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.
A beautiful fall afternoon sitting on the picnic table with 6 bottles of PInot Noir just waiting to be tasted. A tasting at Ancien is a very personal experience. It was just the two of us as the gentleman pouring walked us through their philosophy of wine making. A tour of the barrel cave and a walk through the vineyards tasting a few grapes off the vine . We enjoyed every drop and were soon members waiting for our first shipment. Great wine and very nice people. By appointment only, call ahead, your will not be disappointed
Beautiful vineyard and land. Frey produces organic and biodynamic wines- and is the oldest organic winery in the country. The Frey family, 10 out of 12 children run the vineyard and live on the 90 acres. The wine was tasty. I haven't had a lot of organic wines but I liked the organic Zin and biodynamic Petite Syrah.
Painting by Agata Zaborowski women enjoying wine
This is a boutique winery with a wonderful tasting room full of comfy leather chairs. They make mostly reds (sometimes a rose), and I must say they are wonderful, especially the pinots! Plan to spend a while and chat with the owner, and plan for generous pours.
Where vines meet ocean winds, where foothills meet the valley, and where a tranquil state of mind intersects with artisan style, lies Carmel Road Winery.
Situated inland from Monterey’s rugged coastline, yet still influenced by the ocean’s relentless presence, Carmel Road Winery crafts vibrant Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc that capture the essence of this unique region and California's coastal vineyards.
Drawn to the area two decades ago by the combination of cool, foggy nights and warm, sunny days that perfect the ripening of fruit, Carmel Road Winery has embraced what was once considered too cool for vineyards. Today, Monterey is recognized as one of California's premier growing regions. The winery's sustainably farmed vineyards span across windswept benchlands, where the maritime climate and well-drained, alluvial gravel soils yield highly expressive wines. Carmel Road's inaugural vintage was released in 1999.
A back road stretches from the town of Carmel by the Sea, passing through the Arroyo Seco and scenic gaps in the Santa Lucia hills, linking the inland growing region to the ocean. This winding trail inspired the winery’s name, Carmel Road.
Fantastic wines, a great and knowledgable tasting team and one of my most favorite settings make Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards a wonderful and special place. We toured the vineyard in it's total seclusion, silence and peace; tasted in the caves (a must see); and lounged in their upper terrace while finishing off our tasting.
Drew remains committed to small lot Pinot Noir and Syrah on California's northern far coastal edge. Including Mendocino Ridge, Anderson Valley and the Yorkville Highlands. OPEN Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat , Sun and Monday from 11 to 5pm.
The brilliant white stucco stands out dramatically against the rugged Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges that flank each side of Napa Valley. Mount Saint Helena makes a lovely distant backdrop. The tour is self guided so it's at your own pace and the gondola ride is unique for the area. It's also one of only wineries that's on a hill in the middle of Napa Valley so the views are to die for. My only suggestion would be (if you enjoy wine clubs) to join the wine club before you go. You can get on the gondola for free for up to 4 people and the tour is included as well. That pays for one of your months of wine right there. Then, you get access to the VIP tasting room which is fantastic.
Longfellow is dedicated to crafting "BIG" yet balanced wines. Their aim is to create wines with deep color and concentrated layers of aromas and flavors, while maintaining balance from start to finish. They strive to produce wines that not only improve with age but also become memorable conversations after a meal. With a small varietal production, Longfellow ensures that each wine is truly handcrafted from vineyard to bottle. Every aspect of the winemaking process is carefully managed to produce wines that are true to their varietal heritage while offering unique expressions of the vineyard and climate in which they were grown.
Quality begins in the vineyard, and Longfellow upholds a commitment to producing wines only if high-quality fruit can be sourced. Their case production is entirely dependent on the availability of grapes from extraordinary vineyards. To achieve this, they have built strong relationships with growers who are integral to their dedication to quality.
Kale Anderson, the winemaker at Longfellow, grew up in Sonoma County and was influenced by a community that fostered creativity, a love for the outdoors, and a commitment to land stewardship. He earned a degree in viticulture and enology from the University of California, Davis. After graduating, Kale worked for Ann and Joe Wender at Colgin Cellars, and held positions at Terra Valentine and Cliff Lede in the Stags Leap District. He later became the Director of Winemaking at Pahlmeyer, where he matured as a winemaker and earned acclaim as one of the youngest in Napa to receive a 100-point score from Robert Parker for the 2013 Pahlmeyer Cabernet Sauvignon Piece de Resistance. After five years at Pahlmeyer, Kale chose to focus on his own label and consult for limited production projects like Longfellow.
Seen as a rising star in the Napa winemaking scene, Kale Anderson is a valuable asset to Longfellow. His energy and dedication to producing exceptional wines and attention to detail form the cornerstone of the Longfellow project. Longfellow is proud to have Kale as its winemaker, embodying the new foundation of their winemaking philosophy and sharing their singular goal of crafting exceptional wines with unique character from distinctive vineyard sites.
Very impressive Pinot vintages. The ever so delicate grapes are grown right in the St. Lucia highlands where the cool coastal air enters through an inlet in the valley and keeps the berries cool and mild. The result is an amazing explosion of flavors that hints of fruit varietals suitable for any occasions. The sommelier on attendance was particularly witty and knowledgeable, a fine value of entertainment for $5. The tasting room's ambiance looked affluent but nothing pretentious, we felt welcome and greeted with smiles and laughter...well, a bottle of good Pinot Noir will always produce a smile.
