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UNCORKED WINE TRAVELS

Musings Along The Wine Trails

Freeman Vineyard & Winery’s Cave Tasting Is A “10”

August 8, 2021 by Deborah Mines

One of Russian River Valley’s hidden treasures is Freeman Vineyard & Winery in Sebastopol.  Weave your way along redwood studded roads to the little neighborhood gem on Montgomery Road.  Be sure and call ahead for a tasting appointment as it’s a small boutique winery.  Chances are, you’ll be greeted by winemaker Akiko Freeman herself.

Established in 2001, Ken and Akiko Freeman determined that the cool, rugged reaches of western Sonoma County would be the ideal spot to plant Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Fruit is sourced from the Gloria Estate Vineyard, located adjacent to the couples’ home and wine cave, and from the Yu-Ki Estate Vineyard, which sits at 1,000 feet elevation only five miles from the Pacific Ocean near the town of Occidental.  Both vineyards employ organic and biodynamic farming for the most part with owl boxes as natural rodent control in the vineyards.

Tastings and special events are hosted in the wine cave where the ambient temperature is around 59 degrees.  The cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is one of the finest in Russian River Valley.  As a matter of fact, several years ago, the White House featured a Freeman Winery Chardonnay at a state dinner to welcome Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Friendly hostesses  like Kelly Keller, or Jessica Gengler are always on hand to pour the amazing wines and to share fun stories.  There’s several beautiful picnic areas under the towering redwoods with endless views of the vineyard in the distance.  And, there’s even a cottage available at the top of the property if you want to extend your stay.

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley AVA, Sebastopol, Sonoma Coast AVA, Wiinetasting, wine cave

Cannabis in Wine Country? NIMBY.

May 29, 2021 by Deborah Mines

Courtesy of ehn.org

Oddly, the hot topic of discussion in wine country nowadays seems to be all about cannabis.  While legal for recreational and medicinal use for the most part in California, like it or not, cannabis farming has become a $4.4 billion booming business and is still growing.  No pun intended.

While somewhat reluctant to broach the subject while wine tasting in Sonoma County a few days ago, the banter was always lively and engaging, no matter who you asked.  In a short time, I learned that the majority of cannabis was grown in Humboldt County, processed in Mendocino County and distributed widely in Sonoma County, and that Napa County was not at all amused.

Courtesy of The Press Democrat

While Driving along Highway 116, I caught several wafts of fresh cannabis on alternating days, which caught me slightly off-guard.  A fun fact – Santa Rosa Jr. College offers an agricultural hemp program to teach students about the hemp industry, focusing on plant science, soil and plant nutrition and cultivation as well as marketing hemp products to consumers.

Another fun fact – apparently, there is a specialty market called Solful in Sebastopol where “soccer moms” reportedly line up for cannabis infused products.  I’m not sure why this surprised me, but it did.  All this may be the makings of a good Netflix series.

Last photo of my favorite old barn in Russian River Valley

Like anything controversial,  there are several train of thoughts about whether cannabis should be melded with California’s $42 billion retail wine empire.  A random sampling of tasting room hosts, winemakers and cannabis and wine enthusiasts along my travels, all felt very strongly about their reasons for keeping the two industries separate.   Speaking on behalf of the wine purists and those not interested in having cannabis farms near their homes, schools or place of business, this collective group was opposed to the pungent aromas permeating the air, even detectable with indoor growing operations. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Wine A Bit Tagged With: Cannabis, Humboldt, Mendocino, Napa, Russian River Valley, Sebastopol, Sonoma, wine

Littorai Wines ~ A Tale of Two Coasts & Three Pinot Noir Styles

September 13, 2019 by Deborah Mines

LITTORAI (lit’tōr’ī): a plural derivative of the Latin world Litor, which means the coasts.

Just as enchanting as the winery’s namesake, is the bucolic setting of Ted and Heidi Lemon’s Littorai Wines nestled in the far reaches between Sebastopol and Freestone. Ted’s love of Burgundian-style wines began almost 40 years ago when he apprenticed at several famous Old World wine estates in France and studied enology at the Université de Bourgogne.  As an accomplished young winemaker, he was the first American hired to manage Domaine Guy Roulot in Mersault, France.  Fast forward to today, where Littorai’s single vineyard wines are internationally distributed in 14 countries and grace the wine lists of top restaurants nationwide.

This 30-acre farm is modeled on the 1920’s Philosopher/Scientist Rudolf Steiner’s vision of an integrated farm, combining a holistic, biodynamic approach to farming.  Over half of the property is dedicated as open rangeland for the resident grazing cows, sheep and chickens. Organic legumes, edible flowers and cereals are cultivated and composted, and eventually formulated into natural tea sprays for the vines. Bees and insects are welcomed as no pesticides or fertilizers are used at Littorai.

On three acres, The Pivot Vineyard Pinot Noir, is the estate’s only vineyard.   The remaining acreage is cloaked in Redwood trees and dotted with meandering streams and wildlife.  Grapes for Chardonnay and other single vineyard Pinot Noir are sourced from the coastal mountains of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, hence the name Littorai.

What makes a Littorai Pinot Noir from one coast different from the other?  In short, a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir tends to have a more tannic structure, with spice tones (peppers, savory, sage, marjoram) while the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is associated with lush fruit, blackberry, raspberry and plum.  Yet, the Anderson Valley Pinot Noir combines the best of the tannins from the Sonoma Coast and the darker fruits of the Russian River Valley.

Keeping with the “green building” theme,  Littorai’s winery is constructed of hay bale walls, which provide consistent insulation and temperature control in the cellar.  Solar panels minimize the electric costs, and all excess water used in the winemaking process is recycled back into the vineyard.  The winery is also designed for wine movement via gravity flow, to avoid the use of pumps.

Vineyard tours and tastings are by appointment only, and well worth the inside look at how biodynamic farming produces some of the finest Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in Russian River Valley.  www.littorai.com

Filed Under: California Wine Trail Tagged With: Anderson Valley, Biodynamic farming, Burgundian-style, Chardonnay, Mendocino, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sebastopol, Sonoma Coast, Wine Tasting

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    To many, I’m simply known as a wanderlust ~ a free-spirited adventuress with a passion for travel and a lover of great wines!Read more...

    Vintage Posts

    • Jordan Winery’s Chateau Block Vineyard Tasting Is Unforgettable November 26, 2021
    • Trending Now ~ Top 3 Wineries in Temecula September 12, 2021
    • Freeman Vineyard & Winery’s Cave Tasting Is A “10” August 8, 2021
    • 2021’s Top 10 Winery Picks off Russian River Valley’s Iconic Westside Road July 5, 2021
    • Kickstart The Weekend In DRNK’s Wine Cave June 6, 2021
    • Cannabis in Wine Country? NIMBY. May 29, 2021
    • Ojai’s Spiritual Vortex (And Great Wine) Soothes The Soul April 4, 2021
    • Book Review: The Billionaire’s Vinegar January 3, 2021
    • Book Review: Sonoma Wine And The Story Of Buena Vista November 29, 2020
    • California Wineries Are Now “Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop…” November 15, 2020
    • Russian River Valley Welcomes Visitors in Uncertain Times… September 20, 2020
    • BOOK REVIEW: A Wine Journey Along The Russian River May 30, 2020
    • US Wine Market Update: A Regional Perspective Webinar Unites Top Industry Leaders April 17, 2020
    • The Lifecycle of a Grape Vine ~ From Vine To Wine March 26, 2020
    • 2019’s “Top 10” Eclectic RRV Wineries December 29, 2019
    • Russian River Valley’s Arista Wines Earn Top Accolades From Wine Spectator September 24, 2019
    • Littorai Wines ~ A Tale of Two Coasts & Three Pinot Noir Styles September 13, 2019
    • After Much Ado, “House of Flowers” Debuts In Russian River Valley August 29, 2019
    • Best Backroads For Cycling In RRV-Healdsburg Wine Country August 16, 2019
    • Experience Cave-Aged Wines At DRNK Winery in Russian River Valley July 3, 2019
    • Best Kept Secret in Sta. Rita Hills ~ Spear Vineyards & Winery May 17, 2019
    • Spring Is An Ideal, And Uncrowded, Time To Visit Wine Country April 19, 2019
    • NEW BOOK RELEASE: Root Cause, A Novel by Steven Laine February 19, 2019
    • Discover the Hidden Wine Caves in Sonoma Wine Country December 17, 2018
    • Vin Santo Reigns In Chianti’s Medieval Hamlet of Castello di Volpaia November 16, 2018

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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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    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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