Bill and Betsy Nachbaur purchased Alegria Vineyard in 1990. Situated in the Russian River Valley, Alegría Vineyards has 26 acres planted with Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Dolcetto, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and many lesser-known varieties. The oldest part of the vineyard dates back to the 1890’s. For the first many years Bill farmed the vineyard and the grapes were…
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. Hayne Vineyard is located on the west side of St. Helena and the vines date back to 1902. Maroon in color. A touch cloudy. 16.1% ABV. Brambly black fruits, tar and…
Sojourn Cellars was founded in 2001 by Craig Haserot and Erich Bradley. The winery specializes in Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and recently added a Chardonnay to the lineup. Their fruit is sourced from some of California’s finest vineyards. Developed in 2006, Wohler Vineyard in Forestville sits in the heart of the famed Russian River Valley within sight of the Russian…
The 1998 Leonetti Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was the winning bottle in the March Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. 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…
Outpost Wines was established in 1998 and sits on a pristine piece of land atop Howell Mountain 2200 feet above Napa Valley. Thomas Rivers-Brown has been the winemaker from the start and has gained further acclaim making highly sought after wines for Schrader, Rivers-Marie and many others. Besides Zinfandel, Outpost also produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Served without decanting. Deep red…
Antica Terra is an 11-acre estate in the Eola-Amity Hills of Willamette Valley. It was founded by John Mavredakis, Scott Adelson and Michael Kramer, who in 2005 convinced winemaker Maggie Harrison to join them. Harrison had been assistant winemaker to legendary Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non. Antica Terra specializes in Pinot and Chardonnay. Maggie has gained further acclaim with…
Quilceda Creek Vintners was founded in 1978 by Alex and Jeanette Golitzin. Alex is the nephew of André Tchelistcheff, the legendary winemaker who put Beaulieu Vineyard at the forefront of Napa Valley Cabernet in the 1960s and 70s. He credits summer trips to visit his uncle in St. Helena, California with developing his early interest in wine. Alex’s son, Paul…
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. The grapes for Dehlinger Wines are largely grown on the Estate Vineyard in the Russian…
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 March Zinfandel of the Month is the 2011 Ridge Lytton Springs. Ridge Vineyards was founded in 1959 when…
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…