UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Windsor’s Notre Vue Estate’s Unabashed Views Are Worth The Drive

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Always up for an adventure, I was curious about the seemingly bold name for a winery, Notre Vue, (translates to Our View), an off-the-beaten path winery situated a few miles east of the town of Windsor.   My directions were vague at best, so I proceeded up the lone dirt road, passing through the gates of the old Windsor Oaks vineyards, veering to the left, careening to the right, for what seemed a few miles, all the way to the end of the road.

All I can say is that the name Notre Vue is an understatement.  The expansive Notre Vue Estate sits high atop a ridge, surrounded by over 350 acres of wild preserved open space, with panoramic views stretching from the Russian River Valley all the way east to the Mayacama Mountains, with St. Helena as a backdrop.

Over 250 acres are planted to Bordeaux, Rhone and Italian varietals, allowing for small lot production. Notre Vue varietals include Dolcetto, Viognier, Chardonnay, Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Malbec, Mouvedre, Petite Verdot, Petit Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Grenache.  A second label, Balverne, produces a reserve Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.   [Read more…]

Cheers To Russian River Valley’s “Uneventful” 2018 Harvest!

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By far, harvest is my favorite time of year in any wine country.  The sweet smell of ripe grapes fill the air as they wait their turn on the vines to be picked.  Night picking is the norm in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley as the cool late summer nights provide a natural refrigeration, delaying oxidation and spoilage before the grapes get into the winery for processing.

Driving around the vineyards between sundown and sunrise can be a surreal sight as the fields are ablaze with spotlights, providing the ideal backdrop for the night workers.   (Photo courtesy of Jordan Vineyard & Winery).  The deafening din of the tractors and heavy harvest machinery can be heard for miles as the grapes are quickly harvested. Within hours, the vines are stripped and the grapes are loaded into large plastic bins and hauled off to the winery’s crush pad.

Upon arrival, the grapes travel down a vibrating conveyor belt where they are hand-sorted.  Undesirable grapes or under ripened grapes are removed by the sorters.  In larger winery operations, the grapes may be laser optically sorted instead. Depending on the varietal and wine style, grapes may be placed in a de-stemmer machine which effectively removes the stems to avoid bitterness, or in some cases, the grapes are placed in separate bins, with the stems to add tannin, for whole cluster fermentation.

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Follow the Olivet Road… Top 3 Artisan Winery Picks!

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When in Russian River Valley wine country, I like to start my wine tasting adventures along sleepy Olivet Road.  Only a few minutes from the Santa Rosa airport, Olivet Road meanders between River Road and Guerneville Road, and is, somewhat dare I say, “undiscovered”.  A small collection of artisan wineries serendipitously line Olivet Road, producing everything from Sparkling Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to Zinfandel, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

First stop is Harvest Moon Estate, where the good times definitely roll!  Winemaker and Owner Randy Pitts is frequently on hand to zealously greet guests and pour his award-winning cool climate Zinfandel.  Less conventional but more approachable than some winemakers,  Randy is known to “sabrage” a bottle of bubbly now and then, much to the amusement and surprise of the assembled wine devotees. 

The atmosphere at Harvest Moon is always fun and relaxed and the tasting menu is quite diverse and literally “over the moon”.

Wet your whistle on the bubbly 2013 Estate Dry Sparkling Gerwurztraminer, a peppery 2011 Pitts Home Ranch Zinfandel or if you’re feeling “a little Randy,” try the 2014 Randy Zin, a zippy blend of Zinfandel and Sangiovese.

Next, look for Hook & Ladder‘s  bright red fire engine parked on Olivet Road.  [Read more…]

Get Your Sips Off Route 116… Sonoma Co’s Crown Jewel Wine Road

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Known as the Gravenstein Highway to the locals, California State Route 116 gently meanders along the Russian River from the shores of Jenner through Guerneville, past Forestville and Graton, ending in North Sebastopol.  Once a mecca for Gravenstein apples in the 1930’s, less than a square mile of orchards remain, outpaced and out priced by the value of the almighty grape crop.  For a mini wine tasting tour down the infamous Gravenstein Highway, read on…

In sleepy Forestville, Joseph Jewell Wines is sure to please the most discriminating Pinot Noir or Chardonnay palate.  Winemakers Micah Joseph Wirth and Adrian Jewell Manspeaker have it dialed in with their artisan Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from six designated single vineyards.  Specialized tours are offered, including a helicopter tour over the vineyards.

Take a slight right turn off Gravenstein Highway to Ross Road to find Ektimo Vineyards.  Not much tasting room ambience, but tasting room manager, Julius Orth and their variety of wines are sure to entertain ~  Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Chardonnay, Russian River Pinot, Zinfandel and a Cabernet plus a few other surprises, like a barrel tasting.  Ektimo Vineyards operates a custom crush pad and winemaking facility as well, so there’s plenty going on here.  [Read more…]

A Rainy Day In Napa Suits Me Wine…

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Even the inclement weather doesn’t keep the wine aficionados at bay in the iconic Napa Valley!  Sometimes the rain can work in your favor with reduced crowds in some of the most popular wineries, with wine hosts eager to serve the weary and soaked traveler.

A must stop, rain or shine, is Hall Winery in St. Helena.  Look for the enormous animated Bunny Foo-Foo metal sculpture leaping over the historic Bergfeld vineyards on Highway 29.  Touted as one of the oldest vineyards in the valley, grapes were first planted here in 1859.  Hall Winery is definitely a main player in Napa, with a second tasting room in Rutherford.  Kathryn and Craig Hall have put their heart and soul into Hall Winery, making it a top wine destination spot.

Besides the mind-blowing Cabernet, Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Walt Pinot Noir, there are over 150 pieces of modern art to behold with wine glass in tow. The service is stellar, albeit somewhat corporate, but the wines speak volumes and will hold you captive.

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