If you haven’t heard of Flanagan Wines yet, then listen up because this boutique winery is worth seeking out during your next wine country getaway. With wines that are just as charmingly boisterous as proprietor Eric Flanagan, there’s no better location for their new winery than on a hilltop along the illustrious Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg. Complete with a cozy tasting room overlooking scenic Sonoma, there’s no better place to sip and savor the story captured in every Flanagan Wines bottle.
I had never heard of Sleeper Cellars before I received a generous shipment of wine samples from Last Bottle Wines, so I really didn’t know what to expect. Well, ok, I had some idea of what to expect — it’s a Russian River Pinot Noir, right? Right. But I have to say that Sleeper Cellars, whoever you are, you completely exceeded my expectations (which are quite high given the elegant Pinots that seem to burst from RRV).
This is another case of “Sonoma-envy,” in that it’s a winery I’ve heard about (all amazing things), but haven’t actually visited (yet). And, of course, in context of the rave winery reviews, I’ve heard mouth-watering descriptions of their wines. To be honest, I didn’t know that Benziger Family Winery would have bottles available at a local grocery store. But, as I’ve said in other posts, I’ve learned to search all shelves in the wine aisle — my friends, I’m telling you: gaze your eyes upwards, kneel down towards the floor and you’ll find wine gems like Benziger Family Winery Merlot.
Let’s talk Chablis! Chablis (a Chardonnay dominant wine region) is the most northern part of France’s famed Burgundy region. Although summers in this area can be hot, winters are long, harsh, and often bring frost well into the month of May — something vineyard workers often have to battle. But, because of these cool climates, the Chardonnay grapes yield more acidity and less fruit-forward characteristics.
Chablis is on the east edge of the Paris Basin, where soil dates back over180 million years ago to the Upper Jurassic period. The vineyard soil type is predominantly calcareous (chalky and clay-like), giving the wine a very distinct minerality — what is often called “goût de pierre à fusil” (tasting of gunflint).
