Unique Varietals

Unique Varietals

Pavi Wines

glass of wine - Pixabay

Pavi Wines - you can drink (not visit) - have some wonderful Italian varieties...almost the only people in Napa who do. You'll find their wines on a lot of restaurant lists...it's great quality at good prices. I especially love the Pinot Grigio ... way better than the average "nothing there" pinot grigio, very refreshing on a hot afternoon. They sell it by the glass at Calistoga Inn - I'd say it's best on the deck there! You can also find it in St. Helena at Tra Vigne, Farmstead; in Calistoga at Brannan's; and in Rutherford at Rutherford Grill. You can also enjoy a glass at: Napa Wine Company Tasting Room “Cult Wine Central” 7830-40 St. Helena Hwy Oakville, CA 94562

New Clairvaux Vineyards

pouring red wine - Pixabay

New Clairvaux Vineyard is a unique winery destination. With one of the world’s most distinguished winemaking histories, the land now serves as home to Trappist-Cistercian monks. This Roman Catholic order’s rich viticultural history dates back nearly a thousand years. Together in partnership with fifth-generation California winemaker Aimée Sunseri and her family, they strive to revitalize this remarkable place.

Sobon Estate

white wine grape cluster - Pixabay

Shenandoah Vineyards

Located in Plymouth, CA, Shenandoah Vineyards was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. The couple relocated from Los Altos, California, where Leon had a successful career as a Senior Scientist at the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon’s passion for home winemaking inspired him to leave Lockheed and embark on a new journey as a winemaker.

The selection of the winery site in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County was a well-researched decision. The Sobon family, including their six children, moved to the historic Steiner Ranch outside Plymouth, where they planted a vineyard and transformed the old stone garage into the winery. In 1989, they expanded their operations by acquiring the D'Agostini winery, leading to the formation of Sobon Estate.

Over the years, Leon has earned numerous national and international awards for the wines produced at Sobon Estate and Shenandoah Vineyards. Both family labels are distributed nationally and internationally, including in Canada, Switzerland, and Hong Kong. Leon is recognized as a leader in the wine industry, having served on various industry boards and committees, and he is frequently invited as a judge for prestigious wine-tasting competitions.

Today, winemaking and business operations remain a family affair. Shirley manages finance and the gallery, while Leon continues to impart his extensive winemaking knowledge into every vintage. Their sons, Paul and Robert, along with son-in-law Tom Quinn, uphold the family tradition that began decades ago, ensuring that Shenandoah Vineyards continues to thrive.

D'Argenzio Winery

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Ray is the owner and winemaker, has been in this location for 16 years. He sources fruit from a variety of places, and has some varietals (wine types) he always makes, and also mixes it up sometime. Besides the 4 varietals usually pouring the current for sale list will have chardonnay, several pinots, gewurztraminer, zin, and more. Total case production for D'Argenzio is only 3k cases a year.

A. Nonini Winery

A. Nonini Winery logo

A. Nonini Winery (aka Fresno's best-kept secret) was founded in 1936 by Antonio and Angiolina Nonini, and the business carries on managed by the fourth generation. We were pleased to tour the winery, starting with the 1941 Garolla grape crusher from Italy and ending with the finished product resting in the redwood tanks, which can easily be arranged by calling James Jordan.  They also have facilities for hosting special events. Be sure to try the Nonini Winery's Ruby Cabernet. The winery opens its tasting room from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.~

Hours:

Mon - Sat - 9:00AM to 4:00PM
Sunday                Closed

West Wind Wines & Caves

wine and cheese - Pixabay

West Wind Wines began with a vision: to craft top-quality local wines while benefiting both the land and the community. The vineyard was planted in 1999 at a 700-foot elevation on Black Mountain. When John and Cynthia Klock acquired the property, following the closure of a cattle ranch, they were committed to preserving its agricultural purpose. After thoughtful consideration, they chose to plant grapes and olives. West Wind Wines also aims to support job training programs and local nonprofits that uplift the community. This combined mission—caring for the land and its people—remains central to West Wind Wines.

More than just a winery, West Wind Wines exemplifies the power of bringing people together to restore families, renew the land, and produce outstanding wine.

The Wine
West Wind Wines is dedicated to growing and sourcing the best grapes possible. The vineyard is influenced by a marine layer that rolls in most summer evenings, extending the grapes' hang time for maximum flavor and complexity. Their winemaking practices include hand harvesting, hand sorting, small-lot fermentations, and gentle pressing. Every wine is made, pressed, and bottled on-site, with aging conducted in a wine cave to reduce oak barrel evaporation and maintain consistent temperature and humidity. Through meticulous fruit selection, a commitment to showcasing the unique characteristics of each grape, and an attention to detail in the winemaking process, each wine offers a distinct profile that pairs exceptionally well with the suggested cuisines on their tasting notes.

Moravia Wines

Moravia logo

At this family-operated Central Valley gem you will find some wonderful wines. We first enjoyed wines from Moravia Wines at a wine tasting conducted by Rob Bausinan who handles the outside sales for the winery. It was great to visit him at this tasting at Total Wines in Fresno, CA. Rob extended an invited to visit him at the winery to learn more about what they were doing at Moravia Wines. When I was last there Rob was on vacation but Rich Hammond, CO-Proprietor and winemaker at the winery was available and happy to share. Often people forget just how long wines have been produced in the Central Valley, since the mid-1850"s. It was wonderful experience tasting and talking with the winemaker himself. While all the wines that were poured for me were delightful the two Symphony wines came into focus. I have always enjoyed Symphony since having tasted it in Lodi some years ago. Rich has done a wonderful job with his offering of his 2018 Symphony and 2018 Dry Symphony. The 2018 Dry is produced from a grape that is a clone of Grenache Gris and Muscat Alexander and is a dry wine with a floral and peach or apricot on the nose - delightfully crisp and bright. The other Symphony is semi-sweet with 4% residual sugar.*

Hours:

Mon-Fri     Closed
Sat      12:00 to 5:00pm
Sun     12:00 to 5:00pm

Clesi Wines

Painting by Agata Zaborowski

Winemaker Chris Ferrara is deeply influenced by his Sicilian heritage, Chris creates Italian varietals that are old-world, iconic, and elegant. Tucked in between the rolling hills of the Templeton Gap AVA and surrounded by vegetable gardens and roaming chickens, Clesi Winery is open Thursday through Sunday in their Tasting Room at 1873 Templeton Road in Templeton. After more than a decade in San Luis Obispo, Adrienne and Chris Ferrara of Clesi bought 30 acres in 2015 to return to the Templeton AVA. 

Barton Family Estate

Painting by Agata Zaborowski - woman with wine

The Barton Family Estate is the only site on the 46 West corridor in Paso Robles that offers Wine, Food, and Spirits all in one location. What more could you ask for when looking for a genuine Paso Robles tasting experience like no other. 

Today, Barton and his wife Jenny run the family business as a husband and wife-team. Joe’s mom, Shirlene, is also an integral part of the day-to-day operations still and they are a completely owned and operated family business to this day. Together they have modernized their family brand and added a beautiful urban farmhouse tasting room to the property. They added Barton’s Kitchen in 2013, offering farm-to-table, casual cuisine, and in 2022, Grain+Vine Craft Distillery was born. 

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