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UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Top Picks To Wine Down In Dry Creek Valley

July 19, 2017 by Deborah Mines

Dry Creek Valley AVA is at the northernmost tip of the North Sonoma County Wine Country, just outside the  trendy town of Healdsburg.  A mere 16 miles long and 2 miles wide, Dry Creek Valley is flanked by Dry Creek, a tributary of the Russian River and the Sonoma Dam.  In the distance beyond the Sonoma Dam is the coveted Rockpile AVA, perched 800 feet above sea level, home to only 180 acres of  Zinfandel, albeit no tasting rooms.

Panoramic views can be enjoyed from the expansive decks at Sbragia Family Winery.  Guests are welcome to bring a picnic lunch, or to sample savory cheese plates and light fare prepared by the resident chef designed to pair with the estate Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Or, treat yourself to the guided comparison tasting inside the library room, vetting the Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon to their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard holdings from Mt. Veeder, Howell Mountain and Yountville.                                                               

Sbragia Family Vineyards     

Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs is not to be missed.   The old vine Zinfandel vineyard dates back 115 years and is inter-planted with Petite Sirah, Carignane, a small amount of Mataro (Mourvèdre), and Grenache.  The “field blend” varietals are fermented separately to preserve the individual character of the grapes, then artfully joined for the finished blend.

The views from Ridge Vineyards are some of the best in the valley.  Experience the Chardonnay, Merlot, Carignane, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course, the Old Vine Zinfandel.

The original Ridge Vineyards Montebello (Santa Cruz Mountains) founded in 1885, is most famous today for their 1971 Ridge Vineyards Montebello Cabernet Sauvignon, which outscored the French wines at the highly touted 1976 Judgment of Paris Wine Tasting competition.

Ridge Vineyards ~ Lytton Springs

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, Chardonnay, Gerwurtztraminer, Healdsburg, Mataro, Merllot, Mourvedre, old vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel

Cass Winery Teams With San Diego’s Wine Pairs For Winemaker Dinner

July 24, 2016 by Deborah Mines

cass-wineryCombine the high-energy of Ted Plemmons of Paso Robles’ Cass Winery and the savory gourmet small plates by Chef Erin Sealy of San Diego’s Wine Pairs and you’re in for a delightful wine-filled, palate pleasing evening!

La Costa Wine Company in Carlsbad recently hosted its second “Pop Up” 5-Course Winemaker Dinner, and has already created a loyal fan base.   Pop up dinners are trending now and are akin to a fancy food flash mob, often held at unsuspecting venues such as wine bars, parks or even in parking lots.  Often these venues have no kitchens, so much of the food is prepared ahead of time and hand-carried  to the event. www.lacostawineco.com

FullSizeRender 4Ted greeted guests zealously and was very excited to showcase his five hand-selected Cass Winery wines that would surely compliment Chef Erin’s menu.

Ted has been an integral part of Cass Winery for over 15 years, and now manages the vineyards in Paso Robles for owner Steve Cass. He commented on the Old World style winemaking philosophy at Cass Winery, 

“Cass Wines taste exactly what the vineyard gave us! ”

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Grenache, GSM, Mourvedre, Syrah, Templeton Wind Gap, vineyard management, Viognier

Ballard Canyon’s Harrison-Clarke Winery’s Syrah Is Bedazzling

April 10, 2016 by Deborah Mines

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Calling all California Syrah lovers…  Ballard Canyon AVA, near Santa Ynez, is an eclectic treasure trove of artisan Syrah and Rhone varietal producers.   Part of the larger Santa Ynez Valley AVA, this sleepy enclave is relatively unknown to the throngs of visitors as the mainstream tasting rooms are in downtown Los Olivos.

IMG_0461The scenery alone will take your breath away.  On recommendation from a San Diego winemaker, I contacted Harrison-Clarke Winery for a personal tour and tasting in February.  Co-owner Roger Harrison was kind enough to guide us on an in-depth walking tour of the vineyards.

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Harrison-Clarke Winery is situated on 12 acres, planted to Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Viognier.  Neighboring vineyards include Beckman and Stolpman who also produce amazing Rhone varietals.   Interestingly, the week of our visit, many of the original Syrah vines had been grafted to a Spanish clone of Mourvedre for a wider spectrum of varietals.   [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Ballard Canyon AVA, Grenache, Mourvedre, Rhone Ranger, Rhone varietals, Syrah, Viognier, Wine Tasting

Riding High In The Rhone Zone ~ Andrew Murray Vineyards

August 2, 2015 by Deborah Mines

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Foxen Canyon’s Andrew Murray Vineyards is fresh and alive with small lot Syrahs and enticing Rhône blends.  Formerly Curtiss Winery, Andrew Murray has leased the vineyards  from long-time family friends, the Firestone family, and has tastefully remodeled the tasting room, making it a must-stop along the wine trail.

14770070654_9655c336c1_mAndrew Murray Vineyards‘ focus will remain on Rhône varieties, with an emphasis on Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne.DSC_2990-240x159

“Come see what we can do in this new home with expanded winemaking capacity, and access to additional Estate Grown vineyards.”

Andrew Murray, Winemaker

[Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Mourvedre, Rhone blends, Rose, Roussane, Syrah, Viognier, Wine Tasting

Paso Robles’ Niner Wine Estates is Actually a “Ten-er”!

April 29, 2015 by Deborah Mines

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Driving down Highway 46 West outside of Paso Robles, it’s hard to miss the heart-shaped tree grove in the middle of the vineyard at Niner WIne Estates.  The Tuscan-styled stone building seems a little out of character for the sleepy Paso Robles AVA, but is worthy of a visit.

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Niner Wine Estates is the family-owned “dream child” of founder Richard Niner, a farmer from West Virginia.  Niner ventured west in the mid 1990s and followed his passion for wine, acquiring three separate vineyards ~ Bootjack Ranch, east of Paso Robles; Heart Hill Vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles and Jespersen Ranch in nearby Edna Valley.

NWE_tastingroom_interiorAll Niner Estate Wines are crafted from estate grapes from the three vineyards ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Barbara, Carmenere,  Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Franc and smaller blocks of Petite Verdot, Merlot, Mourvedre, Semillion, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Malbec, Merlot, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Petite Verdot, Roussanne, Sangiovese, Semillion, Syrah

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    Deb Mines is a wine enthusiast with a passion for travel! Seeking the stories behind the vines... . WSET Level 3, FWS, CSW,AWE

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    uncorkedwinesd UncorkedWineTravels @uncorkedwinesd ·
    16 Dec

    Christmas in Grapevine Texas ⁦@landonwinery⁩ 🍷🍷

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    21 Nov 2021

    Master Sommelier Program Out of Time | Wine-Searcher News & Features https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2021/11/master-sommelier-program-out-of-time #GoodOldBoysClub #EnoughIsEnough

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    3 Oct 2021

    A shout out to Ryan Kunde ⁦@DRNKwines⁩ Wildwood Vineyards 2018 Cab Sauvignon ~ perfectly integrated lusciousness🍷🍷🙌🙌#wine #SonomaStrong

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    16 Sep 2021

    The @WineSpectator Scholarship Foundation is giving $10M to @NVCollege's Viticulture, Wine and Technology program. The Wine Spectator Wine Education Complex will offer affordable training for aspiring #wine industry workers young and old: https://winesp.ec/39nW5r7

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    13 Sep 2021

    Top 3 Wineries in Temecula WIne Country
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    #winelovers #wine #winetasting

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    15 Aug 2021

    Discover Scout & Cellar's Clean-Crafted Wines - Be ready to be wowed! Interested in starting your own wine business? DM for details or visit http://www.scoutandcellar.com/UncorkedWineTravels

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    9 Aug 2021

    Freeman Vineyard & WInery's Cave Tasting is a "10"
    https://uncorkedwinetravels.com/freeman-vineyard-winerys-cave-tasting-is-a-10/

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    14 Jul 2021

    Hot time Summer in the city 🎵🎶. Fire up the BBQ and pair grilled goodies with Scout and Cellar’s clean-crafted wines 🍷🍷DM me for info or visit my bio link. https://www.instagram.com/p/CRUti0CLHoh/?utm_medium=twitter

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    2 Jul 2021

    Beautiful warm breezy day @PalumboWinery #temeculawinecountry #winetasting #July4th

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    2 Jul 2021

    Breezy warm day in #temeculawinecountry @palumbowinery Where Will your travels take you this holiday weekend? @ Palumbo Family Winery https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ1p0hVrv_Q/?utm_medium=twitter

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    1 Jul 2021

    Just posted a photo https://www.instagram.com/p/CQyXbPwLFdd/?utm_medium=twitter

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    26 Jun 2021

    Getting in the groove! Studying for Spanish @winescholarguil exam https://el9nou.cat/osona-ripolles/actualitat/santi-carcasona-torna-a-donar-so-al-vi/

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