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…
Dehlinger Winery is located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County and was founded in 1975 by Tom and Carole Dehlinger. Eva Dehlinger took over winemaking duties in 2007. Known for their Pinot Noir, Dehlinger also makes Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. Altamont is a reference to a soil type found in the Dehlinger Estate Vineyard. Light…
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…
Domaine Isabel Ferrando is owned by Isabel Ferrando who created the estate when she purchased 3.9 hectares of vines. The goal was to create a wine that was distinct from Domaine Saint Prefert, her other Southern Rhone winery. The wine is 100% old vine Grenache made from grapes ranging from 65-100 years of age. 2004 was the debut vintage. Crimson…
Efeste, pronounced like the letters “F-S-T” strung together, was named after the last names of founders Helen & Dan Ferrelli, Patrick Smith, and Kevin & Angela Taylor. Efeste is located in the Warehouse District of Woodinville, Washington. Mark Fiore, who honed his skills at Charles Smith, is the winemaker at Efeste. Big Papa is a reference co owner Dan Ferrelli.…
Zinfandel of the Month is a regular feature on Zinfandel Chronicles. Keep in mind that although the Zinfandel of the Month might be an older bottle, the current vintage will be one you can find at retail or via the mailing list. The January Zinfandel of the Month is the 2016 Once & Future Zinfandel Oakley Road Vineyard. I chose…
AldenAlli is a collaboration between the families Dan Kosta and Emeril Lagasse. The winery is named after their wifes Alli Kosta and Alden Lagasse. The initial release was a 2013 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. In 2015 the lineup expanded to include a single vineyard Pinot Noir from Campbell Ranch and a Zinfandel from Limerick Lane Vineyard. Shane Finley is the…
Florentine real-estate broker Roberto Giannelli purchased San Filippo in 2003, knowing nothing about winemaking. Roberto consulted with Vintner friends and invested in the vineyards and cellar. Within a decade, the winery began producing excellent Brunello. On a plateau southeast of the town of Montalcino, San Filippo’s 25 acres of vineyards are 1,155 to 1,320 feet in elevation. The Le Lucére…
Clos St. Martin dates back to at least the early 1800’s. The vineyard was owned by the Rieffers family from 1850 to 2013. Clos St. Martin takes its name from the St. Martin, who is the Patron Saint for wine growers, soldiers and beggars. In March, 2013 the Cuvelier family, the owners of Chateau Clos Fourtet, headed by Matthieu Cuvelier,…
The 2014 Cayuse Grenache God Only Knows was the winning bottle in the December installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was served with Christmas Eve dinner. 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…