Close your eyes and savor the deep flavors…You might swear you are drinking a great French Pomerol. Mojon’s Bench 2004 Estate Merlot combines fine estate grown merlot with a touch of cabernet franc to achieve a wine that’s soft, ripe and complex.
We stopped here for lunch and decided to do a tasting while we were here. The tasting room is very nice, I like the curved counter. The room was very well lit, open and inviting. We were the only ones there and tried most of the wines. The tasting was free since we were going to buy lunch, a nice little bonus.
Hart's Desire had absolutely exceptional wines, and very many at that. They had a lot of varietals that you rarely find elsewhere in Sonoma County except for in blends, such as Malbec, Claret, and Cabernet Franc. Their tasting room has beautiful artwork and has an old school jukebox playing great tunes!
The best part of this whole experience was just sitting around this table with lovers of the industry, chatting under that shaded oak tree on a cool Sonoma morning. The owner and wine maker, Mac has an amazing story and he tells it well. Growing up in Texas, he was the son of a moonshine maker. After tasting his first bottle of fine Italian wine at the age of 12, he vowed to become a wine maker. And that's exactly what he did. He became a great one. After 1.5 hours of driving, we arrive at Vision Cellars. Down this winding road we go. Small country road where large parts had eroded. We turn into a driveway through a farm gate and park in front of a barn. To the left is a house. To the right is another barn and a newer living quarters. Behind all of that are rows of vines. Um, where's the paved road leading to the fountain in front of a lavish tasting room? Not here. No sir. Great wine with a vintner who has history to share. Vision Cellars is a boutique winery featuring Pinot Noir. Know that as you enjoy your first, it won't be your last glass of Vision Cellars wine. Sipping with Mac, is where it's at!
The winery's portfolio includes the Maboroshi Estate Pinot Noir, Spring Mountain York Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and a Los Carneros Chardonnay. Some Pinot Noir grapes are sold to DeLoach for a vineyard-designate bottling. The Maboroshi wines are sold on the website.
Churchill Cellars specializes in the production of premium Pinot Noir from grapes grown on estate vineyards of less than 2 acres in size. Ken & Susan Churchill and winemaker Anthony Austin believe that small, precision farmed vineyards in the coolest regions of the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations produce the regions most exceptional Pinot Noirs
As the first sparkling wine house in California’s renowned Carneros region, Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards was established in 1986. Gloria Ferrer embodies Spanish winegrowing history, time-honored tradition, and centuries-old winemaking practices in creating exceptional sparkling and estate varietal wines blended to pair perfectly with food.
Viszlay Vineyards is a family owned and operated boutique winery located in the Russian River Valley. You can find this little gem just a few miles south of downtown Healdsburg, CA. Viszlay's estate wines are grown on their own 10 acre vineyard. Currently they are pouring their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Caberbet & Merlot blendm Zinfandel and a Petite Sirah wines. In addition to a traditional wine tasting you can also enjoy a Cheese & Wine paring. We just made recent contact with John Viszlay at the winery and we look forward to experiencing his wines and the winery story soon. We will keep you posted!
Great views, greater wines. Ridge is a must. The wines offered by Ridge are top notch, well balanced, unique wines. While you can find their wines in some stores make the trip up the mountain where you can taste some of the more limited offerings.
Also and estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains
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Monte Bello
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Santa Cruz Mountains
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17100 Monte Bello Road
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Cupertino, CA 95014
Gan Eden Wines sold the winery facility (and with it, our home and office) and have moved to Southern California. The two wines remaining, GAN EDEN's 1997 Limited Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and GAN EDEN's 2000 Syrah are available throught Craig Winchell dba GAN EDEN Wines.
