The 1998 Woodward Canyon Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon was the winning wine in the March installment of Pick My Next Bottle. Located in the Walla Walla Valley appellation of Washington State, Woodward Canyon Winery was started in 1981 by Rick Small and his wife, Darcey Fugman-Small. Woodward Canyon produces almost a dozen different wines, and their Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon…
Chateau Montelena dates back to 1882 when Albert Tubbs bought 254 acres of property just north of Calistoga. Tubbs planted vines and by 1896 Montelena was the 7th largest winery in California. Winemaking came to an end with the onset of Prohibition. The current iteration of Montelena can be traced to 1968, when Jim Barrett was brought on as a…
Betz Family Winery was founded in 1997 by Bob & Cathy Betz. Critical acclaim from local and national wine publications has put Betz Family Winery at the forefront of Washington wines alongside Cayuse, Leonetti and Quilceda Creek. The winery was sold to Steve and Bridget Griessel (with Bob Betz remaining on as the winemaker), and I fully expect quality will…
Switchback Ridge wines are sourced from the Peterson Family Vineyard in Calistoga. The property has been in the Peterson Family since 1914 and was replanted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petite Sirah in 1990. Bob Foley has been the winemaker since the inaugural vintage in 1999. My last bottle of the first vintage of Switchback Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon. I decanted…
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 near and dear to me as a wine consumer, and I’ve been on their…
Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, located in St. Helena, made their first Cabernet Sauvignon with the 1982 vintage and is one of the true iconic Cabernet producers in Napa Valley. They also make an exceptional Sauvignon Blanc, a second Cabernet named Lydenhurst and a Rhone blend known as Field Book. Ruby red in color with some bricking on the edge…
Paolo di Marchi has run Isole e Olena since the age of 20. The flagship wine at Isole e Olena is Cepparello, a barrique-aged Sangiovese. Paolo planted a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the 1980’s so the estate would not be entirely dependent on Sangiovese. Little did he know that the Cabernet would later rival Cepparello in both quality…
Dunn Vineyards is located east of St. Helena in the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain. The Winery was established in 1979, with the first harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. In 1981, the first release consisted of 660 cases of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Howell Mountain vineyards. In 1982, Dunn released a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Dunn is one…
NFL Super Bowl Champion, All-Pro wide receiver and 1996 number one draft pick Keyshawn Johnson has joined other NFL greats like Drew Bledsoe and Terry Hoage in the winemaking business. Johnson has partnered on this project with R.C. Mills, a Los Angeles restaurant industry veteran. The first release is the 2007 XIX Cabernet Sauvignon from the Eastern Oregon area of…
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 BeaulieuVineyard at the forefront of Napa Valley Cabernet in the sixties and seventies. He credits summer trips to visit his uncle in St. Helena, California with developing his early interest in wine. Paul Golitzin, Alex’s…