NORTH BAY BOH EMI A N | NOV E M BE R 7-1 3, 20 1 2 | BO H E M I AN.COM
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Wineries
Most reviews by James Knight. Note: Those listings marked ‘WC’ denote wineries with caves. These wineries are usually only open to the public by appointment. Wineries in these listings appear on a rotating basis.
SONOMA CO U N TY Everett Ridge Vineyards & Winery As is the custom at sister winery Esterlina, orange cheese puffs are served for palate cleansing between sips of exclusive Cole Ranch Riesling and big, soft and fruity reds. Plus, inexpensive, solid and sassy “Diablita” rocks screw-capped bottles of Sonoma County Red, White, Pink and Zin. Dandy view can be enjoyed from the tasting room or the patio. 435 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. Open daily, 10am–5pm. Tasting fee, $15. 707.433.1637.
John Tyler Wines For decades, the Bacigalupis have been selling prized grapes to the likes of Chateau Montelena and Williams Selyem. Now, the third-generation wine growers offer the pick of the vineyard in their own tasting room, brandnew in 2011. Graceful Pinot and sublime Zin. 4353 Westside Road, Healdsburg. Open dail,y 10:30am–5pm. Tastings $10. 707.473.0115. Mercury Geyserville No fee, 20 percent discount for Sonoma County residents and 12-pack wooden crates of mini-jug wine; two turntables, an LP record player–put on your winged shoes, it’s time to party in sleepy Geyserville! Also pickled comestibles, jam, peppers–and pretty good Pinot, Cab, Cab Franc, and Merlot. 20120 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. Open Thursday– Monday, 11am–6pm. No fee. 707.857.9870.
Moondance Cellars Dogs, Cabs and cars are the focus; when a supercharged 1965 Corvette is parked in front, the vintner is in the house. Also, Port and Sherry from Sonoma Valley Portworks. 14301 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen. Daily 11am–6pm. $5 tasting fee. 707.938.7550.
Robert Hunter Winery Surprise–fine méthode champenoise sparkling wine
hails from the warm “banana belt” of Sonoma Valley. Colorful history of estate once owned by a sugar heiress, and tour of gardens leads to sit-down tasting in far-from-the-crowds setting where visitors with a yen for the intimate rather than glitz find a hidden gem on the wine road less traveled. 15655 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Tours by appointment only, $25. 707.996.3056.
Thomas George Estates Pinot pioneer Davis Bynum hung up the hose clamp and sold his estate, but the good wine still flows in remodeled tasting room featuring a long bar and vineyard videos. Russian River Chard, Pinot and Zin; sweet berry flavors and long-lasting finishes. Caves completed for tours in 2010. 8075 Westside Road, Healdsburg. 11am–5pm, daily. Tasting fee, $5. 707.431.8031.
Helena Hwy., St. Helena. Open daily, 10am–5pm. Tasting fees, $15–$25. 707.967.8032.
Round Pond Estate Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc served tableside on the terrace with scrumptious food pairings. Who can’t imagine cozying up next to the big gas-burning hearth, watching the sun set and savoring that Rutherford dusk? 875 Rutherford Road, Rutherford. Tastings by appointment daily, 11am to 4pm. $25. 888.302.2575.
Summers Estate Wines Excellent Merlot and that rarest of beasts, Charbono. Small tasting room and friendly staff. 1171 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga. Open daily, 10am– 4:30pm. 707.942.5508.
Trefethen Winery
N A PA CO U N TY
Some critics claim Trefethen’s heyday was in the ’60s, but the winery proves them wrong with dependable, delicious wines. Trefethen is one of the oldest wineries in Napa. 1160 Oak Knoll Ave., Napa. Open daily, 11:30am–4:30pm. 707.255.7700.
Artesa Winery Yet
Truchard Vineyards
another treeless hilltop in the windswept Carneros turns out to be a striking, temple-like visitor center, with fantastic views. Spanish varietals Tempranillo and Albariño; Pinot, too. 1345 Henry Road, Napa. 10am to 5pm daily, $10– $15 fee. Chocolate, cheese and food pairings by appointment. 707.224.1668.
Chateau Boswell Winery (WC) This small, boutique winery is open by appointment only, selling most its wine directly via post to club members. 3468 Silverado Trail, Napa. 707.963.5472.
Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards Napa Valley’s latest geotectonic eruption on Highway 29 is a stylish place to explore famous Chardonnay, Meritage blend and winery-exclusive Italian varietals. Hip but not too cool, the 30-year-old family winery surely has a sense of humor as well as sense of place. 677 S. St.
(WC) No matter how attentive you are to the directions, no matter how much you study the quaint, hand-drawn map found online, no matter how vigilantly you watch the street addresses numerically climb along Old Sonoma Road, you will inevitably miss Truchard Vineyards. What follows is a three-point turn on a blind, two-lane road, with a single thought in your head: “This wine had better be worth the insurance deductible.” But with Cabernet this good, it is. 3234 Old Sonoma Road, Napa. By appointment. 707.253.7153.
Uncorked at Oxbow Across from the Public Market, this remodeled house in Napa’s historic “Little Italy” is a casual and unaffected joint. Ahnfeldt and Carducci wines include estate Merlot, Syrah, Cab, vinted by Paul Hobbs. Don’t ask about the horse. 605 First St., Napa. Open daily, noon–8pm; winter hours vary. Tasting fee, $10–$20. 707.927.5864.