Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.

Best Sonoma Red Wine Worth Seeking Out (for the money)

IntoWine asked our panel of experts to share their recommendations for the best Sonoma County red wine for the price: Sonoma seems to always have an uphill battle as its sibling, Napa, constantly gets the spotlight. But there are exceptional wines coming from this region. The Clos Du Bois Reserve Tempranillo ($22) is ripe with blackberry, black plums, soft and spicy blackberry, blueberry and black cherry positioned correctly with oak and acid. One-fourth of this wine is cabernet sauvignon, which builds a dense, strong structure most tempranillo’s do not have. Layered with a juicy fresh crushed dark fruit mouth feel, this is a surprisingly commanding wine that at first blush seem like it might have come from Napa. But no, Sonoma wines stand on their own. - Michael Cervin , Wine Judge, Restaurant Critic, and IntoWine Featured Writer
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Mendocino Wine: Going Green

Mendocino wine country is a lot like my sister – the middle child who never gets any attention. Napa and Sonoma are the best known regions, Paso Robles is “up and coming” and Santa Barbara had “Sideways” to thrust it into popularity. Mendocino seems left out of the equation. Geographically, Mendocino (just Mendo as it is known) is north of Sonoma, but few wine lovers ever seem to make it that far. They should.
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California Napa Syrah Vintage Charts

Napa Syrah 2009 89 D/H 2008 89 D/H 2007 92 D/H 2006 89 D/H 2005 90 D/H 2004 88 D/H 2003 88 D/H 2002 92 D/H 2001 93 D/H 2000 87 D 1999 88 D 1998 90 D 1997 91 D 1996 88 D 1995 90 D 1994 92 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in lieu of specific knowledge about a bottle or producer...
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Sonoma Chardonnay Vintage Charts

Sonoma Chardonnay 2009 89 D 2008 94 D/H 2007 92 D/H 2006 88 D 2005 94 D 2004 91 D 2003 90 D 2002 95 D 2001 96 D 2000 88 D 1999 89 D 1998 85 D 1997 93 D 1996 90 D 1995 91 D 1994 94 D 1993 90 D 1992 92 D 1991 94 D 1990 90 D Vintage Charts should be used for a generalized guide in lieu of specific...
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Twins Oaks Winemaker Mark Weiner Discusses His Wines

As part of video wine review series, Cult Wines of Crushpad, IntoWine had the delightful opportunity to catch up with Twin Oaks winemaker Mark Weiner to hear his thoughts on the Twin Oaks wines and wine topics in general. Thanks to Mark for chatting. What inspired the name Twin Oaks Cellars? Named after my twin daughters, as well as the twin oak trees in our neighborhood...
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Q&A with Duckhorn Wine Company's Migration Winemaker, Neil Bernardi

IntoWine recently caught up with Duckhorn Wine Company's Migration winemaker, Neil Bernardi to discuss wine making and his thoughts on current trends in the wine industry. What prompted you to pursue winemaking as a career? I got into winemaking very early, almost out of sheer luck. I attended UC Davis intending to study Italian, without any knowledge of its reputation in the wine industry. On the first day of freshman orientation, I was walking through the halls of the Winkler Building, which I would come to know and love, and met Jim Wolpert, then chair of the Viticulture and Enology department. I must have looked lost because he struck up a conversation, and suggested I take a look at studying wine. I was intrigued, and was impressed by the major’s field of study. I was attracted to the diverse and extensive coursework, including plant biology, fermentation science, microbiology, physics, economics, business, and foreign languages, and added V & E as a double major. I was hooked after my first harvest internship at Gundlach Bundschu and knew that wine would be my life’s work.
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Q&A with George Levkoff of george wine company

IntoWine recently caught up with george wine company's winemaker and founder, George Levkoff to discuss wine making and his thoughts on current trends in the wine industry. What prompted you to pursue winemaking as a career? I became a winemaker as a result of an epiphany I had at dinner in late 1994. The restaurant was Joe’s in Venice, CA, and the meal was tuna foie gras. My friend Mark brought along two bottles of pinot noir from Williams Selyem, Rochioli Vineyard 1991 & 1992. The meal which I had many times before, never tasted better, and I proclaimed that one day I would make wine like this in Healdsburg, a town I had never visited. Four years later I sold my house and quit my job, and moved to Healdsburg.
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