New Arrivals

A beautiful expression of the cool coastal terroir of Monterrey County, this crisp, fresh, pale pink Rosé is made from Grenache, Syrah and Pinot Noir. Following a gentle crushing and brief maceration, the grapes aren’t pressed but simply drained of lightly-colored juice, which goes into stainless steel tanks for fermentation at cold temperatures without malolactic fermentation. The result is a delicate wine that balances ripe cherry and raspberry flavors with acidity for a crisp, clean finish. Under 13% in alcohol, this vibrant wine provides perfect accompaniment for such light summer appetizers as prosciutto with melon, crab salad, mussels, or crab cakes with spicy aioli.  

This late harvest white was made from 100% Semillon sourced from a cool vineyard in Southern Mendocino. The vines are about 20 years old and, uniquely, planted on their own roots. The bourbon casks used for aging added a slight hint of bourbon whiskey to the rich aromas of citrus fruits soaked in honey. Grapes were picked at harvest time with sugar of 36 brix; the wine has 8% residual sugar, meaning that it’s similar to a late-harvest German riesling but not as sweet as a Sauternes. Production was miniscule - just 50 cases. 

A deep purple/black concoction wafting aromas of boysenberry, violets and dark plum. Intriguing… Delicious … But what is it? Blending Carignane, Mataro, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, and Black Malvoisie may obfuscate varietal character, but it’s winemaking as practiced by the pioneers, who knew that each grape variety added it’s own bit of charm to the wine they wanted on their dinner tables. The old, head-pruned vines in Contra Costa County grow in a sandy soil known as Delhi Sandy Loam, which is so sandy that the vine roots must reach deep into the earth to find moisture. Because the sand also kept the nasty Phylloxera louse at bay, the vines were also planted on their own vinifera roots - one of the few modern-day vineyards in the world where this is possible. Blending the fruit of these low-yielding vines results in a wine that’s deep purple/black in color and offers high-toned aromas of boysenberry violets and dark plum. On entry, the wine is massive and packed with crushed black fruits and black cherry liqueur, while the finish remains firm and vibrant. Drink now or lay down for up to a decade. Decanting is recommended. Enjoy with rich meat stews or roasts. 

Though labeled as Zinfandel, the wine really consists of  76% Zinfandel, 9% Carignane, 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Mataro, and 1% Alicante Bouschet. As winemakers across much of Europe know well, blending builds complexity. In this case, Petite Sirah provided tannin structure as well as boysenberry and pepper, Carignane helped create a fleshy mouthfeel along with dark cherries and coffee notes and Mataro (Mourvedre) added spice and violets. All the vines in this bottling are over 100 years old - or even 120 in the case of the Mataro. Because they produce small grape clusters and berries, the wine made from them is deeply concentrated and rich. If a list exists of California’s “wines of place,” Three’s Old Vines Zin belongs on it. 

Chasing her dogs one morning, Lindsay stumbled across a lovely Chardonnay vineyard across the borderline in Yountville. A short conversation and a handshake with the owner was all it took to procure a new source of excellent Chardonnay fruit. Fermented almost entirely in stainless steel, the wine offers a mouthfeel that’s round and creamy along with vibrant notes of pear, melon and pineapple. A generous Chardonnay that’s bright and pure and without oaky notes of butter and vanilla, Hoopla Yountville Chardonnay is a lovely wine with an affordable price. 

Despite the playful “hoopla,” this is serious and seductive Cabernet. Sourced from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and Paso Robles, the wine goes deep with concentrated dark fruit flavors but remains balanced with acidity and well-integrated oak. With alcohol of only 13.9%, this Cab is food friendly, and the reasonable price means no special occasion is required to enjoy it over a meal with friends or family.  

This understated but vibrant and refreshing Chardonnay was sourced from a Russian River vineyard planted in the 1980s called Oak Bench Block. It was designed to take advantage of a climate that features midday sun but cool, foggy nights and mornings. It has a north-south orientation and the canopy is trimmed on the morning side only. Such attention to detail is but one way value was added to this fine wine. In the winery, limited malolactic fermentation was employed in order to emphasize the fresh and pure fruit. Delicious with shellfish or light pasta dishes. 

Fans of wines made in the footsteps of “In Pursuit of Balance” will find much to love in this well-balanced Cabernet that isn’t overripe, high in alcohol, or made with excessive oak. The source is a head-trained, 40 year-old vineyard. The grapes were destemmed but pressed as whole berries and fermented with native yeast, followed by aging in neutral French Oak to preserve the varietal fruit character. Ripe and rich with just a hint of vanilla, this is Cabernet that harkens back to the days when California wines graced big family tables, accenting the meal and and supporting, but never dominating, the conversation.

Just as mutts can be pretty awesome dogs – often healthier and more unique and even-tempered than purebreeds – Hoopla’s “The Mutt” turns an uncertain pedigree into a stellar performance. Blended from the “seconds” that don’t fit into the premium wines, The Mutt will change its constituents from vintage to vintage. In 2014, the blend is primarily Merlot (87%) with additional 7% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Largely sourced from Rutherford, this is a fun and fruit-driven wine that offers intense aromas and a juicy palate of ripe cherries and plums. Though easy to drink, it has plenty of complexity and concentration to startle the mind and stimulate the conversation. 

About this wine, the Three Wine Company says: “The Mazzoni-Live Oak vineyard is actually two separate small vineyard blocks that are separated by Live Oak Road in Oakley. They were once owned and farmed by two Italian immigrant farmers named Spike and Guido Mazzoni. The Mazzoni block is made up of predominately Zinfandel vines but is a field blend with Petite Sirah, Carignane, Mataro, and Alicante Bouschet with a few vines of Muscat of Alexandria as well. The 1.5-acre Live Oak block across the street is 100% Zinfandel. Together, the 2015 Mazzoni-Live Oak is 76% Zinfandel, 4% Mataro, 4% Carignane, 13% Petite Sirah, and 3% Alicante Bouschet. The wine is dark black and blue color to the edge, with raspberry, boysenberry, violets, supple tannins and perfect acidity. The wine shows staggering ancient (130 year-old) vine concentration with a briary density and silky, velour-like mouthfeel which is classic of this vineyard.”

From the Stags Leap District, Blacksmith Cellars delivers another great bargain. About this wine, the winery says, “The Merlot is blended with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon to add depth to the mid-pallet and extension to the finish.  Only 2% was used however so that the velvety rich texture of the Merlot would not be lost.  Symmetry and balance are the key characteristics of this wine which offers a fragrant bouquet of violet intermixed with lavender and black cherry.  Oak spice, black olive, and rich cassis fill out the pallet which extends into a beautifully balanced finish.”

While not a wine for a barbecue or, arguably, even a dinner party, Kalin’s Chardonnay is a wine to smell, savor, and get lost in like a grand novel; after all, it’s a wine with a story to tell! CH stands for Charles Heintz Vineyard, a family-owned property carved out of redwood-forested hills between Sebastopol and the Pacific Ocean that's been farmed for 100 years. While the family provides fruit to many of Sonoma’s illustrious producers, none of them make Chardonnay the way Kalin’s Terry Leighton does. Firstly, he allowed the juice to ferment slowly over 11 months, and then he aged it almost 20 years before release. Despite the age, the wine is remarkably fresh, exhibiting tension between the echoes of primary tropical and citrus fruit and the tertiary aromas and flavors of spiced apple, preserved lemon, dried fruits, almonds, pine nuts, and, of course, dried mushroom-like umami. If you like wines with a bit of oxidation - like the wines of the Jura or well-aged Rioja Blanco — or if you are curious about a style of Chardonnay no other California producer is willing to make, give this wine a try. 

Hotei Wines is thrilled to offer this lovely rosé that Flowers Winery has been making in limited quantities for just a couple years. If you have been less than impressed with the ever-more-popular rosé wines, finding them indistinguishable or a bit sweet, give this one a try. Sourced from the same, small vineyards along the wild Sonoma Coast as Flowers’ other impeccable wines, this is a serious rosé, elegant, distinct and 100% Pinot Noir. It delights with a salmon hue, lifted aromas of red berries, grapefruit, and rose petals and a complex palate of raspberry, orange marmalade and orange and lemon zest. While the price is higher than what you might expect to pay for rosé, it’s less costly than the winery’s other offerings but stands out and wows in all the ways you expect from Flowers. Could be one of California’s best rosé wines. 

While Gary Farrell Winery remains largely focused on vineyard-designated wines, the RRV Selection allows the winemaker to fashion an expression of the entire appellation from such premier resources as Westside Farms, Bacigalupi Vineyard– Goddard Ranch, Olivet Lane Vineyard, Rochioli Vineyard, Allen Vineyard, Lazy W Vineyard, Martinelli Vineyard– Parnell Ranch, and Pratt’s Cornerstone Vineyard. 2016 was an exceptional vintage. Winter rains nursed stressed vines back to health after some years of drought; excellent summer and fall weather allowed grapes to develop balance, structure and complexity. The many vineyards contributed to produce a wine with excellent acidity and structure and a dizzying array of zesty citrus, herbal and spice aromas and flavors. 

Oakville produces some of Napa Valley’s most illustrious (and expensive!) wines. Blacksmith Cellars’ Oakville Reserve is a wine with a pedigree but a reasonable price. About this wine, the winery says, “We have always sought to obtain absolute perfection in our Cabernet Sauvignon and this Oakville fruit represents the best of what we ferment.  The fragrant bouquet offers up voluptuous black cherries and currents woven together with layers of rich French oak extract. The structure is massive and densely packed.  The concentrated, full-bodied flavors of crème de cassis, vanilla, and espresso persist through the long power packed finish.  The Oakville Reserve will pair beautifully with a wide variety of rich foods and will age easily for the next 10-15 years.”

Several kilometers west of bustling Santa Rosa, Olivet Lane looks untouched by the 21st century, a narrow road running between old vineyards planted on a gentle slope. Robert Pellegrini, whose family had long been involved in Sonoma County viticulture and winemaking, bought the property in 1973 and had the foresight to plant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir - long before those varieties became the powerhouses they are today. Located in a sweet spot where summer days start out cool and foggy but end warm and sunny, the Olivet Lane vineyard has long been acknowledged as an excellent source of Chardonnay. Indeed, Gary Farrell has produced an Olivet Lane bottling since the 1990s. According to the winery, this Chardonnay “is a pure expression of penetrating acidity moderated by layers of rich, velvety baking spices with crisp apple and citrus notes throughout.” 

By sourcing Pinot Noir from seven vineyards around and just outside the Russian River AVA, the winemaker could work with grapes that matured in a range of summertime-in-Sonoma conditions, from cool but sunny, to foggy and cool to extremely foggy and cold. The result is a classic expression of California Pinot Noir that’s rich, pure and elegant, that tantalizes with bright red fruit and notes of pepper, cola, rosemary and wild mushrooms. This is a seductive wine with crisp acidity and layers of flavor that will accompany a wide range of fine meals - grilled quail, seared salmon or tuna or dishes that include cherries or figs come to mind.