The October installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Zinfandel from a few of my very favorite producers. Ridge, Turley and Williams Selyem are without a doubt in the very upper echelon of California Zinfandel producers. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may…
Rochioli is one of the true pioneers in Russian River Valley, with a winemaking history dating back to the the late 1950′s. Although best known for their world class Pinot Noir, Rochioli also produces remarkable Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve blogged about Rochioli previously in Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings and the Fab 5 of Mailing Lists. Rochioli recently published a…
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. Dragon Vineyard is estate owned and is situated at one of the highest points on Howell Mountain. Ruby red in color. 15.3% ABV. The wine has a textbook Howell Mountain nose…
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 and Reserve Chardonnay are some of the very best examples of those varietals produced in Washington State. The fruit for the…
Château Haut-Marbuzet is in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Haut-Médoc. Its origins date back to the 18th century. The estate was acquired in 1952 by Hervé Duboscq. Today, his son Henri Duboscq is the winemaker and owner of Haut-Marbuzet. The Chateau is in some rarified air located between Chateau Cos d’Estournel and Montrose, the vineyard covers 61 hectares (150 acres)…
I’m excited to introduce a new monthly feature: The Zinfandel Chronicles Zinfandel of the Month. Each month around the 15th or so I’ll spotlight a particular Zinfandel that I feel is noteworthy. The wine might be something I have pulled from my cellar, picked up at a local retailer or a sample provided by a winery. You can bet if…
Grgich Hills Estate, in Rutherford, in the Napa Valley, was founded in 1977 by Mike Grgich. Grgich earned fame in 1976 when the Chardonnay he produced as winemaker at Chateau Montelena won first prize among white wines at the now famous Paris Wine Tasting. The estate has 366 acres of vineyards in American Canyon, Carneros, Yountville, Rutherford and Calistoga and…
The 2000 Branaire Ducru was the winning bottle in the September installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for two hours and paired with a hearty beef stew. Chateau Branaire Ducru is a Fourth Growth Bordeaux according to the official classification of 1855. The 123-acre estate is in St.-Julien on the left bank of the Gironde River.…
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 in the region, and those holdings were combined to form Vieux Donjon. The domaine covers fourteen hectares of vineyards, thirteen planted to red grapes and one planted…
Carlisle Winery & Vineyards was founded in 1998 by Mike and Kendall Officer. Their passion is clear: Small lots of Zinfandel and Syrah from exceptional, historic vineyards. The wine is 80% Grenache sourced from Teldeschi and Rossi Ranch Vineyards, 15% Mourvèdre from Bedrock Vineyard and 5% Syrah. 15.5% ABV. Bright crimson in color. Intoxicating aromas of raspberry liqueur, kirsch and…