Wine Producers, Growers, & Labels

The biggest complaint I hear is that Napa cabernets are too expensive. And yes, some are. But there are some that fly under the radar, like Martini. Though the winery dates back to 1933, they were making other wines for church use and home winemaking before and during Prohibition. Once Prohibition...

Tuscany is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most important wine regions. Super Tuscans and Brunello’s command high prices, however Tuscany also produces an array of wines from lesser-known regions like this excellent Lagone. Comprised of 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% cabernet franc, this...

Duckhorn excels at merlot, that’s no surprise. They have been one of the very few wineries who understood its potential and stuck with this often maligned grape for decades. Good thing, too. The Rector Creek iteration starts with an impressive viscosity, as if it’s been in the cellar already for a...

Unashamedly, I am a fan of Dow’s. The first thing you notice with this 20YO Port is the brick red color of the wine. This is not a young fresh wine that screams ruby red color. The 20 years has been kind to this wine. The first whiff on the nose is sugared almond, raspberry compote, and black...

The great thing about many Italian wines is that they are actually created with food in mind. The 35-40 year-old vines from which this wine was made are in that sweet spot; mature and giving off tremendous fruit. Made with nebbiolo it offers light cherry, black cherry, plum and blackberry notes...

Acumen was born in 2012 with vineyards on Atlas Peak in the Napa Valley. They started two labels, Acumen, and PEAK, the latter focusing on small lot production of mountain grown wines. Which brings us to the 2016 Cabernet from their Edcora Vineyard. Acumen has created what aims for a classic Napa...

Napa Valley is filled with wineries. What’s it’s not filled with is small family-owned wineries that seem to fly under the radar. Such is Lawer Estates located in Calistoga. Started just over 25 years ago, the goal was always to produce small lot wines. Their 2017 Estate Cabernet exemplifies their...

Winemaker Theresa Heredia makes a lot of Pinot Noir, working with 36 different vineyard sites. Many of the Gary Farrell Pinots are site specific, vineyard designates. This wine then tastes and feels like a “greatest hits” wine, because it pulls from all the vineyards, including well known vineyards...

Typically the Pinot Noirs coming from the Anderson Valley in Mendocino offer bright acidity and more rustic, berry notes. Goldeneye, when it was founded in 1996, has always capitalized on this, making excellent Pinot. Gowan Creek has long been a great source for Goldeneye, as it comprises both...

Wine with bubbles. Whether it’s called Champagne, Cava, Sekt, Prosecco, or sparkling wine, we like wine with bubbles in them. There are a good many wineries that are known for their still wines, but are also quietly going about making sparking wine. Sure the Pinot, or Cabernet, or Chardonnay gets...