J Vineyards & Winery

Spending last Saturday afternoon in Sonoma County, I made a wrong turn when looking for another winery and stumbled upon J Vineyards & Winery.  I've been to J before and had thought about visiting that afternoon, but put it off to another time.  I guess fate forced the issue by leading me there anyway.  So since we were already there...

Past visits to J seemed to focus on sparkling wines, particularly my first visit several years ago.  Their sparklings are clean and crisp with beautifully bright flavors.  The last time I was there, we tasted one of their sparklings that tasted remarkably of apple.  We tasted two this time out, their Brut Rose NV ($32, 13,500 cases) and the 2005 Vintage Brut ($48).  Both met high expectations from previous visits.  The Brut Rose earned 90 points from the Wine Enthusiast.

What impressed me this time out was the quality of the varietals J is producing.  I've long enjoyed their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir available at the local grocery store, but they are making some low production wines that are outstanding.  We sampled two Chardonnays on this trip, the 2010 Strata ($45, 500 cases) and the 2010 Jewell Ranch Vineyard ($45, 500 cases).  The Strata is in the Burgundian style, minerally and clean.  Surprisingly, my creamy/buttery loving sweetie was clearly enjoying it.  The Jewell Ranch Vineyard is in the Green Valley, a sub-appellation of the Russian River Valley.  While both were wonderful, we took home a bottle of the Strata.

The Pinots were rich and well balanced.  We tasted three on the visit, the 2009 Russian River Valley ($35, 12,000 cases), the 2009 Robert Thomas Vineyard - Block 2 ($65, 400 cases), and the 2009 Barrel 16 ($75, 535 cases).  Each step up the ladder surpassed the previous rung.  The RRV is widely available in local groceries and package stores, but the other two are only found at the tasting room or on-line through their website.  The website says of the Barrel 16, "The 2009 J Vineyards “Barrel 16” Pinot Noir is a luxurious wine with distinct complexity and balanced tannins. The wine opens with subtle floral aromas of violet followed by cherry, plum, and blueberry. There are also delicate hints of licorice and spice. Rich and supple flavors of vanilla cream and strawberry fill the mouth, complementing the noseand providing a long, lingering finish of cinnamon, clove, and anise." And of the Robert Thomas Vineyard it says, "The 2009 J Vineyards “Robert Thomas Vineyard—Block 2” Pinot Noir features rose petal, violet, and subtle vanilla toasty aromas. Earthy, ripe strawberry, cherry, and nuances of cranberry fill your mouth with silkiness balanced by a nice acidity. The fruit is gracefully layered with tannins that carry through to a lengthy, lush finish of caramel and vanilla. This Pinot Noir pairs well with marbled red meat broiled to perfection. Try it with Boeuf Bourguignon or braised lamb shanks that have been basted in this wine." While both were fantastic, we opted for a bottle of the Barrel 16, another wine for a special occassion.

J's tasting room is an elegant affair on the west side of 101 a little south of Healdsburg at 11447 Old Redwood Highway.  We found their staff to be attentive, informative, and friendly.  Their website is http://www.jwine.com/.  J has four varieties of their wine club, ranging from the J Signature with two to four bottles five times a year, to J Luxe, which is limited to 50 members and provides access to their most exclusive wines.

Passalacqua Winery

Passalacqua has a lovely tasting room just off of Dry Creek Road at 3805 Lambert Bridge Road.  They are situated in the middle of a mass of vineyards, from which they produce some wonderful Zinfandels and Cabs, along with other fine wines.

We started our tasting with a nice barrel-fermented 2008 Dry Creek Valley Chardonnay ($30, 225 cases produced).  It was on the lighter side of creamy/buttery, with nice fruit and a long finish.

We moved on to my personal favorite, the 2009 Lavender Hill Primitivo ($37, 226 cases).  Primitivo is in the Zin family, and this one has a wonderfully bright nose.  Previous vintages of this wine have sold out fast, so I'd recommend jumping right in and getting some before it's gone.

Next, we tasted three Zinfandels, the 2009 Dry Creek Valley Estate Vineyard ($36, 298 cases), the 2008 Russian River Valley Viti della Nebbia ($35), and the 2008 Dry Creek Valley Bevill Heirloom ($36, 237 cases).  While all were good, we were particularly taken with the complex Bevill Heirloom and the fruit forward Viti della Nebbia with its tantalizing cherry nose, both of which we took home with us.

We followed the Zins with a smooth 2008 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($45, 316 cases).  The Passalacqua website winemaker notes say, "This enticing blend is composed of fruit from Blocks 2, 4 and 18 & 19 of the TR Passalacqua Vineyard, offering classic Cabernet flavors of blackberry, cassis and black cherry. Vanilla and the spice of black pepper, cardomom and cinnamon complement the rich texture of this Cabernet. Two years of aging in thin-staved Taransaud and Demptos French oak barrels tame the tannins and round out the long, lovely finish of this carefully blended classic."

Finally, we tasted a big, bold Super Tuscan (with 72% Sangiovese and 28% Cab), the Radici della Famiglia Due ($56, 143 cases).  This wine is available only to Private Access members, along with a dozen other wines from their Private Collection.

Passalacqua has four levels of their wine club, ranging from four bottles three times a year (Dapprima), to a case six times a year (Ultimo).  Members receive discounts and free tasting for themselves and guests.  Additionally, Private Access members have a list of Private Collection wines to choose from as well.

The Passalacqua website is at http://www.passalacquawinery.com/.  The winery is another worthwhile stop in Dry Creek Valley.

Kokomo Winery

You don’t expect much when you first step into the Kokomo Winery tasting room.  It’s located at 4791 Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg in a group of tasting rooms around a large common parking lot.  Entering the Kokomo tasting room, you find a barrel warehouse, with a couple of counters and some merchandise cabinets at the front, almost as though they said, “Well, we have this space left over in front of our barrel room, what should we do with it?”  The lack of pretension, though, leaves lots of room for some surprising wines. 

The first time I visited I was wowed by two wines in particular, an unusual Grenache Rose and the Winemaker’s Reserve Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir.  My second visit I repeated those purchases, taking the last bottle of the Rose in their stock.  This last visit, though, I found some new wines to be excited about.  And apparently I’m not the only one impressed by their latest showings.  Kokomo did quite well in the recent San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, with two Best of Class awards (the 2009 Peters Vineyard Chardonnay and the 2009 Pauline’s Vineyard Zinfandel), a Double Gold (the 2009 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir),  a Gold (the 2009 Pauline’s Vineyard Merlot), and a Bronze (the 2009 North Coast Cuvee).

We started our tasting with the 2009 Peters Vineyard Chardonnay ($28, 665 cases), which fit in well with my sweetie's preference for buttery/creamy Chards.  The website's Winemaker Notes for this wine say, "This Chardonnay is done in a Burgundian style.  Sur lees method and secondary fermentation were used to increase the palate complexity.  The cool growing region is the reason for the acidity in this wine.  This Chardonnay has pineapple, creme brulee, & honeysuckle aromas.  The big, juicy mouth feel is followed by apple pie & vanilla with a clean finish.  It should drink well now through the next 5-7 years."

Next up was the 2009 Gopher Hill Block Pinot Noir from Peters Vineyard ($42, 200 cases).  This wine received a 91 from Wine Review.  Winemaker Notes call this wine, “Floral and Delicate, showing the feminine side of the varietal, this wine shows beautiful rose petals with a red apple-skin character.” 

The next wines were the surprises, for me anyway.  Two Zinfandels, one from each side of Dry Creek Valley.  From the west side, the 2009 Mounts Vineyard ($28, 200 cases).  This vineyard gets the morning sun.  The result is a floral nose, less jammy than its compatriot.  My sweetie said it even tasted like flowers.  From the east side, the 2009 Timber Crest Vineyard Winemaker’s Reserve ($32, 190 cases).  This vineyard gets the afternoon sun, producing the jammy flavors that I prefer.  Both wines were wonderful.  We bought both and shared them at a dinner party last weekend.

Our tasting ended with the 2008 Dry Creek Valley Petit Sirah ($27, 174 cases), with was a dark, rich red and earned 90 points from the Wine Review, and a 2008 Malbec from Windsor Oaks Vineyard, which is in very low supply.

Of the wines we tasted, only the Gopher Hill Pinot, the Peters Vineyard Chardonnay, the Petit Sirah, and the Mounts Zin are available online through their website (www.kokomowinery.com).  Along with the two Zins, we also purchased one of the Chards and  a Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir.  I have also seen Kokomo Wines for sale on either WTSO or Lot18, I can’t remember which.  I purchased a three-pack of their Windsor Oaks Pinot from the site for a pretty good price.

If you are visiting Healdsburg, this tasting room is worth a visit…not for the luscious décor or the fantastic view that you will find at some wineries, but for the wonderful wines you will taste.  That, after all, is what it’s all about…right?

B.R. Cohn Winery and Olive Oil Company

My sweetie and I went out tasting in Sonoma County this past weekend, so I have fresh information on several wineries to share.  I'll start with one of my long-time favorites, BR Cohn.  Back when my major criterion from picking a wine was my appreciation of the label, Cohn was a favorite.  Their label, to my tastes, is one of the best in the business.  Based on the presence of olive trees in front of what use to be the main house and is now the tasting room, the label is a pop-art rendition of an olive branch and fruit.  Cohn was the first wine club I ever joined and I've always enjoyed their wines, even now that I base my wine selection on things other than the look of the label.

Their tasting room is located at 15000 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen (see map link below).  It is located on the winery property, fronted by the olive trees and the Olive Hill Vineyard, is home to Bruce Cohn's collection of restored classic cars, and hosts annual charity concerts featuring the Doobie Brothers, for whom Bruce Cohn is the manager.  The tasting room is one of the more interesting that I've encountered to date, accompanying the usual tasting room stock with Doobie Brothers memorabilia; gold records, photos, guitars, etc. 

Our tasting started with the 2010 Robledo Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay ($35, 400 cases produced).  It met my sweetie's preference for creamy/buttery, with a long pleasant finish.  Their website says, "It is 100% barrel fermented and aged in all new Burgundian French oak barrels. This wine is rich and concentrated with aromas of tropical fruit, pear, apricot, and lemon meringue surrounded by a bouquet of toasty oak, vanilla, caramel, and hazelnut. Luscious mouthfeel and bright flavors of honey, pear, apple, and citrus make this a perfect wine with food, especially seafood or poultry."

Following the Chard, we tasted the 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($40, 1,300 cases produced).  This wine received a gold medal at the 2011 California State Fair.  Their website says, "The 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is produced from the finest vineyards in this appellation. It is a complex, lush wine with aromas of black cherry, raspberry and strawberry intermingled with a bouquet of vanilla, caramel and spice. It is rich and smooth on the palate with a lasting finish." 

From there we tasted the 2009 Sonoma Valley Zinfandel ($28, 1200 cases produced), which received 91 points and a gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute and 88 points at the California State Fair, both in 2011.  Again from the website, "This combination yields a blend of berry and cherry aromas mingled with the bouquet of creamy vanilla custard and a hint of peppercorn and clove. The 2009 Zinfandel is full-bodied and warm with a long smooth berry flavored finish."

We were treated to an advance taste of the 2009 Syrcab, 61 percent Syrah and 39 percent Cabernet Sauvignon ($32 when released in mid-February, under 1000 cases produced).  The wine was a dark, rich red, had a fruity nose, and was very smooth.  

We finished up with the 2008 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($55, 3600 cases produced).  As always, this wine was wonderful.  The website says, "This wine has pronounced aromas and flavors of plum, black currant, and cherry. Luscious berry and cherry flavors fill the palate, and silky tannins follow through to a warm, lasting finish. As always, this exceptional vintage was fermented in small lots to ensure the character of each part of the Olive Hill Estate Vineyard. This vintage was aged for 24 months in only the finest tight grain French oak. A bouquet of fine oak, anise and mint combine with supple tannin and a long finish to produce a well-balanced rich full-bodied Cabernet that will age well for years to come and drink well at your table now."

It was a hard choice, but we purchased the Chard and the Zin.  The Pinot was wonderful and may be my choice next time.  I also like their Syrzin, which we didn't taste this time, but I've bought on previous visits.  The Olive Hill Cab is always a good choice as well.

The Cohn website is at http://www.brcohn.com/ and includes not only the wines, but also a collection of olive oils produced from the trees on the estate.  The wine club has several versions (Special Select, Olive Hill Estate, Gourmet Food Club, Case Club, Case Club II, and the Classic Car Club) starting at two shipments per year with four to six bottles, occasionally large format bottles.  Members receive free tastings, free VIP tours of the winery (well worth the time), and a 20 percent discount on wine purchases. 

If you find yourself driving along the Sonoma Highway looking for someplace to stop and taste, BR Cohn is a must.  Enjoy.

Arrowood Vineyards and Winery

The Arrowood Winery tasting room is located at 14347 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen (see map link below), elevated a little above the valley floor.  The building has a long veranda overlooking Glen Ellen and the valley.  The tasting room itself has large windows with the same spectacular view.

I first stopped into Arrowood a few months ago, taking advantage of a two-for-one coupon and 10 percent discount from the Winery Finder iPhone app.  The pourers were friendly and helpful, even offering tastes from the more expensive tasting menu in response to direct questions about their other wines.  We stopped in again last Saturday for a refresher.  Again, we were pleased with the attention we received from the staff and impressed with the wines served.

We opted for the more expensive tasting this time (The Reserve Tasting, $15 according to the website).  It started with the wine we were there for, the 2007 Reserve Chardonnay ($40).  On my first visit, after tasting the Chards on the Signature Tasting ($10), I asked if they had a Chard in the creamy/buttery style that my sweetie prefers.  They said yes, in fact, they did and pulled out the Reserve for me to taste.  In fact, it did fill the bill and I purchased a bottle for my sweetie to taste later that weekend.  She agreed.  This time, we started with the Reserve, which continues to impress.  But the pourer then pulled out a bottle of the 2008 Alary Vineyard Chardonnay ($35) from the Russian River Valley for our consideration. This wine was brighter than the Reserve and my sweetie described it as "flowery".  Staff suggested an orange blossom note.  We wound up with two bottles.  They also shared a 2009 Sonoma County Chardonnay ($30) that is currently available only to wine club members.  It was tasty as well, but less of the creamy/buttery that we look for.

From there we went on the the 2007 Sonoma County Merlot ($42).  The website says of the Merlot, "The nose is ripe and luscious with hints of raspberry, dried cherries, licorice, cedar and vanilla. The palate is rich and velvety with great intensity and ripe tannins. This is a rich and complex Merlot that is well balanced through its lingering toasty oak finish."  It was a dark, rich red.

Moving on the the Cabs, we started with the 2007 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon ($35) sourced from several vineyards around Sonoma County.  Our pourer indicated that this was the current staff favorite.  The wine received 92 points from The Wine Enthusiast in May 2011.  The website says, "This Cabernet has very rich aromas of cassis, black cherries, and plums with nuances of toasty oak in the background. On the palate, the wine shows its underlying depth of dark fruit. It is silky in texture with almost a sweet impression that lingers into a plethora of black fruits, cassis, and a nuance of dark chocolate on the finish." 

The 2006 Réserve Spéciale Cabernet Sauvignon ($90) was next.  This wine received 93 points from Robert Parker and The Wine Advocate in February 2010.  The website says, "It is our signature wine composed of our finest barrels and fruit from neighboring vineyards in Sonoma Valley. Lush, layered, and complex, this wine captures the fingerprint of the variety, the character of the terroir, and our finest representation of the vintage."  It was wonderful.

Next on the tasting menu was the 2007 Lasseter Vineyards Cab ($70, 250 cases produced).  This wine has a very fruit-forward nose and palate.  They describe it as, "Rich, enticing and complex from the first swirl, this wine opens with aromatics of black cherry, black berry, toast, and crème de cassis. These notes gracefully introduce the palate with a harmonious blend of plump berry fruits, notes of cedar, and well integrated tannins on the long, lingering finish." 

The final wine of the day was the 2004 Saralee's Vineyard Syrah ($30) from the Russian River Valley.  The wine had a nice flavor and deep reddish/purple color.  "Inky ruby in color, this Syrah has a bouquet of ripe blackberry fruit, smoked meats, Chinese camphor and violets. On the pallet, fleshy blackberry and plump blueberry flavors lead to tar, roasted meat, cracked pepper, and a suave minerality in the lingering finish. This wine should age well for the next 5-7 years."

Depending on what varietals you prefer, any of these wines would be worth purchasing.  We left with three bottles, the two Alary Chards and a Lasseter Cab (my sweetie suggested that we get something special for Valentine's Day coming up).  They have more listed on the website as well, including a couple more whites and late harvest White Rieslings.  Not on the website are some select Cabs, which can be ordered by phone.  These range from $58 to $90, if I remember right, and are single vineyards lots that provided impressive characteristics out of the barrell.  Supplies are limited.

They have a wine club, First in Line, that ships four bottles of mixed or red only four times a year, or the six bottle Plus tier.  Members received free tastings for up to five guests and 20 percent discount on wines (25% for 30 days on reorders of the current shipment).  Plus tier members receive a 25 percent discount on wines (30% on reorders). 

The website is http://www.arrowoodwinery.com/.  It is a scenic and friendly tasting room and well worth the stop.