “Excellent and the panel favorite. Ripe aromas of black cherry, spice, violet and vanilla; mouth-filling raspberry, currant and baking spice flavors; supple tannins, good acidity; long finish.”
Collier Falls Vineyard is a family owned, 100-acre hillside property located in the far northwest corner of Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, California. An original eight-acre block of head-pruned Zinfandel was planted in 1982. Since then Barry and Susan Collier have added eleven acres of Zinfandel.
Crocker & Starr - California Sauvignon Blanc is on the rise and this wine led the pack in the '04 vintage. Proprietor and winemaker Pam Starr uses 100 percent Sauvignon Musqué and blends two different vineyards. This wine was the highest rated Sauvignon Blanc from California in 2004, and the Wine Spectator # 12 wine in their top 100 wines of the year!
From the San Francisco Chronicle’s tasting of 52 Russian River Pinot Noir's this was picked as one of the best. Here are their comments from the April 2007 issue about their 2004 Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir.
Marin County native Dennis De La Montanya went on a land-buying spree in the 1980s and early '90s, just before Sonoma County vineyards got super-expensive. His foresight paid off in 200 acres on eight different ranches. Most of the fruit he sells, but he keeps enough to make 30 different wines, yet only 4,500 total cases per year. This one, of which only 52 cases were made, has a beautiful berry and crushed stone nose, a light body and a raspberry-cherry flavor with interesting minty and meaty notes.
The Del Dotto family opened up their ancient caves, hand dug in 1885, to the public and decided to host extensive barrel tasting tours to help educate wine lovers around the world about Oak Barrels. Dave Del Dotto started an educational program teaching wine consumers how the barrels affect the wine and has been experimenting with over 40 different barrels from various coopers in France, America and Russia.
In just a few years they have become one of Napa Valley’s hot spots! They have become the only winery to bottle wines directly out of individual French and American oak barrels. Currently they are working on building their Estate Winery and Caves in Rutherford.
Wine Enthusiast Rated DeLoach Vineyard’s 2004 30th Anniversary Cuvée Pinot Noir “#1 Wine of the Year”! San Francisco Folks would be proud to know De Loach celebrates 30 years of winemaking in the Russian River Valley, with a new focus on sustainable farming practices. Led by viticulturist Ginny Lambrix, the winery has committed itself to the application of biodynamics, beginning with the conversion of 22 acres of estate vineyards from sustainable to biodynamic farming methods.De Loach is also the only winery we know of that has a yoga retreat.
Thomas Brown (featured July 31, 2003 in the Wine Spectator as one of California’s best new winemakers) will craft our distinctive Diamond Mountain wine.
In 1998 Diamond Terrace realized their dream of owning a high quality vineyard by purchasing a 16-acre parcel on Diamond Mountain near the town of Calistoga. They moved their family of six onto the property and determined that Diamond Terrace was the perfect name for their new home.
Delectus Winery has recently had two 96-point wines by the Wine Spectator for their Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Sacrashe Vineyard 2001 and their Cuvee Julia Napa Valley 2002.
Domaine Carneros-In the heart of the Carneros appellation stands the majestic chateau which houses Domaine Carneros winery. Claude Taittinger, president of Champagne Taittinger, traveled in the Carneros as a young man and recognized the potential of this beautiful area to produce world class sparkling wines. With the completion of Domaine Carneros in 1989, his dream of a California prestige winery became a reality. Domaine Carneros stands as testimony to Champagne Taittinger's devotion to the creation of fine sparkling wines, and is considered the landmark of the region.
Ray Coursen is the owner and winemaker at Elyse Winery. He says, “I make wines that I want to sit down and enjoy—juicy, rich, voluptuous wines. I like a little oak, but I don’t want it to be overpowering—I want to taste the fruit. I love wines that pair well with food. A meal without wine is eating; a meal with wine is dining—it’s a conversation, an event. It’s what wine is about.
Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate has said, “I continue to be impressed by this excellent winery's efforts.”
Erna Shein (formerly  )
One of the greatest producers of wine in the United States has a new name which will be Erna Shein. Les Behrens is still the winemaker. Here is what Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate has said: “I admire what Les Behrens, his wife, friends, and lunatic dog are doing at their winery and cellars on the top of Spring Mountain. They are obsessed fanatics who make wine with no compromises ... obviously my kind of people.”
The winemaking philosophy for Les Behrens: “let the vineyard express its unique personality as a stand alone wine but make fun, inspired blends when that is what the wine wants.” You will be one of the few to get the opportunity to purchase the Syrah, the first as Erna Shein! It is sure to be a collectors item many years from now!
Rising nearly 500 feet above the valley floor in the prestigious Rutherford viticultural appellation, Winston Hill produces its namesake wine and the flagship for Frank Family Vineyards along with being the foundation for their Rutherford Reserve. Winston Hill is located on owner Rich Frank’s personal estate.
Freemark Abbey was the only winery to have wines in both the Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay categories in the Judgement of Paris tasting. The 1969 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon was the 3rd highest rated American wine. You will hear more about this tasting in the upcoming movie, “Bottle Shock”. Freemark Abbey is the oldest winery to participate in our events, producing wine since 1886.
Gloria Ferrer - Sparkling wine on the Wine Spectator's Top 100 list! For nearly 20 years, Vineyard Manager Mike Crumly and Winemaker Bob Iantosca have worked as a team. They have adhered to the three winemaking tenets the Ferrers brought with them from Europe: hand-harvest the grapes, deliver them to the winery in small lots and press them gently. These old-world practices remain the foundation for the creation of Gloria Ferrer’s méthode champenoise.
Was given 93 points by the Wine Spectator in their May 15th 2007 issue. This is a hot and up-and-comer in the Spring Mountain area.
Here is what the Wine Spectator had to say: “Supple, graceful and complex, with a core of fruit built around plum, black cherry, herb and cedary oak flavors that keep revealing extra nuances. Dense and concentrated, this keeps its focus on the long, persistent finish.”
Green & Red Vineyard, named for its red iron soils veined with green serpentine, is located in the steep hills on the east side of Napa Valley. The vineyards are a small percentage of the 200-acre property, which ranges in elevation from 900 to 2,000 feet. Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate said “one of my favorite zinfandel producers.” The Wine Spectator picked the 2003 Napa Valley Chiles Canyon Vineyards 2003 as their smart buys selection, “One of the best in years from this producer.”
Henriot - From the Champagne region of France. The Henriot family has been established in Champagne since the 16th century. In 1808 the family began to sell this very private Champagne HENRIOT. From that date the Henriot company is created and till today it is managed by those who bear this name.
Here are some recent accolades about Honig Winery:
The San Francisco Chronicle for 2006 selected Honig’s Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the top 100 wines as well. The Wine Spectator also named the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon as one of the top values in their November Cabernet Sauvignon issue.
Honig also is known for having the best postcards check out the link to see what we mean. http://www.honigwine.com/cards.html
The Biale family, immigrants from Northern Italy, began growing grapes in Napa in the 1930’s. Only Biale is recognized internationally as being among California’s very finest producers of Zinfandel.
For the past few years we (Biale) have been working on securing top-quality Syrah grapes, a grape we think has a great future in California - especially in the coastal mountains where the soils are rocky and steep. This is the ideal type of location for bringing out the best characteristics of Syrah. Because of the extremely limited quantities and a highest quality reputation, these will be difficult wines to obtain except directly through our list. Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate has said: “Robert Biale has quickly become one of the finest practitioners of California Zinfandel, so it is good to see they also produce superb Petite Sirah.”
Iron Horse - Their Sparkling Wines are remarkable for exceeding the French standards for vintage quality. None of the cuvées undergo malo-lactic fermentation. The richness and creaminess come from extended aging on the yeast in the bottle. The Wedding Cuvée is aged on average three years; the Classic Vintage Brut is aged four to five years and the LD (Late Disgorged) is held for seven to eight years. To quote Robert Parker: “These impressive sparkling wines…possess more texture and flavor than just about any sparkler…from California.” Iron Horse was also recently named by Wine and Spirits magazine as one of their top 100 wineries of the year.
Jeffrey Cohn is one of the hottest winemakers in the world!! He is the winemaker for Rosenblum and this is his own label. Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate said the 2003 J C Cellars Petite Syrah Frediani Vineyard is a “heavyweight example of Petite Sirah at its biggest and richest. It undoubtedly has 20-30 years of aging potential.” “...it is full-throttle Petite Syrah fury captured in a bottle.” James Laube of the Wine Spectator said about the 2003 Rockpile Vineyard Syrah Haley's Reserve,
“A delicious orchestration of ripe, rich fruit “. Here are comments from Jeff about the 2003 Caldwell Vineyards Syrah, “Another classic in the making. This is actually my favorite Caldwell Vineyard so far. I think it’s Syrah purity.” Here is an except from Sunset Magazine in which Jeff was quoted “Syrah can taste like nothing else you’ve ever had in your life 'minerals, smoke, game, raspberries —It can take you to new places.' ”
Mark Jessup, winemaker, built the Jessup Cellars winery and brand in 1996 just East of Napa on the top of Mt. Veeder. Mark soon realized that an isolated winery on a mountain top was not conducive to sharing his creations with the public. He solved that problem by opening a retail, tasting and VIP Room in Yountville, “the heart of Napa Valley”. Jessup Cellars won a Double Gold in the San Francisco Chronicle Zinfandel tasting.
This is a joint venture between Steve and Carole. Steve was a winemaker for Robert Mondavi. Carole has kept her day job as a professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis. In addition to teaching courses at Davis, she conducts research in grape genetics.
Here’s the longest wine review we’ve ever seen, in its entirety!!
97 Lagier Meredith $50
2003 Mt. Veeder Napa Valley Syrah
Dr. Carole Meredith, a plant geneticist at UC Davis, and her partner, winemaker Stephen Lagier, bought this small parcel on Mt. Veeder in 1985. They planted it with Syrah in 1994 and have been quietly making this wine from it since 2000. Many wines in the Old World taste like the vines have accommodated themselves to their site; they have the bonhomie of a good marriage. In the New World, varieties and sites are constantly dating, but they rarely fall into a bond as electrifying as this. The wine has all the flavor elements you would hope to find in Syrah grown in the best site of northern Rhone: cool meatiness, lasting black pepper spiciness, scents of lavender and wild berries. And yet, it doesn’t taste like it’s trying to mimic anything; it tastes like it belongs exactly where it grows (a vineyard at 1,300 feet, on an east-facing slope surrounded by forest). The other powerful aspect of this wine is the arc of its development, gaining intensity over the course of several days after the bottle is opened, peaking in its exuberant complexity around the fifth day before slowly receding. That resistance to oxidation-indeed, the benefits the wine derives form exposure to air—is a strong indication that this wine will not only live long, it will evolve rather than simply mature. It meets that measure of greatness in wine. (770 cases) Lagier Meredith winery, Napa, CA
Ted Lemon. owner and winemaker of Littorai, was the first American ever hired as a winemaker and vineyard manager of a Burgundian estate, Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault. In the United States.
The Lemons are life-long, family winemakers, passionately committed to their craft. They have not come from other walks of life and this fact is essential to understanding Littorai. Littorai is not motivated by competitions, ratings or trends, nor by the lure of publicity. It is devoted to the mystery of wine, not the science. Littorai seeks to create wines of elegance, length and finesse, wines which gain in complexity as they age. For Reverie winery fans, Ted Lemon is our wine consultant.
Wine and Spirits magazine picked Lost Canyon’s Pinot Noir in their top 10 of 2005. Here is their review: “This wine hits the cool, forest berry flavors of ripe Russian River Valley pinot noir. The initial scent of wild spring herbs is layered with earthy tannins. Tightly built, this feels lifted and clean.” They were also in the same issue for the year’s best Syrahs from Wine and Spirits.
Mumm Napa - Before Mumm’s masters begin the wine making process, each vintage starts with what Mother Nature gives us. Mumm Napa sources grapes from the cool southern Carneros region, Yountville’s warmer climate and the hot mid-valley Oakville and Rutherford regions. Each of the areas lends different characters to the wine. Carneros offers flavors of lemon/lime, Yountville adds an apple/pear taste, while you can savor kiwi and other tropical flavors stemming from the mid-valley. Mumm’s long-term relationships with top growers ensure that excellent grapes are continually available.
Morgan - The San Francisco Chronicle 2003 winemaker of the year. "I decided to build up the soil organically rather than use chemicals.” The 2003 Morgan Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir was also in the San Francisco Chronicle's “Top 100 Wines” of the year. Another great Morgan Pinot Noir is their Double L Vineyard. The 65-acre Double L Vineyard - as in Double Luck, named for his identical twin daughters, Annie and Jackie, now 12 - in the Santa Lucia Highlands of Monterey County.
Patz and Hall produces ten different bottlings of six elegant Chardonnays and four stunning Pinot Noirs. Patz and Hall has over 26 wines rated outstanding by Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate.
Peju Winery is known as one of the top wineries to visit in Napa Valley because of their location on 29, their facility, wines, and the personalities of their tasting room staff. Peju is known as one of the top Cabernet Franc producers.
A visit to Peju must mention Alan Arnople, who is becoming a legend for his singing and rapping about Peju wines.
Wine Spectator Ranked Joseph Phelps 2002 Insignia Their No. 1 Wine of the Year in 2005.
Located in the heart of the Napa Valley, Prager Winery & Port Works is a small family owned and operated winery, producing just 3600 cases annually. Since the first harvest in 1979, Prager been specializing in the production of wine and various styles of California Port, which include Vintage, Late Bottle Vintage, Tawny and even a couple of White Ports.
Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate comments on the recent line up of wines from Radio Coteau:
“This was the first opportunity I have had to taste a comprehensive line-up from new kid on the block, Eric Sussman. Sussman appears to be on a fast track to success with his hand-crafted, vineyard-based Pinot Noirs, Syrahs, and Zinfandels. All of [his] wines are fermented with native yeasts, aged on their lees in French oak with no racking, and are bottled without fining or filtration. The vineyard sources are all cool climate sites west of Highway 101 in western Sonoma County. I suspect most of Radio-Coteau’s wines are sold via a mailing list, so readers are urged to sign up.”
Ravenswood continues to set a stubborn standard for complex, balanced, uncompromising wine that captures everything a vineyard has to offer. Ravenswood's commitment to full-flavored varietal wine — notably Zinfandel — sums up its mission to capture everything a vineyard has to offer. Wine is, after all, one of the most fascinating and fun things in life, which is why Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson believes that it belongs on the table — not on a pedestal or in an ivory tower.
Renteria grows world renowned grapes for clients that include William Selyem, Robert Mondavi Winery, Caymus, Rombauer and Duckhorn. In 1987, based upon the high demand and stellar reputation of his winegrowing, Salvador started his own vineyard management company, Renteria Vineyard Management. At the time, it was one of the first Mexican owned vineyard management companies in Napa Valley and is now among the top three. Tending many of the most prestigious Napa Valley vineyards, Salvador quickly garnered a reputation for his exceedingly high standards - a reputation his son Oscar would embrace and upon which he would build.
Robert Parker, Jr. has said: “If you have not tried the wines of Reverie by now, it’s time. This estate continues to impress me with each new vintage. Reverie wines exhibit both power and elegance, not an easy achievement.”
Wine and Spirits named Reverie as one of their 2006 wineries of the year. In 2007, Reverie rated 4 of their 2004 releases outstanding: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
Robert Keenan has had amazing reviews by Robert Parker, Jr of the Wine Advocate. With 50 acres under vine on Spring Mountain, this producer has fashioned its strongest lineup to date. This beautiful winery, located in Spring Mountain in the Mayacamas Range, seems to be making the best wine of its 25-year history, and much of the credit must go to the tireless efforts of Michael Keenan who has done so much to resurrect the fortunes of this winery.
Robert Hunter - The 1997 Brut de Noirs is a classic blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Crafted in the traditional methode champenoise and aged ‘en tirage’ for four years, this ultra premium sparkling wine is a wealth of complexity. The extended tirage adds complexity, balance, richness and depth to the finished wine.
Well known for making award winning ZInfandels, Rosenblum also makes 40 different wines including 8 Syrah, and Petite Syrah wines per vintage. The blockuster 2002 Rockpile Vineyard from a small hillside vineyard 1100 feet above Lake Sonoma Robert Parker, Jr of the Wine Advocate said, “stunning effort, black beauty, and superb petite syrah.” Another interesting wine in particular as far as fruit source is the 2002 Syrah Solano County that the Wine Spectator called “a sensational wine. rich and complex.”
Revana ( their winemaker is Heidi Barrett who also makes Screaming Eagle), Crocker & Starr, and Viader. Robert Parker has dubbed Heidi the "First Lady of Wine".
The Pinot Report recently awarded ratings from 91-95 for their Russian River Pinot Noir. Russian Hill will be pouring their Syrah, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay.
Schramsberg - America’s First House of Sparkling Wine. In 1862, German immigrants Jacob and Annie Schram established Schramsberg as the first winery with vineyards planted on the hillsides of the Napa Valley. With the help of Chinese laborers, vineyards replaced scrub oak, and a network of underground caves was tunneled into the soft, volcanic rock.
Every year, Seghesio brings in approximately 35 lots of Zinfandel averaging 25-30 years in age. Each of these lots is produced under the careful eye of our winemaker, Ted Seghesio. The best of these lots are selected to make Sonoma Zinfandel. A small amount of Petite Sirah is added to the wine for added complexity. The result is a tantalizing black raspberry and classic briary flavored wine with a balance of components for which Seghesio wines are known.
St. Supéry makes award-winning Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. At the pinnacle of the portfolio is the Limited Edition Dollarhide Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, an outstanding expression of terroir. The blends, Virtú (white) and Élu (red), are seamless, sophisticated and smooth. A handful of small production wines for the wine club and visitors round out St. Supéry’s offerings.
Staglin’s accolades have been:
- #9 wine of the year for the 2002 Cabernet Sauvingon. Wine Enthusiast gave the same wine 97 points
- The 2002 Staglin Chardonnay was also the highest rated dry white wine in the Wine Spectator Top 100 list.
- In Wine Spectator’s Top 50 Cabernets issue of 2006, James Laube says that Staglin’s “owner’s commitment to quality has paid off in recent years, making it one of Napa’s hottest estates. Poised to challenge the best.”
The story of how we came into existence though starts many years earlier when the four of us, Wayne Hansen, Skip Granger, Mike Miller and Bruce Walker, started making wine at an amateur level. Our motivation for this came from a shared, life long passion for wine and an increasing disdain for the over priced and often mass-produced wines found in the market.
Many people ask us why we are in Novato and what kind of grapes do we grow there? Well, we don’t grow any grapes. What we do is find the best grapes and growers that allow us to produce the finest wines. We have now worked with one of our growers for eight harvests and two of our growers for five harvests. We have added new growers in the last three years and we are very excited about our new wines and new releases!
Storybook Mountain has established a world-wide reputation for the consistently high quality of its wines. The Zinfandel tradition began at Storybook Mountain in the early 1880’s when its red clay-loam hillsides in the Mayacamas Range were first planted to this varietal. Here, an ideal match of terroir and grape allows Zinfandel to show its true potential. In 2003, Wine & Spirits Magazine names Storybook “Artisan Winery of the Year" and includes it among the top 100 wineries in the world. Robert Parker in 2005 lists Storybook among wineries “representing the pinnacle of wine quality in California,” and one of six best Zinfandels in the world.
Quite frankly, we believe Summit Lake's 2001 Clair Riley Pirates Reserve Zinfandel Port is perhaps the best Zinfandel Port ever. Produced from a dry-farmed vineyard planted in 1917, the concentration of flavors is spectacular. Port lovers love it; non-port lovers are won over immediately. The fruit must hang weeks after harvest to produce the required sugar content. Weather conditions must be perfect. Subsequently, it is not produced every year. We suggest putting your name on the port list!
Taittinger - Located in the great regions of wine-growing Champagne, the Taittinger Champagne vines cover 288,84 hectares in 34 different vineyards.
“96 Points” Terra Valentine 2002 Wurtele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate.
“This single-vineyard bottling is great. It’s a huge, deepwine, brilliant in black currant, green olive and cocoa flavors, yet packed in big-time mountain tannins that pretty much shut it down on the finish. If you buy a case, begin popping corks in 2008. If you have a single bottle, it should be great in ten years, if cellared properly.” Editor’s Choice, April 2006
- 2004 Restaurant Magazine Winery of the Year
- 96 points (highest rating) for 2004 Rosella's Vineyard Santa Lucia by “Connoisseurs Guide to California Wine”
- Connoisseur's Guide Top 10 wines of 2001, 2002 & 2005
- Pinot Report Top 12 Pinot Noirs of 2002 & 2003 (2 wines each year) (#2 Pinot Producer in the U.S.)
- Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2001 (#1 Pinot Noir)
In the summer of 1999, Miro Tcholakov was hired to be the Winemaker at Trentadue Winery. Trentadue’s cabinets are filled with over 60 Gold Medals, more than 30 Double Gold and Best of Class and hundreds of Silver Medals! At the end of 2005 Miro was chosen by popular media as one of the top 20 winemakers in America.
Viader Winery, which has had a 97 point wine from the Wine Spectator, is introducing their new label Dare. Dare will be producing a 100% Tempranillo, and 100% Cabernet Franc. James Laube of the Wine Spectator has said "Each of the vintages dating back to the debut in 1989 has been remarkable…"
Veuve Cliquot - In 1775, they put their mark on the history of Champagne by being the first to ship Roset Champagne. Faithful to it's motto, “only one quality, the finest.” It’s vintage Roset has been praised throughout the world.
Here are the quotes from Robert Parker, Jr. of the Wine Advocate about Walter Hansel's Pinot Noir. “The 2004 Pinot Noir The North Slope (1,085 cases from Dijon clone 115) offers notes of black raspberries, crushed rocks, and flowers. The fabulous bouquet is followed by a sweet entry on the palate, wonderful opulence and richness, and a persistent finish. This stunning, flamboyant, exuberant 2004 may be the finest Pinot Noir I have yet tasted from Stephen Hansel. It should drink well for a decade or more.”
One of northern California’s “good guys” is undeniably Stephen Hansel, who fashions top-quality Burgundian-styled Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Tom Rochioli first brought these wines to my attention, and Hansel is now one of my reference point visits in the North Coast. Known locally as a major car dealer, Hansel founded the winery in 1978 and now owns over 80 acres under vine. These are all noteworthy cuvees that remain somewhat under the radar. Moreover, prices remain unbelievably fair for wines of such quality.”
Benchmark Wine Group bringing in their world class inventory for one night. Benchmark Wine Group has been the secret source of many of the country's top wine collectors and resellers.
|
