Sangiovese

Sangiovese

Burnsini Vineyards

cluster of grapes

At Burnsini Vineyards, history and wine come together in a way that’s as lively as it is laid-back. Tucked into the rolling hills of Cottonwood, this is true cowboy country, where a livestock brand is more than just a mark—it’s the logo of the winery, a symbol of the land’s agricultural roots. The “lazy B” on every bottle speaks to the easygoing vibe you’ll find at Burnsini, while the intertwined goblets in the logo remind you that it’s all about sharing the experience, just like founders Tom Burnham and Jim Tomasini did when they started it all.

Now, that tradition is in the hands of winemaker Brandi Greene—a Northstate local who’s as passionate about winemaking as she is about sustainability. Brandi, an Environmental Chemist with a winemaking degree from Oregon State University, worked in vineyards across California and Oregon before realizing her dream of owning a winery. Today, she’s managing nearly eight acres of organic estate vines at Burnsini, continuing the legacy with a modern twist. Her focus is on crafting consistently exceptional red wines, while also introducing new offerings like rosé and sparkling wines. But don’t worry—the things you’ve always loved about Burnsini are still here: those famously smooth reds, lazy afternoons at the tasting room, and the kind of celebrations that get the whole community on its feet.

Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s woven into every aspect of Burnsini’s operations. Solar panels power the winery, organic methods nurture the vines, and after the grapes are pressed, any waste is either returned to the vineyard or fed to the bulls next door. Inside, water-saving ozone sanitation and recyclable shipping materials keep things eco-friendly. And while you might spot an electric car charger for visitors, there’s a grounded humility in knowing the tractors still run on diesel—after all, progress takes time.

Burnsini’s story started in 2000 when Tom and Joy Burnham teamed up with Jim and Deanna Tomasini to turn their shared hobby of grape-growing into a full-fledged winery. Their blend of passion, fun, and winemaking sparked not just great wines, but a tight-knit community. From their early days of hosting Spring Flings and harvest parties, to creating wines like the “Friends” blend (a nod to the friendships formed at the vineyard), Burnsini has always been about more than just wine—it’s about connection. Events like the “Ladies Night Out” at the Cottonwood Rodeo and “Music & Merlot” grew so popular they had to move to bigger venues, but the heart of Burnsini remains at its vineyard, where the good times—and even better wine—keep flowing.

So come on by. Sip, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine that’s rooted in cowboy country but crafted for the future. There’s always something new to discover at Burnsini Vineyards—whether it’s a new wine, a new friend, or just the perfect sunset over the hills.

Teneral Cellars

grape cluster

Teneral Cellars was founded in Northern California in 2020. It is a certified women-owned and operated producer of sustainable, award-winning wines. From the outset, the company aimed to harness the power of business for good, using wine as a conduit for change. Every bottle opened sparks essential conversations, and Teneral Cellars donates 10% of its profits to organizations that empower women and fight for gender and racial justice.

In June 2023, Teneral Cellars purchased Wilderotter Vineyard, establishing a new home to share its passion for wine, community, and a sense of place. Thus, Teneral Cellars at Wilderotter Vineyard was born. The 40-acre estate, located in the heart of the Sierra Foothills AVA in Plymouth, CA, Amador County, includes 26 acres of vineyards, a full winery production facility, and a five-star luxury boutique hotel called the Grand Reserve Inn. Additionally, Teneral Cellars has 28 acres of vineyards in Amador County and 10 acres in the Fair Play AVA of El Dorado County. Wilderotter Vineyard has produced some of the region's finest wines, including award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and Nebbiolo. This merger of two exceptional brands allows Teneral Cellars to continue crafting phenomenal wines and providing every guest with an extraordinary experience.

Brutocao Cellars & Vineyard

Swirling wine in the glass - Pixabay - Saman Teher

Family Vineyard Heritage is a tale of two families who combined their passion and expertise to establish one of Mendocino County’s most notable wineries. In 1910, the Brutocao family brought with them a love for wine when they emigrated from Treviso, Italy (a small town near Venice). Len Brutocao met Martha Bliss while attending the University of California, Berkeley. Martha’s father, Irv, had been farming in Mendocino since 1943. After Len and Martha married, the families joined forces and continued to sell their grapes to well-known Sonoma and Napa wineries for many years before starting to make their own wine in 1980. They selected the Lion of St. Mark as their symbol of family tradition and quality. The heart of that quality is in their land: over 400 acres of vineyards in Hopland and 12.5 acres of Pinot Noir in  Anderson Valley.

Tasting: 10am – 5pm
Open: Wednesday-Sunday
Reservations appreciated but not necessary.

B. R. Cohn Winery

Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – couple enjoying wine together

When we visited they had a vintage car display as well as lots of vendors selling their goods and offering food samples. The tasting room is quite large, and while there were lots of groups there, we did not have to wait too long for the tasting. They also have a separate olive oil and balsamic tasting room. B.R. Cohn is a large winery with retail distribution and they make wines using grapes not only from their local estate, but mostly from all over wine country.

Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery  - Gallery | Agata Art Gallery

Agua Dulce Vineyards

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - People enjoying wine

Agua Dulce Winery is a 90 acre, fully operational winery and vineyard, featuring daily wine tasting and tours and wines. You will find Agua Dulce Vineyards just 45 minutes north of downtown Los Angeles and this winery has earned the honor of being Los Angeles County’s leading fine wine grower and producer. *

Hours:

Daily 10am - 5:30pm

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - People enjoying wine

Rutherford Hill Winery

glasses of white wine on the patio - Pixabay

High on a hill, Rutherford Hill Winery commands a spectacular view of the Rutherford bench in Napa Valley. Drawing from a select handful of Napa's finest vineyards, Rutherford Hill continues its tradition of crafting legendary wines. In 1972, as the world was just beginning to recognize the potential of Napa Valley, Rutherford Hill's founders identified a unique opportunity. They saw that the valley's climate and soil, akin to those of Pomerol, were ideally suited to Merlot and became pioneers of what would become one of Napa's premier varietals.

In 1996, the Terlato family acquired the winery, bringing with them a legendary commitment to quality over quantity. Their pursuit of excellence started with a thorough review of the property, leading to significant enhancements that enriched the portfolio with wines of remarkable complexity and character.

Bill and John Terlato continue their father Anthony Terlato’s legacy by working closely with Rutherford Hill’s winemaker to tackle the challenges of consistently improving the wine, year after year. The exacting standards applied by the Terlato family to all their ventures were evident at Rutherford Hill from the moment of acquisition.

Building on Tradition To prioritize quality, Rutherford Hill created an environment where reserve wines could receive the time, care, and attention they deserved within the winery’s portfolio.

A new, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the production of reserve wines—a "winery within a winery"—began construction in the spring of 2000 and was operational by that year’s harvest. This $7 million, 5,100-square-foot addition features 24 fermentation tanks ranging from 1,500 to 6,000 gallons. It is fully self-contained, equipped with its own press, refrigeration capabilities (with tanks jacketed for both warming and cooling glycol), and a dedicated harvest crew.

Creating the Ideal Wine-Storage Environment Rutherford Hill pioneered the use of caves and a pallet-stacking system within those caves in Napa Valley. Year-round, 8,000 wine-filled French and American oak barrels age in an optimal storage environment of 59ºF and 90 percent humidity. This setup significantly reduces wine evaporation, leading to wines with lower alcohol concentrations. The improvements made to the caves since 1999 exemplify the Terlato family's broad vision and steadfast commitment to quality.

Paoletti Vineyards

wine and cheese - Pixabay

The vineyard is quite incredible and impressive. We tasted 9 different wines in their cave which was filled with millions of dollars worth of marble statues. The cave was nice and cool and the aroma of the wines in the barrels hit you as soon as you entered. There was Italian music being pumped into the cave which helped set the mood for the tasting. Afterwards we wandered around their property and enjoyed quite the view from their patio area.

Morse Wines

clusters of wine grapes

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

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