Outpost 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. The Grenache is estate-grown on…
Kosta Browne began as a dream shared by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne. In the summer of 1997, while working at John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa, California, Dan and Michael decided to pool their tips and venture into winemaking. Fifteen years later, Kosta Browne is one of the most sought after Pinot Noirs in all of California.…
The 2004 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Chardonnay was the winning bottle in the May installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was opened and poured immediately. We paired it with a pasta dish featuring chicken, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Williams Selyem Winery began when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams started making wine as a hobby in 1979 in…
Memorial Day is a day to remember those who gave their lives serving our country in the. For better or for worse, it is also the official kick off of summer barbecue season. I previously wrote about the Great Whites of Washington, and while these are some super wines to have in your cellar as the weather heats up, you…
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. Duarte Vineyard is in Contra Costa County surrounded by housing developments. The vines date back to the 1800’s and I can only hope that this historic site does not ripped out…
The May installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on California Chardonnay from some of my favorite producers. 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. This installment of Pick My Next Bottle is special as I plan on opening…
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…
In 1979, Joyce Black and Jerre Sears purchased a one-of-a-kind property at the top of Howell Mountain. In 1997, Joyce and Jerre began producing very small quantities of estate-bottled Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel for their new Black Sears label, a few hundred cases per vintage. For twelve years, winemaker Ted Lemon called the Black Sears winery home, producing both the…
Williams Selyem Winery began when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams started making wine as a hobby in 1979 in Forestville, California. Their first commercial release was in 1981, and in less than two decades they created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Setting a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking, they put Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley at the forefront…
Chateau Rayas is one of the most famous estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, in France’s southern Rhone Valley. Founded in the late 19th century by Albert Reynaud, a lawyer and notary from Avignon, the estate is today run Emmanuel Reynaud, the fourth generation of the family to take control of the 56-acre estate with its 37 acres of vineyards. About…