Little Vineyards only makes reds, but they are quite good. Tastings (as of summer '09) are only 5 bucks, and the fee is waived if you buy any of their reasonably priced wines. This place is right next door to B.R. Cohn winery Take the road that is also used for B.R. C's deliveries, and keep on going 'til you see the signs for Little Vineyards.
“In the mid-1970’s, due to a normal teenage interest in alcoholic beverages, my family allowed me to make some wine from the family vineyard and beer at home (under adult supervision, of course).
This led to a UC Davis degree as well as concurrent work at a local winery doing the dirtiest and most menial jobs imaginable. In the mid-1980’s good friends at Duxoup Wine Works (think Marx Brothers for the pronunciation) inspired me to try my hand at my own label so I negotiated cellar space in lieu of a raise by my then-current employer, Greenwood Ridge Vineyards in Anderson Valley (I got a raise anyway). Greenwood Ridge was supportive of my project and decided to have some Scherrer Zinfandel produced for their label as well. Unfortunately, I had a poor business plan and during the first year I realized I was not yet ready for this project. Greenwood Ridge continued to make a small amount of Scherrer Vineyard Zinfandel for many years.
Enter Dehlinger Winery in the late 1980’s. Tom Dehlinger was very supportive of my long-term plans and challenged me to develop a solid business plan, facilitating an important entry into my own project. In return, his winery received my heart and soul for a decade. The final key element in our getting started was from my parents. They allowed me to delay paying them for their fine grapes until we began getting cash flow from our wine sales. By 1997, we were ready to make the move to a facility of our own. In anticipation of this, we were able to add Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay to supplement the Zinfandel we were producing, all from my father’s vineyard in Alexander Valley. Tom Dehlinger supported this transition of my focus, allowing me to produce these additional wines in his facility and we parted very amicably after that vintage.
Mike and Lorene Kuimelis have been growing reserve designate grapes for noted wineries in the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys of Sonoma County since the late 1970’s with roughly eighty acres under vine. They passed their enthusiasm and knowledge of wine and vineyards on to their son Mike Jr. who started the next chapter of this story by producing the first wines under the Mantra label. Mantra is dedicated to producing wines that reflect the unique characteristics of our high elevation vineyard sites in the Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys of Sonoma County. Mantra Wines specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah.
Let's begin with what everyone goes to Healdsburg/Sebastopol for: the pinots. Dutton-Goldfield had four or five pinots when we tasted there, and they were all unique and delicious. They varied from the lighter, fruit-forward classic pinots to the richer, almost-cab pinots. All of them were good, but I particularly liked the Devil's Gulch, which was on the richer side of the spectrum.
Ladd Cellars is a winery in Sonoma, California. The winery is operated by Eric Lundblad. Eric Lundblad is the winemaker at Ladd Cellars. Ladd Cellars offers Pinot Noir.
Located in Green Valley of Russian River Valley, a sub-appellation of Russian River Valley in Sonoma County, River Road Family Vineyards and Winery is a family owned and operated winery committed to producing exceptional wines.
Deux Amis {duh zah me}, French for "two friends," was a partnership between two close companions, Phyllis Zouzounis and Jim Penpraze. Throughout their time in the wine industry, the duo spent countless late nights unwinding over a glass of Zinfandel following busy days on the crush pad. These shared moments led the two friends to envision establishing their winery, a dream that ultimately materialized with the 1987 harvest. That year, Deux Amis yielded one hundred cases of Zinfandel sourced from a single vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley.
After 26 years of fruitful collaboration, the partnership evolved as Jim entered retirement and Phyllis continued to nurture their shared vision. Phyllis carried on the tradition of crafting exceptional wines, relying on the same vineyards, and maintaining strong bonds with growers through handshakes and long-term commitments. She wholeheartedly embraced the belief that great wines are born in the vineyard, ensuring that the Deux Amis legacy persevered through Zouzounis Wines.
The only wine of Carol's we have enjoyed is her Wild Thing Zin. “Wild Thing” is named for its attitude and uninoculated or “wild” yeast ferment is used to create it. Black raspberry fruit, vibrant and alive in both the nose and mouth, nice oaky-smokiness, hit of black pepper. Smoothly textured in mouth, the finish is long and lushly jammy fruit—dangerously good! Looking forward to visiting and trying her other wines soon.
“What the heck are people doing growing grapes and making wine from way out on a ridge top above the cold Pacific Ocean? I mean, it is remote. And mountainous. And, frankly, the weather can be a little inhospitable at times.” The quick answer goes something like – this is where our research and luck led us. The longer answer follows.....
In the heart of the California wine country stands the picturesque Glen Ellen house surrounded by vineyards
first planted in 1883. Both the house and the wines of Glen Ellen have stood the test of time.
Our wines are crafted using methods usually reserved for twice the price in vineyards where the warm
California sun lingers on and gently ripens the grapes to perfection. Glen Ellen wine’s timeless charm
continues to inspire dinner parties and gatherings of friends around the world and is served as
the wine that makes everyone feel welcome.
