Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

Truckee River Winery

cluster of grapes

Truckee River Winery was established 23 years ago with the vision of sourcing quality grapes, bringing the fruit to Truckee to take advantage of the high elevation and cold temperatures to naturally cool the fermentation and slow down the barrel aging process. Thus becoming the highest and coldest winery. Truckee River Winery's focus from the beginning has been to produce handcrafted wines with great structure and finesse. Their award-winning Pinot Noir is the winemaker's, Russ Jones, pride and joy.

Image courtesy of Randy Caparoso 

Barnett Vineyards

glasses of wine - Pixabay

With passion and patience, Fiona and Hal Barnett created this vineyard and winery in 1983 with the intent of producing small amounts of hand crafted Cabernet Sauvignon wines from their estate. Since the first vintage of Barnett Vineyards, Spring Mountain has proven to deserve it's own AVA and become known as a unique mesoclimate, producing exceptional Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots.

Calstar Cellars

grape cluster - Pixabay

A life-long interest in fine food and artisan craft led, Proprietor and Winemaker, Rick Davis to the wine industry. With graduate work in soil sciences and his first experience as a cellar-hand for Rivendell Winery, a small winery in New Paltz, NY, he quickly learned the trade and excelled to Winemaker. In order to pursue this newfound passion, his move to Sonoma County, CA left him in the perfect place to master winemaking and focus on Pinot Noir.

Scherrer Winery

barrel rooom - Pixabay

“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.

Schrader Cellars

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Schrader Cellars produces an ultra-premium portfolio of wines from single vineyard estate vineyards from the Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Red Hills Lake County appellations. Schrader Cellars offers their wines exclusively via our mailing list and at the finest restaurants and wine shops in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Carr Vineyards & Winery

grape vine with many clusters of grapes - Randy Caparoso

Established in 1999, Carr Vineyards & Winery specializes in limited production wines from Santa Barbara County. Owner and Winemaker Ryan Carr also oversees the management of over 100 acres of vineyards, allowing him to handcraft each vintage from grapes grown to his specification. Varietals include Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Franc. Visit them in downtown Santa Barbara to experience the art of winemaking.

Imange Provided 

Bernardus Winery

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Bernardus Winery, founded by the well-traveled and discerning Bernardus (Ben) Pon, is situated in the picturesque Carmel Valley. Pon could have chosen any location worldwide for his namesake winery, yet he selected Carmel Valley for its ideal west-facing orientation, warm days, cool nights, and breathtaking scenery. He was confident that this unique environment would allow his vineyards to produce wines that could compete with the finest globally. Over 25 years later, Pon achieved this goal with his acclaimed estate Bordeaux blend, Marinus, named after his middle name, as well as a distinguished collection of single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Nearly two decades ago, Pon also anticipated the needs of wine enthusiasts by opening the first tasting room in Carmel Valley Village. He transformed the former Bank of America building into a welcoming space for wine tasting and education. Today, the Village hosts over 20 tasting rooms, with the Bernardus Tasting Room offering not only exceptional wines but also a charming outdoor patio, a private room for wine dinners, and a comfortable lounge.

Following Ben Pon’s passing in September 2019, Bernardus Winery continues under the leadership of his business partner, Robert van der Wallen. A fellow Dutchman and advocate for quality, van der Wallen shares Pon’s vision and commitment to maintaining the winery's high standards. He has also founded Bernardus Golf reflecting the same emphasis on innovation and excellence as Pon’s legacy. With a passion for fine art, golf, and wine, van der Wallen is dedicated to advancing the Bernardus legacy for years to come.

John Alan Winery

 wine splashing in the glass - Pixabay

The Fords are renowned for their passion for family, friends, travel, and, of course, wine. John and his wife, Kimiko, have journeyed extensively throughout California, often favoring cozy bed-and-breakfast inns as they explore the local wine scene. With a degree in geology, John’s fascination with science and soil laid the groundwork for his deep interest in the history and technology of winemaking. As their appreciation for wine blossomed, John and Kimiko shared their enthusiasm with family and friends, who became regular companions on wine excursions to Northern and Central California.

By the early 1980s, John and Kimiko began dreaming of creating their own estate winery destination, complete with an elegant Tuscan-style bed-and-breakfast inn. This vision soon attracted the involvement of John’s brothers, Steve and Lance, who also embraced the dream. Captivated by the stunning landscapes of the Central Coast, the brothers were drawn to the rapidly growing wine region.

In 1999, the Ford brothers took a significant step by purchasing a 24-acre parcel of land in Templeton, California, which would become Moss Lane Estates and John Alan Winery. This picturesque property now features an 11-acre vineyard and a beautiful cut flower garden, providing a serene setting for wine lovers seeking to immerse themselves in the rich viticultural heritage of the area.

For those exploring California’s wineries, John Alan Winery offers a unique experience that reflects the Fords’ love of wine, family, and the enchanting landscapes of the Central Coast.

Petroni Vineyards

wine by the fire - Pixabay

We had a wonderful experience at the winery. We were greeted by Elizabeth and tasted approximately 8 wines out by the pool. The atmosphere was very relaxed and I loved how we could just taste our way through the wines at our own pace. It was also nice to break up the tasting with olive oil and fresh bread. What makes Petroni different from other wine tasting experiences in Sonoma?: - sit down tasting - relaxed atmosphere (uncommon at most Napa and Sonoma wineries) -fabulous wines, the real "stand-out" for me was their unfiltered Pinot Noir, it was incredible!

Handley Cellars

cluster of grapes - Pixabay

Handley Cellars is a small, 14,000 cases per year, family-owned winery in California's Mendocino County, bonded in 1982. Handley Cellars is located at the northwest end of the Anderson Valley on 59 acres of the original Holmes Ranch. Still standing on the property are the now-refurbished ranch house, barn, and the original water tower. Handley Cellars offers a wide variety of wines that complement today's diverse cuisine with its worldwide influences. Winemaker Milla Handley seeks to make balanced wines that possess distinctive varietal characteristics, wines that reflect the soil and climate in which they were grown.

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