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.

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.

Picchetti Winery

My first visit to Picchetti Winery was three years ago on an evening hike through the Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve.  Unfortunately, the winery's tasting room was closed already.  Unfortunately, because I wasted three years before I went back and got a taste of their wonderful wines.  Being in the peninsula's backyard up in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Cupertino (13100 Monte Bello Road), the location was right, but none of my friends ever mentioned Picchetti as a place I had to try.  I have since learned that at least three of my friends are members of the wine club, as am I now.  But prior to this fall, I hadn't taken the winery seriously.

I belong to a social group in the bay area, Bay Area Link-up.  Among other things, there are many members who like to hike.  And many who like wine.  So a friend, Jen, formed a sub-group called Peninsula Hiking Wine Lovers.  Simple enough, just combine the two interests.  Works for me.  So  my first visit to Picchetti was a test hike to the winery in advance of posting it for the Hiking Wine Lovers.  My sweetie and I started from Fremont Older Open Space, hiked through Stevens Creek County Park, and approached Picchetti on the Zinfandel Trail in Picchetti Ranch OSP.  When we reached the tasting room, I wasn't expecting much.  But the wines were superb.

Starting with a creamy/buttery Chardonnay, moving through the Napa County Pinot Noir, and into the heavier reds, including two fine Zinfandels, a Super Tuscan, a Teroldego, a Malbec, a Tempranillo, and a Cabernet Sauvignon, all were acceptably flavorful wines. My sweetie found the 2008 Leslie's Estate Chardonnay ($36.95) to her tastes, prompting a purchase for our picnic after the tasting, plus another one for the cabinet at home.  I also bought a 2008 Estate Zin ($49.95), another wonderful old vine Zin of which I'm so fond.  This vineyard is made up of 120 year old vines.  The wine is rich and dark and fruity.  Plus, I joined the wine club, so I also carried out a Cab and a Pinot Noir (2009 Truchard Vineyard, $39.95).  A little added weight in my pack on the way back, with the four bottles we took home.

We opened the Cab last night, a 2009 Bellicitti Vineyards ($39.95), grown close to the winery in Saratoga, this wine is described on the website as, "A raft of tobacco and leather, with dried red fruit aromas, a hint of black licorice, and a subtle edge of clove and nutmeg."  It was smooth and well balanced.  On a second visit to the winery (or maybe a third) we tasted the 2009 Bellicitti Vineyard Zinfandel ($39.95) which showed very well against the estate old vine Zin.

The winery only sells at the tasting room or online, there is no retail distribution.  I would highly recommend both Zins, the Cab, the Chardonnay, and the Pinot Noir.  Their other wines are also good, but, in my book at least, secondary to the others.  They also have a nice little white dessert wine (Reserve Angelica, a fortified Chardonnay, $36.95) that is bright and sweet.

Their wine club members received shipments quarterly, which average $60-75 plus $9.95 shipping, and get 15 percent off all wine purchases and invitations to winery events.  Members also have priority access to limited production wines.  Picchetti gives additional discounts for case purchases.

The website is http://www.picchetti.com/.  The location is lovely and the wines are worth the visit.

La Crema

I've mentioned that I have a preference for Pinot Noirs.  There are many good Pinots out there and some really good producers, but by my experience to date, I'd have to say that La Crema is Pinot Mecca.  I've been a member of their wine club for a couple of years now, visit their Healdsburg tasting room regularly, and have yet to be disappointed. 

I've talked with friends about our favorite Pinots and occasionally one will react to my listing La Crema as my favorite with praise for their Sonoma Coast Pinot ($24) that one can find at most retailers.  Truly, it is a wonderful wine, as is the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay ($22) that is widely available.  When I ask if they've been to the Healdsburg tasting room and sampled their other wines, they always say "no", not unexpectedly.  If they'd tasted the other Pinots available through the tasting room, the Sonoma Coast Pinot would not have been the first wine they talked about.

In addition to the Sonoma Coast pair, La Crema produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay pairs from the Los Carneros and Russian River regions.  They also have a pair labeled "9 Barrels" from the Russian River region made from the best nine barrels from a given year that most closely represent the characteristics of that year and growing region.  9 Barrels is La Crema's top-of-the-line, and a lofty one it is.

Since this site makes recommendations about wines that I like at a particular winery, let's start by saying that I like everything that I've tasted at La Crema.  All of the Pinots are wonderful, as are all of the Chardonnays.  Their Chardonnays, however, have some slightly different characteristics, which make some wine drinkers prefer one over another.  I like them all, personally, but my sweetie, the buttery/creamy lover, prefers the Los Carneros (2008 retails for $30).  She did like the 9 Barrels from the last vintage, too (which is sold out now...the 2009 vintage will be released in February 2012).  The appellation series Chardonnays are a larger production wine (2000 cases of the Los Carneros, 5000 cases of the Russian River, compared to 225 cases of the 9 Barrels) and can occasionally be found at local retail outlets (San Francisco area).

Melissa Stackhouse, La Crema's winemaker, says of the Los Carneros Chardonnay, “The aromas and flavors of this release convey a pure expression of the Los Carneros terroir. Look for bright lemon zest and subtle clove, layered with caramel and nougat tones. Fresh flavors of melon and apricot are enveloped by a juicy mid-palate, with an intriguing interplay of oak spice and minerality on the finish. The texture is very concentrated, yet supple and balanced.”  Winemaker notes on the other wines can be found on La Crema's website at http://www.lacrema.com/. 

Of the Pinots, again the 2008 Los Carneros ($40) is a great choice, but the 2010 Russian River ($40) is as well, and La Crema has an 2009 Anderson Valley Pinot ($50) that is the equal of the other two, if not better.  Again, production levels are relatively high (1900 cases of the Los Carneros, 5800 cases of the Russian River, and 2700 cases of the Anderson Valley), and they can occassionally be found at local retail outlets.  La Crema also has a limited production Pinot called Shell Ridge ($50).  They produced 372 cases of the 2009 Shell Ridge, which is available only through the tasting room store.  The 9 Barrel Pinot is wonderful, but at $90 a bottle I typically have to settle for the Los Carneros or Russian River, if that can be considered settling.

The La Crema website also has other varietals available, a Viognier, a Pinot Rose (the 2010 is sold out...keep an eye out for the 2011), a Riesling, a Pinot Gris, and a Syrah, each of which are worth buying if you have a preference for one of those varietals.

The La Crema tasting room is located at 235 Healdsburg Ave,
Healdsburg, CA just a couple of door down from the Healdsburg Bar and Grill and very close to the square.  It is worth a visit just to taste the wines, but a stroll through the town is also enjoyable. 

You have a choice with the La Crema wine club, mixed, reds only, or whites only.  They ship three bottles, four times a year.  Average cost per shipment is between $70 and $110.  Members get a 20 percent discount on wine purchases (except 9 Barrels where a 15 percent discount applies) and 25 percent discount of purchases of a case or more.  Tasting are free to members and their guests.

Landmark Vineyards

Landmark Vineyards has a wonderfully situated tasting room in Kenwood at the turn-off from Hwy. 12 to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park (101 Adobe Canyon Road).  There are two wonderful hikes down Adobe Canyon Road, Sugarloaf Ridge and Gunsight Rock/Hood Mountain.  Either one is a delightful way to begin the day before winetasting. 

I write this review a couple of days after sharing a bottle ot their Grand Detour Pinot Noir with my sweetie at the Los Altos Grill, a great place for a meal, not the least of which is because of their no corkage policy.  The food and atmosphere are both top notch.  We bought the bottle of Grand Detour back in November after exhausting ourselves on Sugarloaf Ridge. Along with the Grand Detour, we also tasted their other offerings, some of which boast gaudy ratings by Robert Parker and the Pinot Report.

Both of their Pinots are wonderful, but the Grand Detour is a bit more affordable at $40.00 compared to Kanzler's $65.  Pinot Report gave Grand Detour a rating of 94 points.  Kanzler garnered 95 points from the same publication.  Of the Pinots, Landmark's website says: 

Grand Detour - "The wine exhibits a deep garnet color and aromas of gingerbread spice and blood orange are underpinned by forest floor and earthy cherry. On the palate hints of mushroom and plum unfold. Supple ripe tannins and balancing acidity give the wine a long lasting finish."

Kanzler - "Rich plum and red raspberry with hints of rose petal and spice on the nose. A silky entry with crushed herbs and forest floor lead to good acidity, structure and palate weight ending with fine-grained tannins and a long finish."

Either wine would be a wonderful online purchase.

Of their Chardonnays, we opted for a bottle of the Damaris Reserve ($40), which earned 92 points from Robert Parker.  It matched the buttery/creamy style my sweetie prefers.  Their website says,"Tangerine and apricot combine with marzipan, honey and vanilla spice on the nose. Seamless and round on the palate, the aromas are amplified adding toasty oak, and a pleasing minerality on the finish."

The tasting room is open 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM seven days a week.  This winery is well worth a visit and their wines would be a nice addition to any cellar.  IPhone users, look for an app called "Wine Finder".  Landmark has a 2 for 1 tasting coupon.  But since they refund tasting fees with purchase, it probably won't matter...it's hard to leave without at least a couple of bottles.

Their website is   http://www.landmarkwine.com/.  The Heritage Wine Society, their wine club, offers four, six, or 12 bottle shipments quarterly.

Valley of the Moon

The Valley of the Moon tasting room in located at 777 Madrone Rd. in Glen Ellen, close to the Sonoma Highway (Hwy. 12). Follow this link to view a map View Map. 

During my first visits to the winery a few years ago, I was impressed by the consistently high quality of their wines.  Everything I tasted I liked.  Favorites include the Cuvee de la Luna, which is 80 percent Cab, with 15 percent Merlot and five percent Malbec and retails at the winery for $30, the Rosato de Sangiovese that sells for $16, and the unoaked Chardonnay which sells for $17.  Those who prefer a buttery Chardonnay might like the Sonoma Coast Chard that sells for $17, too.  The Pinot Noir is a decent wine for the price ($19).

My favorite wine, though, is the Old Vine Zin.  The vineyard where they grow the fruit is over 70 years old.  The wine is very nice for the price ($25).  The winery occasionally has sales on their wines and I recently bought a case of this wine for $15 a bottle.  I did the same last year.  Every time I a share a bottle with my sweetie she has the same reaction..."Um, this is good. What is it?"  Every time.

Here is what the winery's website has to say about the Old Vine Zin:

"Classic Zinfandel aromas of ripe and briary blackberries and black plums are enhanced with notes of bay leaf and red pepper flakes. Concentrated and rich flavors of berry, plum and cherry/vanilla, with cinnamon and cayenne spice notes, are supported by balanced acidity and soft dusty tannins. 

Winemaker Notes

In the shadow of Sonoma's Mayacamas Mountains, and at the foot of Sonoma Mountain, lies the Valley of the Moon Estate Old Vine Zinfandel vineyard.  These vines were planted in the 1940's in the traditional head trained method without trellising. Flavors are naturally concentrated with distinctive character due to these large vines producing lower yields with age.  This blend is assembled from hand selected barrels of the wine made exclusively from this 70 year old vineyard. The 2009 vintage includes 4% Petite Sirah from the estate vineyard for added fruit depth and structure."

This is a wine that I can unconditionally recommend to Zin and red wine lovers.

Valley of the Moon's website can be found at http://www.valleyofthemoonwinery.com/.  The wine club, "Club Luna", ships two bottles four-times a year.  They sponsor regular pick-up parties, offer 25 percent off all wine and merchandise purchases, and allow members and their guests free tastings.  Benefits are also offered at other Heck Estates family wineries, including Kenwood and Lake Sonoma (Lake Sonoma is available in the Valley of the Moon tasting room).