Charbono

Charbono

Jeff Runquist Wines

clusters of grapes

About Jeff Runquist Wines

For the adventurous wine drinker eager to explore the diversity of the wine world, Jeff Runquist Wines offers unique varietals sourced from California’s premier appellations, inspired by the curiosity and passion of the growers and winemakers.

Winemaker Jeff Runquist produces balanced wines that can be enjoyed in their youth while also having the potential to age and develop more complexity over time. His wines feature a consistent theme of fresh fruit, reflecting the inherent varietal flavors of the grapes. Jeff sources grapes from various regions across California, with plans to crush over twenty different varieties from nine different appellations for the 2013 vintage. While most wines are produced in small, limited quantities, four principal wines are consistently available throughout the year: Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Barbera, and Petit Verdot.

Jeff selects grapes from vineyards that yield rich, full flavors without excessive astringent tannins. He has a preference for wines that are vibrant and zesty. "Once I release a new vintage, I rarely revisit the previous year's wine. My father appreciates that; it means more older wines for him," Jeff notes.

His journey in the wine industry began in 1977 when he interned with Seagrams at their Paul Masson Sherry Cellars in Madera while studying enology at UC Davis. After graduating in 1980, he worked in the cellar at Montevina in Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley, where he was promoted to winemaker in 1982. Following a three-year tenure at the Napa Valley Cooperative Winery from 1987 to 1990, Jeff became the winemaker for J. Lohr winery in San Jose. It was during his time at J. Lohr that he realized he needed to create wine under his own label.

In 1995, Jeff crushed ten tons of Zinfandel from the Massoni Ranch in Amador’s Shenandoah Valley, and on April 1, 1997, he released 700 cases of that Zinfandel under his own name. In 1996 and 1997, he produced his wines at Sycamore Creek Winery in Morgan Hill, followed by a stint at McManis Family Vineyard Winery in Ripon from 1998 through the 2010 vintage. In 2006, he returned to Amador County after purchasing a small five-acre walnut orchard on Shenandoah Road. In the spring of 2008, Jeff and Margie opened their tasting room, and production facilities followed, allowing Jeff to crush the majority of their production in Amador starting in 2011.

Photo courtesy photographer Randy Caparoso

Emilio Guglielmo Winery

Cacorks founder in front of winery

A family winemaking tradition in the Santa Clara Valley since 1925, Guglielmo Winery is a fourth-generation, family-owned establishment that produces a diverse range of award-winning varietals from approximately 50 acres of California estate vineyards, as well as from other premium wine-growing regions within the state.

Today, Guglielmo Winery (gool-yell-mo) produces over 40,000 cases annually across three labels: Guglielmo Private Reserve, Tre, and its oldest label, Emile’s. Despite its growth, the winery remains committed to its family philosophy of creating natural, high-quality wines to be enjoyed with family and friends, with family members overseeing every phase of the winemaking process.

“Wine is a traditional part of our culture and one of life’s simple pleasures to be shared with family and friends.”

Fratelli Perata

Grape Cluster - Pixabay

Fratelli Perata is an appropriate name for this small winery and vineyard run by the brothers Gino and Joe Perata and their families. In Italian, Fratelli Perata means Perata Brothers. Maternal Grandparents. Brothers, Gino and Joe Perata rekindled the winemaking history of their father, grandfather, and great-uncle when they established their winery using grapes grown on their 31-acre vineyard. Sons of Italian immigrants, Gino and Joe learned winemaking at the knees of their father and great-uncle who produced hundreds of gallons of wine for family and friends while living in Camarillo located in Ventura County, California. Gino and Joe were taught from the very beginning about the need for hands-on work to produce top quality  wines. 
 

Doval Estate Winery

Sarah greets you in the tasting room

Dorval Winery

Welcome to an Extraordinary California Estate Winery. Fine wine, charcuterie, live music, family days, activities, and vineyard trails. Enjoy! Immerse yourself in sustainability and craftsmanship with the exquisite organically grown wines from DORVAL Mountain Vineyards, exclusively at DORVAL Estate Winery. Dorval goes beyond mere grape cultivation. You will find this winery's wine-craft is an unparalleled experience that seamlessly intertwines with the rhythms of nature and the essence of purity.

Pacific Star Winery

Purple grapes - Art - Pixabay

The imposing redwood and stone barn structure nestles into the cliff side, protected from crashing waves by a flat rock bench eroded over eons. The cellar is filled with French, Hungarian and American oak barrels and specialty equipment suited to handcrafted wine production. The unique location lets magical forces come into play; waves crash into sea caves under the cellar, naturally filtering wine from its sediment. Salt from sea air deposits on barrels accelerating osmosis while creating viscous and dense wines. This is what Sally Ottoson has come to call Pacific Star Winery.

Robert Foley Vineyards

friends and glasses of wine

Robert Foley, Winemaker

Robert (Bob) Foley began his winemaking career in the Napa Valley in 1977 after graduating from UC Davis with degrees in both Viticulture and Enology. His first year was spent at Heitz Cellars, followed by 15 years as the founding winemaker at Markham Vineyards.

In 1992, Foley embarked on another 15-year tenure as the founding winemaker at Pride Mountain Vineyards. During this time, he also crafted the highly acclaimed Switchback Ridge, Hourglass, Paloma, and School House wines. Currently, his primary focus is on the wines produced at Robert Foley Vineyards, though he also oversees the creations for Shelter, Padis Vineyards, Herson Family Vineyards, and JennaMarise Wines in Napa Valley.

In 1998, Robert Foley Vineyards bottled its flagship Claret and has since expanded its production to include a range of notable reds, such as Petite Sirah, Merlot, Charbono, and limited-release Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon and Howell Mountain Merlot from their estate property. The portfolio also features Carneros Pinot Noir, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, and The Griffin, a blend that varies in varietal composition each vintage. Additionally, Foley has bottled a medium-bodied Chablis-style Chardonnay, a Syrah called Kelly's Cuvée, and a Port-style dessert wine named Conclusão.

Foley’s reputation for crafting expressive wines that finish gracefully continues to grow at his winery on Howell Mountain in Napa County. The facility, which houses over 1,000 barrels in an extensive cave system completed in 2008, supports the production of Robert Foley wines.

Robert Foley Vineyards operates with a full-time staff of three, with Foley himself focusing on winemaking, while Kelly and Shannon manage the office. Occasionally, Kelly’s father, Jerry, assists in the tasting room.

The feline Office Interns, Mina, Spike, and Jimmy da Kitten, are responsible for treats, naps, and distractions, while Princess Bella and King Tommy serve as the official Winery Cats.

ZD Wines

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Norman and Gino rented a small farm building in the Carneros region of Sonoma County. They purchased winegrapes, some 50-gallon oak barrels and a redwood vat. Three hundred cases of Pinot Noir and a small amount of White Riesling represented ZD's first commercial vintage in 1969. The grapes were purchased from the Winery Lake Vineyard, which had been planted a few years earlier by René di Rosa. ZD's 1969 Pinot Noir carries the historical significance of being the first wine to have a Carneros designation on the label. It states, "Made in Sonoma from grapes grown in the Carneros region of Napa." The Chardonnay winegrapes from Winery Lake Vineyard were not in production until 1971, which is the first vintage of ZD Chardonnay.

Russian River Vineyard

wine by the fireplace - Pixabay

In 2008, a fourth-generation farmer and aspiring winemaker Giovanni Balistreri, under the tutelage of award-winning winemaker Anthony Austin, set out to reclaim the rich history and enormous untapped potential of one of Sonoma County’s finest wine-making estates.  The estate lies in the heart of the Russian River Valley and thus proudly and appropriately bears the Russian River Valley appellation. 

​

The winemakers understood the potential of this small estate, but even more importantly, they had come to know the special region in which it sits.  This was not a place to build a large, corporate winery to produce wine in high volume.  It was a place where a careful, patient approach could produce world-class wine.  And in the decade since, the venerable estate has been returning to its former glory. 

Papagni Wines

looking at the moon through a wine glass

Over the years, Papagni has become a very diversified company bent on producing the finest grapes possible for the winemaker, and the consumer. While they guarantee that excellent wine can be produced from their grapes, and fresh grape juice, because for eighty years, their customers, and our own family have been doing just that: making exceptionally complex, quality wines using our grapes.Some of the oldest continuous wineries in the state of California. The Papagni family tradition of growing grapes for winemaking reaches back to Bari, Italy. Family members have passed down the art of grape growing from generation to generation. The Papagni family have extended the grape growing traditions that started in Italy, to central California in 1912 and now to Madera, California. The Papagni family dreamed of fine wines made from the San Joaquin Valley so they planted premium grape varieties, combining carefully monitored vineyards with the most modern technical advances in cultivation and irrigation with the ancient traditions that yield the finest of premium wines. Red, white, port and dessert wines.

Milano Family Winery

glass of red wine - Pixabay

Milano Family Winery specializes in some of the more unknown varietals such as Carignane, Charbono and Valdiguie as well as the more known Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Merlot. Housed in an former hop kiln this quaint tasting room is just off highway 101 just south of Hopland. I was quite impressed with the tasting room staff and the genuine feeling that you get when you first enter the room. The wine itself isn't earth shattering, but it's decent quality enough to keep most visitors interested.

Pages

Subscribe to Charbono