Williams Selyem Winery was founded in 1979 by Burt Williams and Ed Selyem. I started buying the wines in the early to mid 90’s. These wines fueled my passion for Russian River and Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Williams Selyem was one of the very first mailing lists I signed up for. In 1998 Burt and Ed sold the winery to…
The 2007 Vieux Donjon was the winning bottle in the July Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for 90 minutes at cellar temperature. 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…
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. Michele Anna Jordan writes A Bright Zinfandel Pairs Brilliantly with Tomatoes and Basil. Dame Wine writes Telling Our Vintage Story. Dave McIntyre writes Tired of rosé? Here’s What Else…
Cayuse was founded in 1997 by Christophe Baron, a native of France who grew up in family of winemakers in Champagne. Baron studied viticulture in Burgundy and Champagne, and had ambitions to make Pinot Noir in Oregon. However, on a visit to Walla Walla he found property that he believed would be perfect for growing grapes and decided to purchase…
The July installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the the 2007 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, 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 Saturday and a Bottle Note will be published the following week.…
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. Bob Highfill writes Harry Hakala’s Mobile Wine Line has been a Lodi Institution. Ken’s Wine Guide reviews the Ravenswood Zinfandel Bedrock Vineyard. Jim Gordon writes The Boundary-Pushing Wines and Regions…
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. Tegan Passalacqua, of Sandlands and Turley fame,…
Spottswoode is a family owned winegrowing estate located on the western edge of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. The 46 acre estate, established in 1882, is distinguished by the historic Victorian home depicted on the label. Its entrance is graced by classic formal gardens, while the vineyard stretches behind to the Mayacamas Mountains. The Spottswoode Estate was bought by…
Clos des Papes is owned by the Avril family, now headed by Paul Avril and his son Vincent. The family has been making wine in Chateauneuf-du-Pape for 300 years. The name Clos des Papes comes from the fact that the original vineyard was part of a papal estate located inside a chateau. The Avril family now owns parcels throughout the…
Switchback Ridge wines are sourced from the Peterson Family Vineyard. The property, located just off the Silverado Trail between St. Helena and Calistoga has been in the Peterson Family since 1914 and was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah in 1990. Kelly Peterson along with her father John founded Switchback Ridge in 1999. She is responsible for all aspects…