Bottle Notes, Pinot Noir

2015 Black Kite Pinot Noir Redwoods’s Edge – Bottle Notes

Black Kite Cellars, a family-run winery, specializing in block-designated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Founded by Donald and Maureen Green in 2003, Black Kite is named for the beautiful but endangered Black Shouldered Kite that is native to the Anderson Valley. Jeff Gaffner of Saxon Brown is the consulting winemaker. Redwoods’ Edge is a slightly shaded, distinct block of Kite’s Rest…

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Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

2019 Once & Future Zinfandel Green & Red Vineyard – Bottle Notes

Joel Peterson founded Ravenswood Winery in 1976 with a focus on Single Vineyard Zinfandel. Ravenswood was immensely successful and over time began producing in excess of a million cases per year. Joel eventually sold Ravenswood to Constellation. I recall going to Ravenswood every August in the mid nineties for the release of their Single Vineyard Zins with the intent of…

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Bottle Notes, Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon – Bottle Notes

The 2003 Quilced Creek Cabernet Sauvignon was the winning bottle in the November installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I did not decant this wine. Quilceda Creek Vintners was founded in 1978 by Alex and Jeanette Golitzin. Alex Golitzin is a nephew of André Tchelistcheff, the legendary winemaker who put Beaulieu Vineyard at the forefront of Napa Valley Cabernet in…

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Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Dolinsek Ranch – Bottle Notes

Bedrock Wine Co. was founded by Morgan Twain-Peterson in 2007 and focuses on small production wines from many of California’ s most treasured and historic vineyards. The lineup of wines at Bedrock is expanding rapidly, but I think the best of the best are the ancient vineyard Zinfandels, Morgan is clearly passionate about. Dolinsek Ranch is in the Russian River…

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Cellar Management

Pick My Next Bottle – A Wine For Thanksgiving

The November installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends from the 2003 vintage. 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 with Thanksgiving dinner. The contenders in this version of Pick My Next Bottle should be…

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Bottle Notes, Grenache

2019 Sandlands Grenache Santa Clara County – Bottle Notes

Sandlands is the personal project of Tegan and Olivia Passalacqua. Tegan is the Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Turley. The line-up encompasses some of the forgotten classic California varieties, primarily grown in decomposed granite from regions and vineyards that have been farmed for many generations but have remained the outliers of California viticulture. The wines made at Sandlands include Syrah,…

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Bottle Notes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2005 Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape – Bottle Notes

Vieux Donjon was formed in 1966 by Marcel Michel. The current iteration came about in 1979 with the marriage of Lucien and Marie José Michel. Both Lucien and Marie José’s parents owned vineyards in the region, and those holdings were combined to form Vieux Donjon. The domaine covers fourteen hectares of vineyards, thirteen planted to red grapes and one planted…

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