Zinfandel – Page 6

If Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs’ Old Vines Could Talk

June 4, 2015 by Deborah Mines

Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley AVA in Northern Sonoma County boasts a treasure trove of history and many noteworthy red varietals.

The expansive views are breathtaking in every direction, looking out toward the Alexander Valley. Cool, foggy mornings, hot afternoon sun and breezy evenings are ideal growing conditions for Zinfandel.

Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs’ current flagship wine is the 2012 Lytton Springs, a spicy field blend of 113 year-old vines of Zinfandel, Petit Sirah, Carignane and Mataro. Having survived Prohibition, climate change and years of neglect, these grapes are hand-selected from the five to seven center rows of the vineyard for the iconic field blend.

Historically, Ridge Vineyards Lytton Springs vineyard was once part of land owned by Captain William Litton, who developed the springs and built a hotel just east of the vineyard during the last half of the 19th century. The resort was built for wealthy San Franciscans who would travel to the area by train to “take the waters.” [Read more…]

Russian River’s Bacigalupi Vineyards Has Deep Family Roots

May 9, 2015 by Deborah Mines

Having experienced an over-the-top luscious and peppery Pinot Noir several years ago, whose grapes were sourced from Bacigalupi Vineyards, I set out on a mission to find the mother lode. Winding scenic country roads on the upper westside of the Russian River Valley led me to the homestead-like tasting room.

Nicole Bacigalupi welcomed me into the cozy tasting room and filled my head with family stories that would make a fabulous Lifetime movie. Bacigalupi Vineyards was founded by her grandparents, Charles and Helen Bacigalupi in 1956. Planted primarily in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the original rootstock was obtained from Russian River Pinot Pioneer, Karl Wente.

Charles Bacigalupi’s earliest claim to fame was selling his Chardonnay grapes to Jim Barrett at Chateau Montelena, who produced the top award-winning 1973 Chardonnay at the historic Paris Tasting in 1976. While the American win put Napa Valley on the map, 40% of those Chardonnay grapes were actually sourced from Bacigalupi Vineyards in Sonoma County.

[Read more…]

Sonoma’s Buena Vista Winery Attracts Ghost Hunters

March 30, 2015 by Deborah Mines

Buena Vista Winery is considered California’s oldest premium winery and was founded in 1857 by the self-proclaimed “Count of Buena Vista”, Agoston Haraszthy. Situated in the Los Carneros AVA (also known as Carneros AVA), the Buena Vista Winery vineyards are poised atop the hills overlooking San Pablo Bay.

The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate cooler and more moderate than the wine regions further north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, allowing for the cultivation of cooler climate varietals like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Many of the grapes grown in Los Carneros are also used for sparkling wine production.

Rarely does one think of ghost hunting when wine tasting, however, Sonoma’s Buena Vista Winery has a ghostly past and an eerie presence. In 1862, legend has it that 20 Chinese migrant workers were busy bottling, corking and wiring Champagne magnums in the deep wine caves when a minor earthquake triggered a cave-in. Racism attitudes at the time, left the men to be buried alive amidst cases of fine champagne. [Read more…]

Dry Creek Vineyard Sparkles ~ 2015 Winter Wineland

March 1, 2015 by Deborah Mines

Smack dab in the middle of Dry Creek Valley, near Healdsburg, marks the spot of Dry Creek Vineyard. Founded in 1972 by David Stare, this family owned winery is often considered the flagship vineyard of the Dry Creek Valley AVA as it was the first winery constructed in the area after Prohibition.

Every January, the Wine Road showcases over 140 wineries in the Northern Sonoma wine country, each outfitted in a winter theme with stellar wine and food pairings. The 2015 Winter Wineland is just one of the many events hosted by Sonoma’s Wine Road throughout the year. www.wineroad.com

This year, Dry Creek Vineyard was one of the most festive wineries, naming each wine selection with ski run course jargon. Guests could start with the Bunny Hill, a 2013 Sauvignon Blanc or the MIlk Run, a 2012 DCV Estate Block 10 Chardonnay, selected from the best 30 rows of the family’s Russian River Valley vineyard.

For the more adventurous tasters, the Dry Creek Mogul, a 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel and the lusty Black Diamond, a 2012 Mariner, a meritage of the five Bordeaux grapes ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc were gold medal winners on the slopes. [Read more…]

Russian River Vineyards Has A Storied Past & Noteworthy Wines

December 13, 2014 by Deborah Mines

Nestled in the heart of the renowned Russian River Valley is the picturesque and historic Russian River Vineyards. Historically speaking, this iconic vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in the northern Sonoma County wine growing region. The first vines were planted with Merlot in 1963, a time when the surrounding farm plots were planted with apples and prunes.

Surrounded by towering Redwood trees, this eclectic winery was modeled after the many stockades built by Russian settlers in the early 1800’s and the hop kilns that dotted the Sonoma County. Russian River Vineyards was named long before the Russian River Valley was designated as an AVA in 1983. [Read more…]