The March Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 2016 Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley. 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 on Sunday and a Bottle Note will be published early next week. The 2016 vintage…
Author: Tom Lee
2016 Domaine Saint-Damien Gigondas Les Souteyrades – Bottle Notes
Domaine Saint-Damien is run by Joel and Amie Saurel. The Saurel family had been tending vineyards for four generations, dating back to 1821, and until recently selling all of the grapes to negociants. In 1996 Joel resumed producing wine at the estate and in 1998 they brought on consulting winemaker Philippe Cambie. Vinification is classic with wines being made in large old cement…
2018 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Pagani 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 passion about. Pagani Ranch is just off Highway 12…
The Week in Zinfandel (3/17/25)
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. Cheers!
2015 Anderson Family Vineyard Pinot Noir – Bottle Notes
Anderson Family Vineyard was founded by Cliff and Allison Anderson over 20 years ago. The winery is situated in the Dundee Hills of Willamette Valley and specializes in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Ruby red in color. 13.3% ABV. Charming nose of red fruits, baking spices, citrus and forest floor. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Rich, fresh and earthy. Cherry, cranberry,…
New Releases from Ridge Vineyards
Ridge Vineyards was founded in 1959 when three Stanford Research Institute engineers bought an abandoned winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The vineyards had been planted in the late 19th century by a San Francisco physician who produced his first vintage in the original winery, called Monte Bello, in 1892. The first Ridge vintage was in 1962. John Olney is Head…
The Week in Zinfandel (3/10/25)
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. Cheers!
2014 Leonetti Merlot – Bottle Notes
Leonetti Cellar was founded in 1977 by Gary and Nancy Figgins. Leonetti, along with Quilceda Creek and Woodward Canyon put premium Washington Cabernet Sauvignon on the radar of wine consumers across the United States. Leonetti also produces one of the very best domestic Merlots. Leonetti is part of Figgins Family Wine Estates. Chris Figgins is now in charge of the…
2019 Turley Zinfandel “Buck” Cobb Vineyard – Bottle Notes
Turley Wine Cellars was founded in 1993 by Larry Turley and specializes in small lots of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah from some of California’s most historic and treasured vineyards. Turley now makes right around 50 separate wines from 47 different vineyards, some with vines that date back to the late 1800’s. Tegan Passalacqua is the Director of Winemaking at Turley and…
New Releases from Bruce Patch Wines
Bruce Patch cut his teeth in the music industry — having once met the Beatles and helped to discover the famous 80’s band, The Cars. Bruce moved to the Russian River Valley in the late 1990’s, and transitioned his sales and marketing background into a successful distribution business representing small independent wineries in Sonoma County. Bruce Patch Wines sources grapes from throughout Sonoma County. The…