J. Keverson

Alton Lane Vineyard

07’ Russian River Valley

Zinfandel

$35.00 a bottle

J. Keverson winery is located in the heart of Sonoma County wine country in Healdsburg, California. J. Keverson winery is a small winery producing only 1300 cases a year. Making chardonnay, pinot noir, sangiovese, and zinfandel. This small winery all began several years ago with four friends and a game of bocce ball. These four friends John, Kevin, Scott, and Doug would meet up for bocce ball games and drink wine. Their love of good wine lead these four to venture together into the wine making business which all started in a garage. This foursome soon learned that they were actually very good at making wine and within a matter of time outgrew the garage.
A few weeks ago I was able to visit J. Keverson winery for the first time and taste their wines with the wine maker John Hazlewood. Again I am not a big zinfandel fan but I instantly fell in love with his Alton Lane Zinfandel. This 2007 zinfandel was a gold medal winner at the 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. The aromas of this wine are wonderful! Very floral with lots of deep berries and spice. At first tasting lots of berries but very dry not sweet or jammy. Finishing with a very elegant creamy finish, very smooth with low acidity. There are very few zinfandels I like but this J. Keverson Alto Lane Zinfandel comes very highly recommended. This 2010 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Left J. Keverson winery with 9 medals one being a best of class with their 08 Starkey’s Court Zinfandel. This wine is a definitely a must try!

Cynthus '05 Cabernet

Cynthus

‘05 Napa Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon

$39.00 a bottle

I attended a great art and wine festival last Saturday in Bodega Bay, CA. This event had a lot of great wineries attending and great wines to taste. One wine I had tasted that afternoon that I really enjoyed but had never heard of their Winery was an ‘05 Cynthus, Napa Valley Cabernet. When I learned they specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon, I had to try. I was very pleasantly surprised how awesome their Cabernet was. I also was given a taste of their 2000 Cabernet which was also very good. Cynthus Cabernet comes from the Stagecoach Vineyard which is located in the rugged eastern hills of the Napa Valley. These low yielding vines in rocky clay volcanic soil makes this a great complex Cabernet. After tasting this wine and really enjoying it I was able to talk to the owner of the winery who very generously gave me a bottle of their not yet released 05 Cabernet. This Cabernet has an aroma of cigar box and light smoke. First tasting of light red berry with a strong oak, earthy taste. This Cabernet finishes with a smooth creamy, slightly chocolate taste. Cynthus Wines does not have a tasting room. They make and bottle their wines in Graton, CA. You can purchase Cynthus wines online and I definitely recommend thier Napa Valley Cabernet.

Carol Shelton

Rocky Reserve

‘06 RockPile

Zinfandel

$33.00 a bottle

She is known to many as the “Queen of Zin” and last Saturday I was able to celebrate a decade of Carol Shelton Wines with her at her open house. RockPile being my favorite appellation, I was very excited to attend this event after learning a few of her wines come from the RockPile appellation. Carol Shelton’s RockPile grapes are grown 2000 feet. above Lake Sonoma and the Dry Creek Valley. This Rocky Reserve is a blend of 96% Zinfandel and 4% Petite Sirah. At this open house I was able to taste a vertical of this RockPile Zinfandel from the year 2000 to her soon to be released ‘07. Like all RockPile wines this Zinfandel is highly structured and complex in flavors. This by far one of the best Zinfandel I have had. I love this Zinfandel because it’s robust, rich with flavors and yet not too sweet or jammy. Strong aromas of berries, must, and soil. First tasting of dry unsweetened black berries then ending with an earthy, oak cream finish. It definitely does not surprise me that Carol Shelton has been honored “Winemaker of the Year” numerous times. This Zinfandel comes highly recommended! Other RockPile wines that she makes that were also excellent were her Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah.

Moshin ‘07

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir

$40.00 a bottle

I attended a wine tasting event in downtown Santa Rosa, California a few weeks ago where I was introduced to Moshin Vineyard’s wine located in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma County. Moshin Vineyards winery began back in 1989 when the Moshin family purchased a ten acre Pinot Noir Vineyard. Today the family now owns 28 acres of grapes mostly which are Pinot Noir. After tasting their wines that night I knew I needed to make a trip to the tasting room. In the tasting room I was given a side by side tasting of their ‘ 07 Russian River Valley Pinot and their ‘ 07 Sonoma Coast Pinot. Being that my favorite Pinot’s usually come from the Russian River Valley, I was very surprised to find I liked their Sonoma Coast Pinot over their Russian River Valley Pinot. Both Pinot’s were very good but the Sonoma Coast Pinot really stood out to me. This is definitely not a lite Pinot. Very Robust and full bodied with tons of flavor. This Pinot’s aroma is of red currant and earthy soil. Tasting first of cherry and spice but having a very smooth creamy velvety finish. I really enjoyed this wine! If you are a Pinot lover and in the Russian River Valley area Moshin Vineyards is a must stop. Known mostly for their great Pinots, Moshin Vineyards also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel.

Trecini '06 RockPile Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

Trecini '06 RockPile
Sonoma Valley Zinfandel

$30.00 a bottle

Trecini Cellars was started back in 1999 by John Vicini who brought his passion for wine making from the town of Jera, Italy. Together with his wife Cathy and son David, the three Vicini's ( Trecini ) grow and sell their own Russian River Valley grapes and make their own wines. They make five different varietals Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and this RockPile Zinfandel. I must tell you I am usually not a big Zinfandel fan but only because it usually seems too sweet and jammy for my liking. I felt this Zinfandel was excellent. Last Friday I was very pleasantly surprised when I was able to taste this wine for the first time with the owner John Vicini. RockPile has always been one of my favorite appellation's because the grapes are so stressed that they always seem to produce a wine intense and rich with flavors. This Trecini Zinfandel was excellent and again showing how great the wines from the RockPile appellation can be. Definitely zero sweetness and full of flavors. This wine aroma's were of berries and plum with a slight hint of smoke. First taste of this Zinfandel is of bold but unsweet berries and spice. Wine finishes with an intense earthy plum taste. Love the complexity of this Zinfandel. This Trecini Zinfandel comes highly recommended! I wasn't surprised to learn this wine has won several gold metals.

La Jota Vineyard CO. Cabernet Sauvignon

La Jota Vineyard CO.
'06 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

$60.00 a bottle

I opened a really great bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon last night and definitely needed to share. This Cabernet comes from a volcanic mountain named Howell Mountain located above the Napa Valley. This mountain harvests some very incredible Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The altitude which these grape vines grow keep the evening temperatures warmer and the day time temperatures cooler then that of the valley floor. These vines get twice as much rainfall then the valley but the thick rocky soil allows for less water to accumulate which then stresses the fruit. In turn making these grapes very rich, complex, and more intense with flavors. This Cabernet is incredibly structured and smooth. Very hardy with strong flavors of plum and berries and finishing with that genuine earthy Cabernet taste. This Cabernet will definitely be added to my list of favorite Cab's. I can't wait to explore more wines from this area.

Taft Street Russian River Pinot Noir

Taft Street '07 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

$25.00 a bottle

I was invited to attend a great wine event last Saturday April 3rd. at Taft Street winery in the small Russian River Valley town of Forestville, CA. This wine event was Taft Street's "Founders Day" a celebration of the start of Taft Street Winery back on April Fool's Day, 1982. Their wine making all began in a small garage on Taft Street in Oakland, CA. back in the 1970's. Together, John Tierney and Mike Martini began this wine making adventure. At this event I was lucky enough to meet and chat with Taft Street's very talented and humble wine maker, Evelyn White. Evelyn started at Taft Street Winery in 2000. Prior Evelyn had worked at Clos du Bois for twelve years before her move to Taft Street. Taft Street has a large variety of many great wines both white and red, yet the winery still has a very warm small town feel to it. Their Russian River Pinot Noir is definitely one of my favorite Pinot's. This Pinot has strong aroma's of berries and spice. Fruit forward with a very nice creamy almost vanilla finish. Not too earthy tasting. Definitely lots of flavors in this Pinot. The finish on this wine is my favorite part. I strongly recommend this wine and many of their other wines. Taft Street prices are very reasonable compared to many other wineries in the area.