David Stare, the winery founder’s passion for wine, was fueled by living in Germany for a spell and a 2-week trip to Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. Upon returning to the US in 1970, he read a Wall Street Journal article about California’s bright future for making excellent wines. That was enough for him toContinue reading “Dry Creek Vineyard Sea Quelle 2021- exceptional drinking.”
Category Archives: American Wines
Is it Primitivo or is it Zinfandel (or Zin as it’s come to be known as)?
Origins- Croatia. Primitivo originally comes from an indigenous Croatian grape called crljenak kaštelansk (Kjell-nak Cas-tell-lansky)- try and pronounce that after your second glass. Before emerging as a single varietal, it was mainly used as a blending grape to increase the overall alcohol content. It’s not uncommon to be up around 16% from both Italy andContinue reading “Is it Primitivo or is it Zinfandel (or Zin as it’s come to be known as)?”
Dry Creek Vineyard Sea Quelle 2021- exceptional drinking.
David Stare, the winery founder’s passion for wine, fueled by living in Germany for a spell and a 2-week trip to Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. Upon returning to the US in 1970, he read a Wall Street Journal article about California’s bright future for making excellent wines. That was enough for him to packContinue reading “Dry Creek Vineyard Sea Quelle 2021- exceptional drinking.”
Anne Annie Vineyards Pinot Noir 2023
This is the Willamette Valley with elegance and appeal at a price point that won’t break the bank. Grapes are sourced and hand-selected from two vineyards- Anne Amie Estate & Twelve Oaks Estate, with impressive results. They are located in the rolling hills of the Yamhill-Carlton District and on the steep hillsides of the ChehalemContinue reading “Anne Annie Vineyards Pinot Noir 2023”
Newton Cabernet 2017 – RIP
Peter Newton was one of the cofounders of Stirling Vineyards in 1964 before starting Newton Vineyard with his wife, Su Hua in 1977 on approximately 1 square mile on Spring Mountain. The winery grew into 560 acres with stunning mountain top views and immaculate English Gardens that surrounded the pagoda-inspired winery. Most of the 560-acreContinue reading “Newton Cabernet 2017 – RIP”
Nielson Pinot Noir 2022
The winery was named in tribute to Uriel J. Nielson, who planted the first commercial vineyard in 1964, in Santa Barbara County. Against the grain and a ton of advice, this region was considered far too cold to grow grapes. His forward thinking planted the seeds for an excellent wine AVA perfectly suited for bothContinue reading “Nielson Pinot Noir 2022”
Cult Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – the Beau Vigne Collection.
The bottle and label scream elegance, but have you tasted this before? Ed and Trish Snider started the winery almost 30 years ago with Dave Phinney at the winemaking helm. They had a simple aim: to make wine that would compete with the greatest wines in the world. Kirk Venge came onboard as winemaker inContinue reading “Cult Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – the Beau Vigne Collection.”
Cambria Estate ‘Julia’s Vineyard’ 2018 – Infinitely drinkable!
First impression from the nose is loads of cherries, cola, dark raspberries, and an earthy leather note to round things out. One sip and I am convinced this is one of the best Pinots on the market that sits around $25. This is classic cool climate, coastal elegance sourced from a single vineyard in SantaContinue reading “Cambria Estate ‘Julia’s Vineyard’ 2018 – Infinitely drinkable!”
Groth Estate Chardonnay 2022- new world with an old-world soul.
All the grapes were sourced from the Hillview Vineyard which was acquired in 1982. This 44-acre Vineyard was acquired for its Merlot but almost half was replanted with Clone 4 (Wente) and Clone 76 (Dijon) after realizing its potential for world-class Chardonnay. Ted Henry, their winemaker, came on board in 2021 as Director of Winegrowing,Continue reading “Groth Estate Chardonnay 2022- new world with an old-world soul.”
Copain Daybreak White Wine 2023- Aromatic, delicious, mouthwatering, food friendly- perfect for summer.
Quick word about the winery … Copain was established in 1999 by winemaker Wells Guthrie and Kevin McQuown and quickly became known for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah. The Jackson Family purchased the winery in 2016 and maintained the emphasis on varietal wines, whilst bring to the table a commitment to sustainability and climate action.Continue reading “Copain Daybreak White Wine 2023- Aromatic, delicious, mouthwatering, food friendly- perfect for summer.”
Vine to Table 