Wine of The Week – 2014 Williams & Heim Chardonnay - 91 Points

The Santa Lucia Mountain Range in Monterey County separates the Salinas Valley from the Pacific Ocean and Carmel. This is the home of the Santa Lucia Highlands (SLH) AVA and “The Bench” – a literal shelf of land from the foothills, which extends out towards the Salinas Valley, then dramatically drops off. This is prime winegrowing and in fact many excellent Pinot Noir and Chardonnay comes from this vine-laden cliff of land. Case in point: the 2014 Williams & Heim Chardonnay. This 100% Chardonnay was hand picked in the vineyard, then whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented in French oak barriques. The wine sat on the fermentation lees for a year. It underwent malolactic and since it was not cold stabilized, you might fine tartrate crystals. Not to worry. This wine offers upfront lemon curd, kefir lime, honeysuckle and butterscotch, sweet resin and baked green apple, meringue and browned butter cookie at the end. Yes the oak is evident but there is also a poignant focused acidity tempering all the various flavors, which dances on the front and side palate. It deftly balances a rich buttery oaked iteration with the crisp, clean fruit of stainless steel. Unique among Chardonnay, it ideally straddles two worlds.

Average Price: $33/ 750ML
Alcohol: 13.7%
Pair With: Pan seared pork medallions with pesto and garlic; Sautéed Monterey Bay abalone-Meunière-style; Whiskey marinated grilled chicken breasts.
Availability: Very Limited/127 Cases
Website: www.williamsheim.com

Top 100 Most Influential U.S. Winemakers

Ah the ubiquitous list. Everywhere you turn these days there is a top 10, the best 50, or some iteration of a who’s who list. So we can’t resist, besides, our Top 100 Most Influential Wine Industry list scored a lot of buzz, created a lot of chatter and even made a few enemies. This list is all about winemakers, those currently making wine here in America – not the great ones who have come before, but folks who make wines you can find now. There are some 7,000 bonded wineries in the U.S., and there’s a lot of forgettable wine being made. And in a world of homogenization of wine styles and a sense that our domestic wine industry is not legitimate without a French or Italian flare, we desire to promote regional flavor profiles of all American wine craftspeople. There are names here you’ll know and recognize, and names you never heard of but everyone on this list is influencing the public, fellow winemakers and the media in large and small ways. Use this list to learn about wines, varieties and regions you may not have considered; comment on it, share it with everyone, but above all continue your joy of being IntoWine.

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The IntoWine.com Annual “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry" – 2012

People love lists; they can be a great source of education and discussion. But making a list such as this is not an easy process. Who are the most influential wine people in the U.S., and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does influential mean people who move markets, impact consumers, inspire winemakers, and create debate? In a word, yes. These 100 people, from winemakers to law makers, bankers to bloggers, and sommeliers to celebrities are definitely people who influence wine; how it is made, marketed, perceived, sold, shipped, purchased and shared.

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IntoWine.com’s “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry” - 2018

There is currently a raging debate as to the validity of what an “influencer” is. Who are the most influential wine people in the United States, and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does an influential mean a person who moves markets, impacts consumers, inspires winemakers, forms policy,...

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50 California Central Coast Wines You Should Be Drinking Right Now

The California Central Coast, identified as Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo (and its main wine region Paso Robles) and Monterey is California the way it used to be, or at the very least, California the way people want it to be: small towns, charming architecture, varied history of Missions and Indians, and coastlines for miles; a slow pace, clean air and a belief that no one real really works very hard. But the area has been home to grape growing since the Spanish brought vine cuttings from Spain via Mexico in the late 1700s and winemakers and vineyard managers have been working hard ever since. To celebrate this beautiful region IntoWine.com offers these 50 wines that represent the diversity of the California Central Coast.

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The IntoWine.com 2nd Annual “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry" – 2013

Our 2013 iteration of this list is intended as a source of education and discussion. The making of this list is never an easy process. Who are the most influential wine people in the United States, and how exactly do you define ‘influential?’ Does influential mean people who move markets, impact consumers, inspire winemakers, form policy, and create debate? Yes. Though some decry the consolidation of the wine industry (and that is an issue worth considering) we are not trying to suggest who is “good” or “bad” within America’s wine industry. We merely define the Top 100 people, from winemakers to law makers, bankers to bloggers, and sommeliers to celebrities who influence wine; how it is made, marketed, perceived, sold, shipped, purchased, shared and consumed. As was true in 2012, we sought help to assemble this list people from a diverse group of people and we are grateful for their input. And we chose to release it today, January 29th, as it was on this day in 1919 when the pathetic policy of Prohibition was ratified; the effects of this lunatic legislation still evident in our country’s inability to ship and sell wine across state lines. We honor winemakers, wine drinkers and wine lovers of every conceivable demographic. Use this list, comment on it, share it with everyone, learn from it, and continue your joy of being IntoWine.

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Wine of The Week – 2014 Williams & Heim Chardonnay - 91 Points

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The IntoWine.com 2nd Annual “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry" – 2013