Appellation SoCal

PAMO VALLEY WINERY tasting room

2012-02-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

The Pamo tasting room has expanded! There's now an additional space behind the main bar, ideal for socializing with friends or watching a game. And the patio is nicer than ever. Thanks Jennifer!

Link to first Pamo post...

PYRAMID VINEYARD

2012-02-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

Pyramid Vineyard used to be a Christmas tree farm, tended on the weekends by owner Don Kohorst and his family. As the children grew older their enthusiasm for the business declined, and in time Kohorst decided to get out of tree farming. Retired from his engineering job, in 2000 he started planting vines and learning about winemaking from the likes of Lum Eisenman, who founded the San Diego Amateur Winemaking Society, and Ramona wine guru Johnny Schwaesdall. Later on he took some classes at Mira Costa College and directly from Eisenman, in collaboration with the folks at Belle Marie Winery. Since then Kohorst has become friends with Joe Cullen of Cactus Star Vineyards; he calls Cullen his "taster."

All of Pyramid's wines are estate grown. There are several Muscats including a dry one - rare in these parts, plus a couple of light-bodied, full-flavored reds. The 2008 Syrah won a gold medal at the fourth annual Lum Eisenman Ramona Valley Wine Competition.

The Pyramid tasting room – a work in progress when we first visited in 2011 – is now completely enclosed and comfortably furnished, with picnic tables just outside. Open weekends 12:00-5:00. 760.789.4682

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WINE COMPANY tasting room & wine bar

2012-02-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

Vintners Nathan, Sandy, and Garrett Marsh have just opened a friendly, comfortable tasting room and wine bar right in downtown Ramona, exclusively featuring San Diego County wines and beers. Their place is in the rear of the antique store at 369 Main St. Currently six wineries are represented: Lenora, Mahogany Mountain, Orfila, Pamo, Salerno, and Shadow Mountain. This list is already quite good and will only expand as the Marshes continue to reach out to area wineries.

In a few years the Marshes will be pouring their own El Tesoro wines too. According to Nathan, "If it weren't for Alex and Shadow Mountain we wouldn't be doing this." A visit there is what inspired Nathan and Sandy to plant vines on their twelve acres in Ranchita. Nathan explains his family's leap into vinticulture quite simply: "I just like wine!"

Guests of SoCal Wine Co. may choose five tastes for $8 or purchase wine by the glass or bottle. Bottle prices are the same as at the wineries. The menu below is a sample; offernings change.

760.518.1229 760.518.0296

EDWARDS VINEYARD AND CELLARS

2012-02-12T18:01:00.000-08:00

It had been a few months since our last visit, and we found plenty new to like at Edwards Vineyard and Cellars. Victor Edwards recently released his 2006 Whale Mountain Red, a delicious and very affordable estate blend of Syrah and Petit Syrah. We also got to taste a not-yet-labeled bottle of 2006 Estate Syrah; stay tuned for this one! Don't let a little wind keep you away from the Edwards' tasting patio; Beth sets up a nice heater.

Link to our most comprehensive Edwards post...

MATTHEW RICHARDS CELLARS & SAN DIEGO CELLARS

2012-02-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

Matthew Richards started out brewing beer… and one thing led to another. Since 2008 he and his business partner Todd have been making quite a range of very impressive wines. At a recent gathering of wine club members and friends they were pouring at least eight different bottles or barrel samples; our notes document four whites and four reds, but we were having a very good time and may have left out a few. Wines bearing the Matthew Richards label come primarily from Northern California grapes: Napa, Edna Valley, Lake County… while San Diego Cellars features local fruit.

Matt

Todd

Honestly, we liked every single thing we tasted. The standouts include 2008 Edna Chardonnay – dry, very crisp, mineral-tinged; 2008 Edna Pinot Noir – grassy on the nose, it reminded us of an Oregon Pinot (or perhaps a pre-Sideways California one). We loved the deep, full 2008 San Diego Syrah; the 2009, not yet bottled, is even more impressive. Matt ages his wines exclusively in French oak barrels, some of which sport pretty cool paint jobs.

In the near future, Matt and Todd's enterprise will have a home in Little Italy at Kettner and Ivy. Right now they're tucked into an industrial park: 7919 Silverton Avenue, Suite 408. Open Fridays and Saturdays 3:30-7:30. 858.527.0944

The Matthew Richards/San Diego Cellars wine club offers a 20% discount on everything, free tastings for members and up to three guests, special wine offerings, and parties. Members can choose the amount of wine they would like to buy and request shipments tailored to their taste.

BROOKLYN WINERY

2012-02-04T17:17:00.000-08:00

Co-owner John Stires did some extracurricular winemaking before he and Brian Leventhal, linked by their stints at ExpoTV, took it to the next level and founded the Brooklyn Winery. The 6000 sq. ft. winery, restaurant, and event space opened its doors in October 2010. The winery’s immediate predecessor in what, from the street, resembles a warehouse was a seedy nightclub called “Supreme Trading.” Only a disco ball remains of that iteration. The winery is a comfortable multi-level space with a courtyard that doubles as a dock for receiving and crushing climate-controlled truckloads of grapes.

The Disco Ball

We sampled the three house-made wines on tap, especially liking pleasantly dry “Untitled” Finger Lakes Riesling and a jammy Zinfandel from Lodi, CA fruit. Bartender Greg told us that there’ll be a new-release Merlot in about two months. The printed menu showcases an international selection of wines by the glass that offers very good value for price, plus thoughtfully chosen, high-quality food offerings. One can order a yummy snack or a satisfying meal.

In 2011 Brooklyn Winery’s Finger Lakes Riesling and Chardonnay won gold medals at the New York State Food and Wine Festival. Winemaker Conor McCormack brings a Northern California sensibility to what he does, specializing in boutique custom crush operations and micro-lot fermentations. He likes to experiment, e.g., by aging the same wine in steel plus two different wood barrels. McCormack aims not only to produce the best wine possible from the best fruit available, but also to demonstrate the different styles of wine that can be made from the same fruit.

Clients' Wines

Brooklyn Winery offers an array of winemaking packages tailored to clients’ budgets and the degree to which they want to participate in the process.

213 N. 8^th St., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (about a 10-minute subway ride from Union Square) M-Th 5pm – 12 am, F 5pm – 1 am, Sa 1pm-1am, Su 1pm-12am. The kitchen closes an hour early. 347-763-1506

THE BARREL ROOM AT CITY WINERY

2012-02-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

This is our kind of place! We’d barely removed our hats and gloves when a friendly bartender brought us tastes of City Winery’s Petit Syrah. Soon we were sipping out way through the lineup, guided by Raul Mesias, Director of Wine Sales. Soothed by gentle rumblings from the No. 2 subway below, we tasted ten wines on tap: two featuring New York State grapes, the rest from California. Our favorites were Finger Lakes, NY Cabernet Franc; Lake County, CA Barrel-aged Sauvignon Blanc; and Lodi, CA Petit Syrah. The comprehensive wine list offers much more by the glass and around 500 bottles representing the best of what just about anyone could want to drink.

The Bar

Bottle Lamps, Streetside at Dusk

The Barrel Room restaurant and tasting bar is a very recent addition to this 21,000-foot space, which Michael Dorf of Knitting Factory fame opened as an urban winery and nightly music venue in 2008. City Winery specializes in barrel ownership, offering hands-on experience in the winemaking process and of course private labels to document the results. Winemaker David Lecomte hails from the Rhone Valley, but he’s open to working with grapes from anywhere, provided that they can be properly transported. A barrel (average price around $8000) yields 252 bottles – quite a lot of a single wine, but barrel owners automatically become “members” in the winery and are invited to classes and private events where they can informally trade wine amongst themselves.

City Winery is slated to open a new spot in Chicago’s West Loop – stay tuned. Meanwhile, check here for current information about the NYC winery's hours and events. 155 Varick St. between Spring and Vandam 212.608.0555

SUNSHINE MOUNTAIN VINEYARD

2012-01-24T21:15:00.000-08:00

“On your first visit you are a guest, on your second visit a friend, and on your third visit you are family.” Well… it was only our first visit to Sunshine Mountain Vineyard in San Marcos, but the welcome we received made us feel like old friends. After preliminary hugs, Claire poured us a taste of their 2010 Santa Barbara County Sauvignon Blanc and stayed around to chat while we waited for Ed to warmly bid adieu to previous visitors before taking us on a delightful tour of the winery.

Pretty much the first thing the Krugers did after obtaining their 13-acre property in 2001 was plant grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Syrah. A bit later Ed added some Viogner and Petit Syrah on a hill where the vines can catch an ocean breeze. Now about six acres are planted and Sunshine Mountain has produced some top-notch estate wines. A lot of their fruit still comes from elsewhere (e.g., reputable growers in Santa Barbara, Napa, and Walla Walla, WA). This is necessary to keep up with demand for Ed's wines (around 1100 cases per year, most of which go to wine club members).

In the course of Ed’s “day job” – importing stone for flooring and countertops – Italy practically became his second home. He recognized his passion for surrounding himself with family, food, and friends – all of which the Kruger estate evokes. Fruit trees and vines abound, there’s a big patio where people can congregate and cook, and a formidable koi pond that houses some very lucky carp.

Traveling around Europe and Australia, Ed drank wonderful wines and assimilated a variety of winemaking styles, which he seems to have mentally catalogued as a chef might bank a repertoire of recipes and techniques. When he took up winemaking as a hobby, facilitated by some good mentors in Napa, he had one goal: “To make a wine that I would like.” He’s learned a lot since, but still approaches winemaking as if he were making dinner, experimenting and aiming to create something delicious that can be enjoyed at an early age.

Many of Ed’s blends emerge after barrel aging, when he can test different combinations and pick a favorite or two. He uses only French oak barrels because the taste they impart is more subtle. To avoid transporting truckloads of just-picked grapes for hours, through unpredictable weather, the fruit is crushed at the vineyards and then transferred to portable, dry-ice-cooled tanks that forestall the fermentation process until Ed can give it his full attention.

Back in the tasting room, our favorite wines were the 2008 Napa Reserve Syrah, rich with tobacco and spice, and 2007 Napa Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from “old plants in the mountains.” Wonderful on the nose and the palate, this wine won a Winemakers’ Challenge gold medal. We bought the Napa Syrah, and – without tasting it – a bottle of 2008 Walla Walla Syrah, and opened the latter to accompany a dinner of cedar-roasted rockfish, fregola, and farmers market vegetables. It was a stunning combination.

Sunshine Mountain Vineyard is open on weekends by appointment. 760.798.1540

Use this link to reserve

Wine club members purchase a case (can be mixed), discounted 20%, to start. After that they receive two bottles of wine once or twice a year, timed with new releases, and a 20% discount on other purchases.

WINE TOURING IN JULIAN

2012-01-09T17:51:00.000-08:00

There’s now a critical mass of wineries and tasting rooms in historic Julian, about an hour’s drive from central San Diego. In the center of town, start at Blue Door (2608 B Street). You may also want to visit the Witch Creek tasting room (2000 Main Street). After that, take short drive to J. Jenkins (1255 Julian Orchards Drive) and then Menghini (1150 Julian Orchards Drive). If you’ve brought a picnic, Menghini’s patio is the best spot to enjoy it.

Backtrack a bit and turn right onto Highway 78, where you’ll soon encounter Country Cellars (4456 Highway 78) and Orfila (4470 Highway 78). If you're game for more, stop at Milagro (18750-C Littlepage Road, accessible from the 78) or Edwards (26502 Highway 78) and then proceed back to San Diego via Ramona and Poway. You’ll be home before you know it.

Current Julian Tasting Room Hours:

Blue Door: Friday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday-Thursday 12-5

Witch Creek: Daily 11-5

J. Jenkins: Thursday-Sunday 11-5

Menghini: Monday-Friday 10-4, Saturday-Sunday 10-5

Country Cellars: Wednesday-Sunday 11-5, holiday Mondays 11-4

Milagro: Friday-Monday 11-5

Edwards: Saturday-Sunday 11-4

COUNTRY CELLARS tasting room and wine shop

2012-01-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing close to Country Cellars in the city of San Diego: it's truly a one-stop shop for San Diego County wine and beer. Located on Highway 78 between Julian and Ramona, this place is a gem that attracts both locals and tourists. Owner Trez Gotfredson changes up the tasting menu every week, so there’s always something new to try, and even more to buy. Her current list includes five whites, sixteen reds, and eight dessert wines (and we didn’t even look at the beer!). The shop stocks some cheeses and other picnic supplies as well.

Country Cellars has both monthly and quarterly wine clubs, with lots of options. The discount is at least 15%, plus free tasting and invitations to quarterly wine-appetizer pairings and other events.

Country Cellars is open for tasting and sales Wednesday-Sunday 11-5 and holiday Mondays 11-4. 760.765.0089

BLUE DOOR WINERY tasting room

2012-01-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

Blue Door Winery in San Marcos recently opened a tasting room in the heart of Julian – a welcome addition to the town’s budding wine landscape. Winemaker Marc Hashagen sources grapes from many parts of California, with a lot (especially white varietals) coming from Santa Barbara County. We loved his 2010 unoaked Chardonnay.

Marc was working in international finance when he had an epiphany of sorts: he wanted to become a boutique winemaker, expressing his passion while keeping things simple and natural. Meanwhile, his old friend Kameron was working in the Santa Barbara wine industry. She moved to San Diego and reconnected with Marc… now they’re engaged. Blue Door’s annual production has grown to approximately 750 cases. Kameron manages the tasting room and vigorously promotes the wines.We tried three outstanding reds: a 2008 Santa Barbara Barbera – soft on the palate but still with plenty of tannins, 2008 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon (our favorite) aged in American oak – fruit and spice on the nose, pepper later on. This wine is light; one could mistake it for a Pinot Noir. The just-released 2008 Santa Barbara Cabernet Franc is, we were told, highly changeable depending on one's mood and food. We enjoyed its pleasant grassiness.

We look forward to tasting Marc’s famous Merlot, with fruit from the Hidden Meadows area of Escondido. The 2010 vintage will be released at the end of this month. There’s also a Zinfandel on the horizon.

Blue Door’s wine club members get two bottles every three months, at $20/bottle or 20% off retail. And free tasting, of course.

The tasting room is open Friday-Saturday 11-6, Sunday-Thursday 12-5. 760.765.0361

OUR FAVORITE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WINES, 2011

2011-12-26T19:45:00.000-08:00

Weve enjoyed some wonderful wines this year, from right in our own San Diego County backyard. This list makes us smile.

Belle Marie Chateau Dragoo 2003 Barolo

$32 (wine club: $28.80)

Bernardo 2006 Estate Syrah

$42

Cactus Star Scaredy Cat Ranch 2009 Estate Tempranillo

$22

Cordiano 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

All gone, but the 2005 is $30 (wine club: $24)

Eagles Nest 2007 Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

$24

Edwards 2004 Ramona Valley Syrah

$20

Hawk Watch 2006 Estate Reserve Syrah

All gone. But they have lots of other good stuff.

JJJ Cellars (Pamo Valley Vineyards) 2006 Ramona Valley Merlot

$23

Kohill 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

$22.50

La Finquita 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

$20

La Serenissima 2006 San Diego County Cabernet Sauvignon

Around $28 in retail stores, available by the case at the winery

Milagro 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

$22.50 (wine club: $18)

Orrin 2007 Estate Syrah

$18

Rock Canyon 2007 Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon

$30

Salerno 2007 Lagrein

$50 (wine club: $32)

San Pasqual 2001 “Ranchero” (Cab./Nebbiolo blend)

$25 (wine club: $20)

Shadow Mountain 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

$28 (wine club: $22.40)

Woof’n Rose 2008 Estate Cabernet Franc

$22

KID-FRIENDLY WINE TASTING

2011-12-19T13:23:00.001-08:00

Wine tasting with a kid in tow? Keep it short, and choose places with food, pets, and a casual atmosphere. Salerno certainly fits the bill with wood-fired pizzas, plenty of open space, and family-friendly people. Winery dog Pinot Noir has a big bark, but he loves to be petted.

At the Pamo tasting room, kids can feed treats to pooches Teacup and Roxy (who, on a recent visit, looked very cute in their red sweaters). There are always little treats for the humans too.

Cordiano Winery hosts a lot of boisterous family gatherings around tables laden with pizza and salad. On a weekend, your child will not be the only one here. There’s plenty of room to move about in, and quite a cast of playful canine characters.

UNCORKED Wine Bar - Orange County

2011-12-13T21:55:00.000-08:00

22342 El Paseo
Rancho Santa Margarita
949.589.1156

Bar Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 4:30-9, Thursday 4:30-10, Friday-Saturday 4:30-11, Sunday noon-6. Happy Hour Tuesday-Friday 4:30-6:30.

We decided to branch out a bit and explore some wine venues in the OC (Orange County). UnCorked is a wine shop and bar with an excellent selection of global wines, offering good value for price, regardless of whether you intend to spend $18 or $200 on a bottle. In the back there's a very friendly wine bar with a thoughtfully crafted list by the glass or in flights, plus a bit of food. We enjoyed tastes of Tobin James Chardonnay (Monterrey, CA), Mud House Pinot Noir (Central Otago, New Zealand), and Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz (Clare Valley, Australia). According to owner George Riviere, “If I don’t like it, I don’t buy it.” This straightforward philosophy seems to be working quite well.

AMAZING GRAPES Wine Bar - Orange County

2011-12-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

Amazing Grapes

29911 Aventura Suites D, E and F
Rancho Santa Margarita

949.888.9007

Bar Hours: Monday-Tuesday 5-7, Wednesday-Saturday 5-10

Amazing Grapes is an expansive wine store with something for everybody, including a “wines under $10” section. There’s a tasting area with a bar and tables; the food menu accommodates guests who want to dine as well as those who just want a nibble with their wine. About fifteen wines are offered by the taste (2 oz.); selections change every two weeks. Or, choose a bottle from the store and enjoy it at the bar with no corkage fee. There are $10 flights on Wednesdays and winery tastings on Thursdays.

MILAGRO FARM VINEYARDS AND WINERY

2011-11-27T15:14:00.001-08:00

We’d been anticipating the opening of Milagro’s tasting room without really knowing what to expect. Well, the place is a gem – and even better, it’s just down the road from Edwards, another favorite Ramona winery. At present, twenty of the property's 110 acres are planted with vines. The first planting was in 2001 with additions in 2003 and again in late 2007 to compensate for fire damage.

The wines currently available at Milagro are well developed despite their youth, thanks to the taste and expertise of winemaker Jim Hart. All of them are estate grown with the exception of the 2009 Merlot. We liked everything, a lot! But the standouts are 2010 Karen’s Reserve Chardonnay – oaked but not too much, with depth and spice; and 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. Manager Ben Wier treated us to a taste of the 2007 Cab, which exudes cherries without being sweet.

Milagro (“miracle”) is owned by Kit and Karen Sickels of LaJolla. Their careful management of the property has left most of it untouched, with vines planted along the land's natural contours. The estate is lush with native oaks and stately boulders; it's even home to a flock of wild turkeys. The classy, high-ceilinged tasting room affords views of the grounds and the working winery. Next time we'll ask permission to picnic; there are no tables yet, but plenty of nice spots to put down a blanket. Guests are encouraged to walk around and take in the scenery.

Milagro’s wine club offers three bottles quarterly at 20% off retail, free tasting for members and two friends per visit, a 20% discount on additional wine, invitations to events, private winery tours by appointment, and discounted rates to use the facility for private events.

The tasting room is open Friday-Sunday 11:00-5:00. 760.787.0738.

J. JENKINS WINERY

2011-11-27T15:09:00.001-08:00

Jim & Jeanne Jenkins in Their Tasting Room

Retired pediatrician Jim Jenkins has been making wine for many years, and doing so commercially since 2003. He and his wife Jeanne have ten acres of vines and apple trees just two miles north of Julian. Their estate grapes include Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir; Jim sources additional grapes from Ramona and other SoCal vineyards. The Jenkins’s tasting room was subletted to another winery for about a year but they’ll soon move back in. Meanwhile there’s tasting in the winery’s work space just across the parking area. We especially liked the crisp, mineral-tinged 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2005 Syrah – very dry with spicy notes. J. Jenkins Winery is also well known for two apple brews: slightly effervescent Dolcezza and Pommier dessert wine.

Pourer Susan Kaiser, a Certified Specialist of Wine, just launched Wines on Wheels, offering “wine parties anywhere, anytime.” In the near future she intends to host San Diego County wine tastings for visitors to Julian – a less time-consuming alternative to touring the wineries. Look for a Wines on Wheels website in early 2012.

The J. Jenkins tasting room is open Thursday – Sunday from 11:00-5:00. 760.765.3267

MENGHINI WINERY

2011-11-27T15:00:00.000-08:00

There’s always something new to try at Menghini’s tasting room, which – along with the adjoining picnic area – was bustling with activity on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. All the wines here (except apple wine) are 100% varietals. We liked the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc – off-dry but with a tart finish (Temecula grapes), and the 2010 Syrah – nicely spicy (Pamo Valley and Ramona grapes).

The Menghini tasting room is open Monday-Friday 10:00-4:00 and weekends 10:00 – 5:00. 760.765.2072

Link to first Menghini post...

RAMONA TASTING MAP

2011-11-27T10:25:00.000-08:00

Map: Ramona Valley Winery Association

Here's a handy map of winery tasting rooms that are current members of the Ramona Valley Winery Association.

Printable PDF

A new online magazine about Ramona wineries

SAN DIEGO WINE HISTORY

2011-11-24T16:29:00.001-08:00

Most people don’t realize that San Diego County played a significant role in the history of California winemaking. The county’s wine roots extend back to the early 1800s, when San Diego was still part of Mexico. Mission San Diego de Alcalá (its basilica is the heart of Old Town) was well known for wine. But Mission Gabriel in the Los Angeles basin soon edged Mission San Diego out of the limelight and became the primary producer supplying the southern California missions.

The Basilica, Mission San Diego

Ultimately it was not Spanish friars but other European immigrants who planted, harvested, and fermented the produce of San Diego’s vines. The Otay Valley was home to a large community of Italians and, towards the late 1800s, produced more wine than anywhere else in the county. Meanwhile, French immigrants were establishing themselves and their vineyards in the town of Nuevo (present-day Ramona), Julian, and Vista. Early 20^th-century customers at the wineries and wine shops such as Bradley’s at 4^th and C Street were encouraged to bring their own casks of gallon jugs for filling; bottling was the exception, not the rule. Aged and/or imported wines were definitely not for the average person.

Grape growing increased during Prohibition because grapes could be legally sold for home winemaking. This incentivized growers to focus on maximum yields rather than quality. Post-Prohibition there was a short upsurge in commercial winemaking, mostly around Escondido. But during World War II rationing, labor shortages, decrease in wine consumption, and huge profits to be made in growing food for the war effort nearly ended San Diego’s wine production. The post-war generation didn't embrace wine the way their parents had; hard liquor and beer became the alcoholic beverages of choice. Of the thirty wineries operating before Prohibition, only two still existed in 1964 (and still exist today): Bernardo in Rancho Bernardo (founded 1889) and Ferrara in Escondido (founded 1932).

According to historian Richard Carrico, whose 2007 monograph History of the Wineries of San Diego County informs this post, "San Diego is poised to take its place in the surging Rhone style wine craze and the Cal-Italia surge. Escondido, Ramona, Fallbrook, and Julian may never be Sonoma or Napa but they could become something in the wine world that is uniquely San Diego County.”

Cheers! Carrico is in the process of updating his work; we’ll keep you posted.

THE TASTING ROOM IN PIKE PLACE MARKET

2011-11-15T19:36:00.001-08:00

Located on tranquil Post Alley within the always bustling historic Pike Place Market, The Tasting Room is a gem. Stop in to seriously taste, drink and snack with friends, or just for a break. If you're a tourist interested in bringing some Washington wine home with you, this is your one-stop shop.

Currently The Tasting Room features eight Washington wineries. Guests can enjoy pre-selected flights or concoct their own; all wines are available by the ounce, half glass, glass, carafe, or bottle. We zeroed in on Wilridge Cellars, a Seattle winery that works with biodynamically produced grapes from a vineyard near Yakima. And as usual, we liked the offerings from Wineglass Cellars in Zillah - especially the 2007 Syrah-Marcoux.

The Tasting Room is open Sunday - Thursday 12:00-8:00 and Friday-Saturday "noon-late." 206.770.9463

WOODINVILLE!

2011-11-15T18:58:00.001-08:00

We visit Seattle on a fairly regular basis, but until recently the explosion of wineries, tasting rooms, and distilleries in Woodinville - about a half-hour's drive northeast - escaped our notice. With over eighty wineries in close proximity the idea of going tasting was a bit daunting, but on a rainy Friday afternoon we decided to at least get a sense of the place. A friend recommended DeLille Cellars so we planned to start there, but had a hard time finding it. Our first stop, Goose Ridge, was a somewhat random choice among a strip mall full of tasting rooms. The vineyard and winery are on 1600 acres in Richland (south-central Washington). Given our focus on boutique wineries, it was quite out of the ordinary to be in the tasting room of one big enough to be its own AVA! And... we loved the wine. The 2010 Chardonnay is lemony and spicy, aged six months in French oak but definitely not over-oaked. Our absolute favorite was the 2007 Reserve Malbec for its double layers of flavors and hints of tobacco and raisins.

DeLille is right across the street. The tasting room is inviting in an unpretentious way; guests can stand at the bar or congregate around tables, either way getting plenty of attention from a very knowledgeable staff person. The estate's grapes are in the Red Mountain AVA, a bit north of Walla Walla. Currently they have twenty acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, planted in 2000 and cut down after three years to jump-start the vines' maturation. The winery sources other fruit from the Red Mountain and Yakima Valley AVAs. These wines are definitely French style: dry, smooth...even silky, with lots of nuances. We loved the 2010 Roussanne, 2008 Syrah, and 2006 Grand Cru Estate Cab.

Here are some more Woodinville recommendations we collected there and back in Seattle:

Alexandria Nicole

Dusted Valley

J. Bookwalter

Mark Ryan

Sparkman Cellars

The Library at Apex

And here's a link to help you out:

Woodinville, WA Wine

HACIENDA DE LAS ROSAS WINERY Tasting Room

2011-11-06T19:05:00.000-08:00

Tammy in her Tasting Room

It's always fun to stop by the Hacienda de las Rosas tasting room in Old Town. On a busy Saturday owner Tammy Rimes's warm, welcoming style seemed to make everyone feel at home - from hesitant first-time wine tasters to a group of serious conisseurs. Our favorite wines here use grapes from the Rimes's own vineyard in Ramona. 2008 "Sombra" Petit Syrah is smooth with a dry finish - easy drinking but not boring; 2008 "Vistoso" Tempranillo is pleasantly peppery.

Most of the wines are named after the Rimes's horses.

The Hacienda de las Rosas tasting room is open daily 11:30-9:00. 619.840.5579

Link to first Hacienda de las Rosas post...

BELLE MARIE WINERY

2011-11-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

There's always something new at Belle Marie. Right now the winery is offering a 2007 Freisa, a red grape that usually grows in Italy's Piedmont region. Unfortunately none was open for tasting, but we were able to sample the 2007 "Artisan Series" Nebbiolo-Aleatico blend. It's dry with a spicy nose and jammy finish that's a bit too sweet for our taste, but this is definitely a nice bottle to have around for the holidays. Our current favorites: 2004 "Cinq Diamante" (Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Grenache, Malbec, and Syrah) and 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape (Rhone blend).

The winery's grounds are studded with lemon trees whose fruit never goes to waste. There's a new batch of limoncello for sale in the tasting room.

Belle Marie's tasting room is open daily 11:00-5:00. 760.796.7557

Link to first Belle Marie post...

CACTUS STAR VINEYARD AT SCAREDY CAT RANCH

2011-11-02T10:29:00.000-07:00

Becky Cullen designs cool labels like this one.

We were the very first customers to visit Cactus Star Vineyard’s new tasting patio. The Vineyard is part of Joe and Becky Cullen’s Scaredy Cat Ranch, named after a very timid horse. Joe’s engineering job took him to Spain, Italy, Germany and Turkey, where came to know and enjoy wine. In 1995 Becky gave him a winemaking kit for his birthday; the rest is history. The couple relocated from Pittsburgh to Ramona, planting their first grapes in 2001. Their winery – ensconced in a couple of small, semi-underground structures – has been licensed and bonded since 2006. There are now 600 vines on the Cullens' property. Joe makes around 150 cases of wine each year, most of which is estate-grown. His “Two Dogs Barking” label differentiates non-estate wine sourced exclusively from the Ramona AVA.

Two Dogs Barking

We liked everything here, starting with a dry, tasty, 2009 Two Dogs Barking Grenache. The 2009 Scaredy Cat Ranch (100%) Tempranillo is a winner. This grape is hard to grow in Ramona because it’s not heat tolerant, but Joe’s vines are on a slope that gets a marine breeze. It was interesting to compare the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon (80% Cab, 15% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec) and the Petit Verdot from the same year (80% Petit Verdot, 15% Cab, 5% Malbec). We ultimately decided on the Cabernet Sauvignon for its well rounded flavor and dry finish.

It was a pleasure to visit and taste these wines. We'll be back!

Stained glass art adorns the winery structures.

Cactus Star's tasting patio is open on weekends by appointment.
760.787.0779