Perfecting the old California classics, Robert Biale Vineyards has become a revered standard of heritage vineyard Zinfandel and Petite Sirah in the Napa Valley. From the winery’s inception, the Biale founders have cherished the tradition of historic old vines, some dating back to the 1880s, and they prize the small quantity of concentrated and intense fruit that these vines produce. Diligent farming, expressive terroir, and superb elegance define the winery’s hallmarks. Among the winery’s portfolio of 20 wines crafted by Winemaker David Natali, Black Chicken Zinfandel stands out as the flagship and has become a benchmark for the varietal.

The story began in the 1940s when 14-year-old Aldo Biale helped his mother make ends meet by selling homemade Zinfandel, along with eggs and produce, to insider Napans. Over the old “party line” phone system, the code words “a Black Chicken” signified a jug of bootleg wine, keeping nosy neighbors and the authorities from discovering Aldo’s underground Zinfandel operation.

Unconventional by Nature - Winemaker Robert Morse

Terroir is everything, but so as they say is location, and sometimes those aren’t the same place. We have chosen to stay at our vineyard, winery and estate tasting room to allow our customers to experience our unigue terroir. Opposed to what might seem apparent by the concentration of valley wineries, the best vineyard sites are not necessarily alongside the pre-existing major thoroughfares.

In the Foothills, we can grow any warm climate varietals but focus on those that perform at their best in granitic soils. Italian and Rhone varietals benefit from our consistently ideal climate. Our vineyard and winery’s location straddles ridgelines above an elevation of 2000 ft, benefitting from cooling afternoon breezes, abundant sunshine and low yielding rocky soils resulting in our unique terroir.

The Il Gioiello, “the jewel,” name comes from the final home of famed astronomer and scientist Galileo Galilei. Our 2 Roads brand name was inspired by my favorite Robert Frost poem and Morse is my name and most importantly the name of my parents. All three have inspired a slightly different approach to my choices and my respect for integrity, honesty and hard work.

Our wines and winery reflect these values; unpretentious, no concentrates or additives, just wine grapes and great value wines. In my life, the right wine has always been the wingman of a good meal, not the star of the meal. I recall great meals far better than other pleasures and that is why we make “food wines”.

As the French proverb says, “to have a great meal, one requires great hunger”. Having 17 unique estate varietals and clones allow us to create complexity and balance in our wines difficult to achieve with single varietals.

When asked about my favorite wine, the answer is always the same, “what are we eating”. If I’m having a glass of wine without the benefit of food, our 2 Roads blends Crossroad and La Strada are soft, fruity and complex.

photo - courtesy photographer Randy Caparoso

Louisa Sawyer Lindquist has dedicated her entire adult life to the business of wine. Her journey began at the age of 21 with cellar work at Long Island wineries, including an internship she created at Hargrave Wine Cellars, the first winery on Long Island, in Cutchogue, NY. She continued her experience at Scuttlehole Vineyard, which later became Channing Daughters Winery. Louisa then transitioned to fine wine retail shops and restaurants, followed by roles in sales with wine distributors and importers, and eventually direct sales at wineries. This path has been a rewarding journey for her.

In 2000, Louisa founded Verdad Wine Cellars, with the goal of crafting pure, balanced wines from the exceptional vineyards of California’s Central Coast. Her focus lies in the cool, coastal vineyard sites of this region, inspired in part by the wines of Spain. The Spanish and Mexican heritage of California fueled her passion for using Spanish wine grapes. In 2014, after a client requested a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine, she ventured into making Cabernet for Verdad, recognizing it as an incredible grape that produces some of the most age-worthy wines in the world.

Alongside her husband, Bob, Louisa also collaborates on creating a Demeter Certified Pinot Noir and a balanced coastal Chardonnay under the Sawyer Lindquist label.

Findleton Estate and Vineyard is a small, family-owned and operated winery that has earned the title of "Best Kept Secret in El Dorado County."

Visitors can enjoy the award-winning wines crafted by winemakers Tom Findleton and Carrie Golden at their charming tasting room at 3500 Carson Road, Camino, CA. With over 18 varietals to choose from, guests can also appreciate a "Fine Art Gallery" experience, as the tasting room features the artwork of Pamela Findleton. Producing approximately 2,500 cases of wine annually, the estate’s vineyard sits at a 3,000-foot elevation in the Sierra Foothills of El Dorado County.

The vineyard enjoys a distinctive microclimate, with Pinot Noir vines flourishing creekside, benefiting from cool mountain air and well-drained, chalky soils. Historically known as "Pneumonia Gulch" by early settlers, the site has proven to be perfect for growing Pinot Noir, resulting in wines reminiscent of the celebrated Pinot Noirs of Burgundy, France.