Curtis & David started in 2000. This all began as two wine-drinking buddies, learning winemaking as "cellar rats" at a local winery. Curtis & David are now one of nearly 30 wineries in HumboldtCounty.From year to year these two winemakers include wines from vineyards that we feel are exceptional. These have included Carignane, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petite Syrah. Our grapes come from older vineyards in Mendocino and Napa Counties.
Carter Cellars produced their first vintage in 1998 with the help of veteran Winemaker Nils Venge. Since then they have had a string of fantastic releases and highly rated wines. Their focus has long been big Napa Cabernet, Merlot and Blends. They now focus on Vineyard Designate Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blends from the famous Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and the steeply terraced Hossfeld Vineyard in Soda Canyon. The Carter Cellars wines are all deeply extracted and highly nuanced with bright fruit and intense structure that can be appreciated young, but will reward patience in the cellar.
homas' fondest early memories are of the Castillou Ranch and watching, then ultimately joining, the miracle of turning grapes into a magical libation--WINE.
Today, Thomas is carrying on the family's agricultural and winemaking traditions in scenic Humboldt County. He has planted nearly 30 acres of European-style wine grapes in a 280° bend of the south fork of the Eel River in historic Myers Flat.
Alpen Cellars, established on a family ranch in the spring of 1984, is situated in a picturesque mountain valley at the foot of towering craggy peaks in the rugged Trinity Lake region of Trinity County, California. It seems an unlikely location to attempt to grow wine grapes. But the notion, a product of a young enology student's vision, turned out to be notably rewarding.
Coates Vineyards, certified organic biodynamic winery, is in the Six Rivers National Forest near the small town of Orleans in Northern California. It was founded by Norman Coates, an organic farmer, winemaker, and vineyard manager in 1991 with the planting of the first of five vineyards.The first vineyard was Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese from cuttings that were from organic vineyards in Sonoma County, California. The cuttings were rooted in nursery beds and then planted out in vineyard rows the following spring. The vineyards on the Klamath have the luxury of being established on their own roots instead of being grafted onto disease resistant rootstocks for the simple reason that Orleans is far away from the large grape growing areas where diseases are prevalent.
John and Kimberly Cabot set out to be self sufficient and live off of the land. After college on the Humboldt coast they moved inland where more fruits and vegetables could ripen. They grew a wide assortment of organic produce and marketed it through Northern California retailers and Farmer’s Markets. Ten years of growing experience on the Klamath River in Northern California nurtured within them a deep respect for the land. They also developed a deep appreciation for red wine from their families. They set out to bring their love for growing, wine and the land together into one dream… They began planting wine grapes in 1998. It was exciting to pioneer an undiscovered wine area in California. The land is carved by narrow gorges and steep mountains making ideal vineyard sites rare little gems. They now have three small vineyards that they hand planted with small crews of locals. Each of the vineyards is individual and is meticulously tended in accordance with its unique needs.
Over the past 30 years, Fieldbrook Valley Winery has grown from a garage based operation to an efficient facility with separaate production and storage areas. Although Fieldbrook's equipment is capable of producing greater volumes of wine, Fieldbrook Valley limits production to less than 2000 cases a year. Their goal is to emphasize regional diversity and varietal intensity.
What is wine? Some might say it’s a fine beverage meant for a glass. The folks at Bonterra Vineyards won’t argue with that. They believe that a wine should also be a perfect expression of the grape from which it’s made and the land on which those grapes are grown.
Violet-Green Winery is located on seven acres of redwood forest overlooking Misty Hill Canyon near Humboldt Bay in far northern California. The winery was named to honor the Violet-green swallow's annual spring migration to the winery as a symbol of nature's promise of renewal. The name also evokes images of the vineyard at veraison, when grapes ripen to contrast dramatically against a green leaf canopy.
We called a week in advance and made an appointment. This winery is 100% local, organic and very picturesque. Dave had the wines all ready for us to taste on a little patio table overlooking magnificent redwood forests and the Willow Creek Valley. He was so nice and welcoming and chatted with us for an hour and a half. It was so intimate and we learned a ton about the area and their wine.
