“Sonoma County is one of the most fabulous places in the world to live and make wine,” says Gary Sitton, Blackstone's winemaker. “There’s no place like it. The immense diversity—from the coastline to the mountains, valleys and rivers—still leaves me in awe. For me, tapping into this range of growing conditions is fundamental to making beautifully expressive wines.”
Winemaker James Foster’s love for the land began as a child growing up on the family farm, the historic Roseland Plantation in Eufaula, Alabama. As a teenager, his love for the land spread to the vine: spending many summers as a “cellar rat” in various wineries, James had a full vineyard-to-bottle view of winemaking. Inspired to learn more, he studied Enology at Fresno State University, then honed his winemaking skills over the last 13 years at The Wine Group. Along the way, he has partnered with grower-winemakers from around the globe on a portfolio of varietally and regionally expressive, exceptional wines at all price points. Since 2009, James has worked with a team of winemakers on crafting flipflop wines. By collaborating closely with partner winemakers at the source, he is able to stay true to each wine’s varietal character.
Located in the heart of Santa Rita Hills is Babcock Winery & Vineyards where Bryan Babcock has been his passion for small productions bottlings of unique, terroir driven wines since 1983.
Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Gallery | Agata Art Gallery
DeRose Vineyards has the single best Negrette I have ever had. Pat DeRose not only has one of the coolest moustaches on the planet, but he and Al (his son) are wine purists, not necessarily in the "Wine Spectator" since, they simply love great wines. Al DeRose search for new endeavors took him to central Chile where he produces and imports his Chilean wines. De Rose VIneyards is one of the oldest operated wineries in the US - 1854. At De Rose VIneyards they are not concerned about anything other than wine... nada. The DeRose family doesn't care about wine spectator's points, they don't care about who endorsed what, and I find that not simply amuzing, but delightful! Their style is very much like the old world where the people of the community get together. The winemakers, the farmers, the butcher and the candlestick-maker all living together, drinking together, eating together and enjoying the celebration of life. At DeRose Vineyards it is,"Good friends, good food and good wine.*
Hours:
Hollister Tasting Room
9970 Cienega Road
Hollister, CA
Hours:
Thursday - Friday: 11 AM – 5 PM
Saturday - Sunday: 11 AM – 4 PM
San Martin Tasting Room
255 Fitzgerald Avenue
San Martin, CA
Hours:
Friday: 4 PM – 8 PM
Ben and Jake, sons of Bobby and Sheila Fetzer, grew up on the Home Ranch, a property developed by grandparents Barney and Kathleen Fetzer with the help of their 11 children. Riding on dirt roads in pick-up trucks. Driving the tractor in dad’s lap. Hanging out at the winery’s crush pad to watch the grape trucks unload.
Today, Walter Hansel Winery farms 80 acres of grapes and produces roughly 5,000 cases of Pinot Noir; 5,500 cases of Chardonnay; and 1,500 cases of Sauvignon Blanc.
Ken Deaver, with his signature denims and cowboy hat, bends his broad shoulders to uncork a bottle of Zinfandel, a task that reveals his deep knowledge of both wine and grapes.
A tour across Deaver's 300 acres offers a glimpse of history, with 140-year-old Zinfandel vines and eight acres of Mission vines, originally brought from Mexico by Jesuits and Franciscans. These Mission vines were planted around 1854 by Ken Deaver's great-grandfather, John Davis, and a decade later, Ken’s grandfather planted the now-famous Zinfandel vines.
For years, Deaver's "old vine" grapes were sold primarily to home winemakers. The first vintage of Deaver Vineyards Zinfandel was bottled under the "Lakeshore" label in 1985.
Today, Deaver Vineyards is celebrated worldwide for its velvety Zinfandels. The Tuscan-like climate of Amador County also provides ideal conditions for producing exceptional Sangiovese, Barbera, and rich Ports.
With over four generations of Deavers cultivating grapes in Amador County, Deaver Vineyards boasts a deep heritage. Known for its velvety Zinfandel and some of the oldest vines in the region, their wines are widely regarded as true classics.
The grounds are gorgeous, as is the tasting room. Very elegant and spacious. Our wine Diva was Linda, who was one of the most informative and fun wine pros we had met. She schooled us in such a fun and creative way we almost didn't want to leave!
The tasting rooms and grounds are beautiful and well kept. There are shaded areas to enjoy a glass of wine, as well as a great deal of manicured lawns to have a picnic or catch some rays. If you arrive with sufficient time, they gladly give tours of the production rooms, which I found interesting. Each time I've gone to a tasting here, the staff has been welcoming and informative, without being pretentious. The selection of wines for the regular tasting is good and includes several of my favorite wines from this winery. They usually give away the tasting for free if you buy a bottle.
Recently the World’s most respected wine critic, Robert Parker, Jr. awarded Blackjack Ranch a Five-Star rating for the production of Bordeaux varietals, specifically Billy Goat Hill Merlot and for Harmonie. Blackjack Ranch Vineyards & Winery is one of only two wineries outside Napa/Sonoma to achieve his highest ranking. In issue #148 of The Wine Advocate, Robert Parker included the following pronouncement: “Blackjack Ranch is one of the best-run wineries in Santa Barbara.
Image: Saman Teher - Pixabay
