Wineries
15
S O N OM A CO U N T Y De Loach Vineyards In the 1970s, Cecil De Loach established this pioneering producer of Russian River Zinfandel and Pinot Noir par excellence.1791 Olivet Road, Santa Rosa. Open daily, 10am–4:30pm. 707.526.9111.
J Vineyards & Winery Save the sit-down, threecourse food and wine pairing in the Bubble Room for a special occasion, like, “Hey, it’s Sunday.” Weekend program offers deceptively wee courses that change every six weeks to feature seasonal produce. Diverse and intense flavors, matched with sparkling wine, Pinot and Chardonnay, sure to amuse anyone’s bouche. 11447 Old Redwood Hwy., Healdsburg. Open daily 11am–5pm, regular tasting $20. Bubble Room, Friday–Sunday, 11am–3pm, $60. 888.594.6326.
Lambert Bridge Winery On gloomy afternoons, a string of lights and a curl of smoke from the stone chimney make this Dry Creek landmark all the more inviting. Chandelierilluminated redwood cellar is a warm setting to sample meticulously crafted Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zin and claret. 4085 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. Open 10:30am–4:30pm. Tasting fee $10. 707.431.9600.
Martin Ray Focus is on mountain Cab. And continuing the old tradition, folks can pick up a gallon of hearty Round Barn Red for $13. 2191 Laguna Road, Santa Rosa. Summer hours, daily, 11am–5pm. 707.823.2404.
Robledo Family Winery Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and “Los Braceros” red blend are highly recommended. 21901 Bonness Road, Sonoma. Open daily, Monday–Saturday, 10am–5pm; Sunday, 11am– 4pm. 707.939.6903.
Sheldon Wines Globetrotting harvest hoboes who caught wine fever like an express train and held on tight. New, industrial Urban Winery Village location; same Rhône-style and offbeat varietals from small, family-run vineyards. 1301 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa. Friday–Monday noonish to sixish; fees $5–15. Food carts join Thirsty Thursdays, 4–8pm. 707.865.6755.
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.
Tin Barn Vineyards Yes, it is located in a tin barn, of sorts–in the midst of a remote industrial park, home to “Eighth Street wineries.” From allspice to Jolly Rancher, coriander, fresh raspberry, jelly Danish and horsetail to a simply enjoyable claret style quaff, it’s all flavor and no frills in this friendly warehouse winery. 21692 Eighth St. E., Ste. 340, Sonoma. Saturday– Sunday, 11am–4pm. Tasting fee, $6. 707.938.5430.
N A PA CO U N TY Beringer Vineyards (WC) This historic winery offers some seven daily tours for nominal fees, most of which end gratefully with a glass and a spin through the underground wine-aging tunnels. Open daily, 10am– 6pm (summer hours). 2000 Main St., Napa. 707.963.7115.
Casa Nuestra Winery Endearingly offbeat, with a dedicated staff and a collection
of goats and dogs roaming freely. 3451 Silverado Trail N., St. Helena. Open daily, 10am– 5pm. 707.963.5783.
Darioush Exotic locale, with giant columns and a Persian theme, Darioush is justly famous for its Bordeaux. 4240 Silverado Trail, Napa. Open daily, 10:30am–5pm. 707.257.2345. Olabisi & Trahan Wineries In the fancy heart of downtown Napa, a low-budget “cellar” where wines are shelved, with clever economy, in stacks of wood pallets; vibes are laid-back and real. Carneros Chardonnay and fruity but firm and focused Cab and Merlot from Suisin Valley, Napa’s much less popular stepsister to the east. 974 Franklin St., Napa. Open daily, noon–5:30pm. Tasting fee, $15. 707.257.7477.
Phifer Pavitt Wines Lots of cowgirl sass but just one wine: “Date Night” Cabernet Sauvignon. Hale bale seating. 4660 Silverado Trail, Calistoga. By appointment. 707.942.4787. Robert Sinskey Vineyards In the lofty, barnlike hall–as elegant as a theater, as solid as a ski lodge–visitors can take in the tank room action; at least, the gleaming stainless steel, framed by wood and stonework and brewpub-style chalkboard menus imbues the space with a sense of energetic immediacy. “Gluttonous Flight” pairs savory munchables prepared in the gourmet demonstration kitchen with biodynamically farmed Careros Pinot Noir and Bordeaux varietals. Not to worry: there’s no flight for ascetics offered, so go for it. 6320 Silverado Trail, Napa. Open 10am–4:30pm daily. 707.944.9090.
St. Supéry Expect to find the tasting room crowded with a harrassed staff, but St. Supéry features an interesting art gallery with changing exhibitions. 8440 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford. Open daily, 10am–5pm. 800.942.0809.
William Harrison Winery Your Fourth of July ‘American Owned’ Cabernet BY JAMES KNIGHT
E
xactly when, in the course of human events, does it become necessary to ask, “What wine pairs best with barbecue?” What I’m getting at, of course, is “With what wine shall we celebrate a merchant class tax revolt with Enlightenment gloss against a kind of tyrant acting with the assent of more than 50 percent of a restive bicameral legislative body ’cross the pond?”
Zinfandel comes to mind, not least because it’s fun to say. Norton is more on point, but for the name—no fireworks. Amidst all this, William Harrison rides to the rescue like some Paul Revere, advertising on his Silverado Trail sign, “American Owned.” Inside the tasting room, housed in an attractive Spanish colonial California-style stonework winery, I’m told that owner Bill Harrison once had second thoughts about his sign. The people revolted, though, so he put it back up. And the sign has a point: a good portion of the Napa Valley has been bought up by British, French, Spanish, Australian, and now Chinese and Chilean and Constellation overlords. One can hardly accuse them of a long train of abuses and usurpations—mostly they are hawking highend hooch for ready buyers—but the line at this bar is firm: “We’re just proud to be American-owned.” No shots have been fired in this revolt, unless you ask the stuffed bear and wild boars to the left of the bar, who look as if they would like to add something to the discussion. Harrison’s grandfather Antonio Perelli-Minetti immigrated from Italy in 1902 with little but a winemaking degree in hand, then grew a 20th century wine empire. In the 1980s, Harrison believed that mobile bottling lines were the future, and, after dozens of brush-offs, founded Estate Bottling. With a touch of antique furniture to the aroma, the 2011 Carneros Chardonnay ($32) jives with the sepia-toned vibe of the place, but the palate bursts with buttered, baked pears. A vertical tasting of Estate Cabernet Franc is the main event here. The 2008 Cabernet Franc ($45) is a warmer, more appealing version of the angular 2007—all pencil lead, pumice stone and plum. The 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($50) tops them all with a floral interpretation of Cab aromas, and a juicy, tense palate. Yea, even this Napa patriot is in thrall to the king of grapes—but what nation’s wine drinkers anointed that tannic, tooth-staining tyrant to the throne? Avid tea importers who also ran Bordeaux for centuries . . . as . . . a . . . colony. William Harrison Vineyards and Winery, 1443 Silverado Trail, St. Helena. Daily, 11am–5pm. Tasting fee, $15. 707.963.8310.
NO RTH BAY BO H E M I AN | JULY 3 – 9, 20 1 3 | BOH EMI A N.COM
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.