As a family owned estate, Dow's reputation rests on the quality of its Douro Valley vineyards, Quinta do Bomfim and Quinta da Senhora da Ribiera, from which generations of the Symington family have made acclaimed Vintage Ports. Likewise, Dow's Late Bottled Vintages are sourced from these vineyards and only produced in the finest years. | Symington Family Estates
100% Sauvignon Blanc from a single block of the family owned Farella Estate vineyards in the Coombsville AVA of Napa Valley, La Luce is focused on freshness. A lively palate of citrus, passion fruit, and delicate botanicals is a refreshing diversion. A cold ferment with Champagne yeast completely in stainless steel with no oak and no malolactic has been divulged as the Farella Family secret to this wine's delicate appeal. Only approximately 15-20% of the estate harvest in Sauvignon Blanc is directed towards this bottling with the remainder of the fruit finding a home at Lail Vineyards, Realm Cellars, and Tournesol. For the Farella Estate La Luce bottling only 340 cases were produced. | Falling Bright
Deep purple in color, the wine brims with aromas of wild blueberries, cassis, and pleasing notes of forest floor. The palate is initially treated to dense flavors of plum, milk chocolate and framboise. Following, a delightful interplay of violet, anise, black tea, and brown spices soon emerge giving further character to the wine. Silky tannins encapsulate things with a very pure and true finish. |Winemakers NotesAs of now, Dave Phinney might be my "value winemaker of the year" candidate. If there are better wines for under $20 a bottle in the world today, please share that information with the Wine Advocate. |Robert Parker
The wine presents a dark, polished amethyst with aromatic notes of white pepper, tobacco, and black currant emerging from the glass. A silky mouthfeel with a palate of dark plums, black raspberry, and hints of French vanilla closes with subtle tart black cherry and a lengthy, structural finish. | Winemakers Notes
Our dry Grenache Ros is certainly a treat for Spring and Summer. Fermented in stainless steel tanks to preserve the delightful bouquet. The Grenache was left on the skins for three days giving way to beautiful rich strawberry and watermelon rind flavors balanced with crisp acidity. Pairs amazing with creamy, fatty cheeses, Asian fare, or just sitting in the sunshine. Enjoy now until 2022. | Turtle Rock Vineyards
Geographic diversity is what Locations CA is all about. Provided with a wide assortment of microclimates and soil profiles to exploit, it can be a winemaker's dream. With a goal in mind to create a blend that showcases the best of the Golden State, we navigated the famed appellations of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, and the Sierra Foothills for prized fruit. Once secured, we were able to apply some creativity to the blending components to ultimately settle on a wine worthy of Locations. | Locations Wines
The base of our blend is comprised of fruit from vineyards in the heart of the Wairau Valley, with its traditional passion fruit and crisp grassy flavors. This component is complemented by the second wave of plantings in the ever-expanding Awatere Valley, which is noted for the minerality and elegant characteristics the fruit gains from the region's proximity to the Pacific Ocean. For the balance of this wine, we have sought out fruit from the southern valley of Waihopai, where the gravel soils, and later, cooler ripening climate produce Sauvignon Blanc characteristics that provide the final layer of complexity and brings balance... In the glass, a brilliant pale yellow reminiscent of white currants; the wine opens with an intense bouquet of gooseberries, feijoas, and ripe tropical fruits. The bright entry of fresh cut grass and preserved lemon lead to passion fruit pot de creme showcasing a long finish of fresh herbs and clean minerality. | Locations Wines
A harmonious blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Grenache, Luli Rose presents itself with a beautiful pale apricot color. The cool, foggy days of the Santa Lucia Highlands and Arroyo Seco appellations are expressed through fresh aromatics of candied watermelon, white peach, and crushed strawberry. Lively citrus and red berry flavors are enhanced by crisp, focused acidity, leading to a refreshingly dry finish. 726 cases produced by winemaker Jeff Pisoni | Luli Wines
100% Grenache from the South of France sourced from vineyard blocks that cling to granite and schist slopes; these 50-year-old dry farmed vines produce very low yields of perfectly concentrated fruit. We are continually striving to maintain traditions while using our personal experiences to improve our craft each vintage. Fermented at very cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks; this wine displays both a delicacy and vibrancy characteristic to the maritime influences of the Mediterranean Sea. In the glass, an appearance of Himalayan salt opens with a nose of gardenias and early harvested stone fruit. A fresh entry leads to a honeysuckle mousse with hints of peaches and cantaloupe encompassing a dry minerality. The finish is memorable with a slight brininess reminiscent of the Himalayan sea salt hue. | Winemakers Notes
Bright, crunchy, lively and tart. Cherry blossoms and Enokitake ruffle the edges of the bouquet with a centerpiece of delicate plum that continues to the palate with flavors of tangy-sweet Santa Rosa plum and Queen Anne cherry finishing on a retro note of rosewood. | Falling Bright
Winemaker Jayson Woodbridge applies his artisan micro fermentation approach to individual lots from three distinct vineyard sites, Rogers Creek on the Sonoma Coast, Alta Loma in Monterey County, and Los Alamos of Santa Barbara County. Each lot develops complexity in the aromatic and flavor components of the wine adding to the final blend.The 2016 Cherry Pie Tri-County Pinot Noir jumps from the glass with aromas of sweet toasty oak with macerated cherries, Italian plums and a hint of blueberry. On the palate, this wine is a juicy attack of Bing cherries, integrated oak and raspberries with a long smooth finish. | Cherry Pie Wines
Winemaker Jayson Woodbridge applies his artisan micro fermentation approach to individual lots from three distinct vineyard sites, Rogers Creek on the Sonoma Coast, Alta Loma in Monterey County, and Los Alamos of Santa Barbara County. Each lot develops complexity in the aromatic and flavor components of the wine adding to the final blend. | Cherry Pie Wines
Composed of 55% old vine Mataro [Mourvedré] and 45% old vine Grenache, Ode to Lulu is our love letter to the Bandol rosé we love so much. The Mataro is sourced from the sandy soils and own-rooted vines of Oakley along with a dash of 1920s-planted fruit from the famed Pagani Ranch. The deliciously feral and wild Mataro element is enlivened by Grenache planted in the 1880s at Gibson Ranch in Mendocino's McDowell Valley. From a color perspective, this is the palest rendition of this wine we have made in a while, something that belies its richness and density. The 2018 rendition might be my favorite of the 11 vintages we have made. | Morgan Twain Peterson for Bedrock Wine Co.
Bursting aromatics of honeydew, honeysuckle and ripe peach are complemented by a hint of jasmine, pineapple and cream. With lots of weight and viscosity, the full-bodied palate brims with ripe stone fruit, wet stone and a touch of sweet Meyer lemon. The fleshy, golden mid-palate evolves into a pointed, textured finish that closes with lots of minerality. Aged in 40% new French oak sur lie for 9 months. | Orin Swift Cellars
A perennial favorite at Halter Ranch, Synthesis is our Cabernet Sauvignon based blend that continues to over deliver in deliciosity...aromas of both red and black fruits and cassis, followed by flavors of black cherry and plums. Smooth and approachable, this wine is great on its own, but also pairs with virtually everything. | Halter Ranch Vineyards
Dusty black cherry and fresh tobacco nose with red currant, ripe cranberry and red cherry flavors. Medium tannin and a fresh finish make for delicious drinking. | Falling Bright
With zero dosage, Sauvage Rosé has vibrant fruit flavors of wild strawberry and a hint of cherry that shine on the nose and palate. The finish is full of bright acidity.
This classic Blanc de Blancs is refined and elegant, and is a reflection of the Gruet style perfected at Gruet et Fils, our original winery in Champagne. Our Blanc de Blancs vintages have consistently received accolades and awards from international wine competitions around the world. Aged for a minimum of 3 years en tirage, this world-class Blanc de Blancs achieves a quality unmatched by any other vintage Blanc de Blancs in its class. | Gruet Wines
Planted in 1944 just north of the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, this vineyard is exceptional. Dry farmed without chemicals at the base of Enlightenment Mountain in gravelly volcanic soils, we are amazed at the concentration and intensity in the fruit from these vines.Aromatic and intense with classic Chenin Blanc aromas of wet stones, crushed flowers, minerals, beeswax and white pepper. Bone-dry, incredibly fresh and loaded with mineral, this is a serious oyster wine. | Pax Mahle Wines
Winemaker Derek Beitler sources 100% Petit Verdot from the Cerrito Vineyard in the Rutherford AVA and from the Oak Knoll District also of Napa Valley.A dark inkwell of color opens up into a nose of espresso and dried violets and continues to the palate with deep grooves of black and blue impressions including black raspberry, ripe plum, and warm pie fruits. Complexity intensifies in a full mid palate with a spice profile reminiscent of Mexican hot cocoa - cinnamon, cayenne, and cardamom. The finish lingers. | Falling Bright
Barrel fermented, full, and complex, the Rio Oro Chardonnay offers ripe aromatics of pear, Meyer lemon, and tropical fruits with a palate of citrus, mineral and spice that come across in a creamy and expansive texture. 213 cases produced
One of the top five wines in the Monticello AVA, the New World Reserve presents evenly across the palate with currant, raspberry, and ripe plum flavors. Pleasant vanilla and oak leave a smooth impression of finesse on the finish. | Falling Bright
A full and heady perfume of honeysuckle, jasmine, orange flower water, and raw honeycomb make for a showy bouquet that continues through the palate with juicy mandarine, ripe pineapple, and yellow summer peaches that have never seen a refrigerator. Yes, picked fresh off the tree. Dynamic layers keep the full fruits and florals moving into a finish with enough acidity and mineral texture to feel fresh. This is Viognier perfection. | Falling BrightCluster and berry sorting, native yeast fermentation, with lees stirred monthly for 14 months in barrel - half in French oak and half in stainless steel. No malolactic fermentation. 98 cases produced. | Longtable
Delicate pale peony pink, the first rosé of Pinot Noir for Ferren Wines by winemaker Matt Courtney is showing a bouquet that is crisp and restrained. Minerals are more prevalent than fruits in both bouquet and palate. The acidity is quenching showing the proximity to the Sonoma Coast in true form. | Falling Bright
Lovely aromatic notes of pomegranate, red plum, black pepper and sweet baking spice are interlaced with a fine tannin structure and flavors of dark berry, toast and vanilla. Vineyard sources: DuBrul, Elerding, Outlook, Red Willow, Union Gap | Owen RoeHeavy, rich notes of black plum, chocolate and mint ooze from the glass with notes of java and vanilla. The palate backs up the nose in rich extracted tarry black fruit, lavender, and camphor. Beautiful texture. | David O'Reilly for Doug Wilder's Purely Domestic Wine Report, 92 points
Antonio Galloni calls Walter Hansel "some of the most consumer friendly wines readers will come across ANYWHERE in California", and we can't agree more. When tasting this wine blind, I almost always place a higher value on it and then get a pleasant surprise at the true price. But numbers aside, the Cahill Lane shows all of the richness of Russian River Valley Chardonnay through a pure and simple use of the Wente Clone exclusively on this site. Brioche, buttered and topped with a dollop of apricot preserves, comes to mind. | Falling Bright
Incorporating 15% Syrah, and aged 23 months in 11% new French oak, the 2012 Tempranillo Inigo Montoya shows classic Tempranillo character with its spice, vanilla, cedar and white pepper aromas and flavors that are all supported by a core of black and red fruits. Gaining additional meatiness with air, this medium to full-bodied, pure and layered effort has juicy acidity, fine tannin and superb length. | 94 points, Jeb Dunnuck for Wine AdvocateIt's a more full-bodied wine - ripe, but still has balanced acidity. It's more Ribera than Rioja, more Jorge Ordonez than Steve Metzler. It's hedonistic and a guilty indulgence... | Gramercy Cellars
Think of the Willamette Valley in Oregon as the classical music of West Coast Pinot Noir; then consider the Eola-Amity Hills AVA as composing concertos intended for electric violin. Take everything beloved about Oregon Pinot Noir and amplify it. Then build it progressively forward to push on the boundaries of contemporary palates. In the Bieze Vineyard example crafted by Moffett Vineyards, we sense a deep expression of this Eola-Amity site. Intensity in the fruit with hints at elderberry, fresh blueberry, and black currants followed by waves of violets and a dusty sense of volcanic earth. The body opens nicely into a well structured wine with a fair amount of tannin given the varietal [it feels like Pommard clone]. The local microclimate in the Van Duzer corridor comes to mind, with bone chilling winds and incredible aspect of sunlight leaving berries with no choice but to thicken their skins and hang on for dear life. 69 cases produced. |Falling Bright
Lee Hudson, the Gentleman Farmer of Napa Valley, maintains an intimate stewardship over his lands in the Carneros AVA of Napa Valley where vineyard and garden grow in tandem. Over 200 acres are planted to 17 different wine grape varietals that provide the pristine fruit for the Hudson Ranch estate wines as well as the wines of 26 esteemed clients. Only 12 of these clients have permission to label their wines with the "Hudson Ranch" vineyard designation and you will find this noted on wines by Arietta, Aubert, Bedrock, Rober Foley, Failla, Keplinger, Kistler, Kongsgaard, and Patz & Hall. "Pick Up Sticks" is an iconic red blend of Hudson Ranch estate-grown Grenache, Syrah and Viognier that offers intensity and verve. There is a powerful explosion of ripe red fruits that is juicy with cherry, raspberry and plum that is complimented with the complexity of peppery spice and dark cocoa. | Falling Bright
