I love everything I’ve tasted from Benziger. Maybe it’s the fact that they’re all biodynamic, which means extra time and attention both in the vineyard and in the winery, ensuring that all wines are as natural as possible. Or maybe it’s because despite their popularity (or maybe because of it), they continue to do small lot specialty bottlings that show that family-run is family-run no matter how big or small the business, taking pride in their name, their land, their products. 
Tag: food and wine
Gary Farrell 2016 Russian River Selection Pinot Noir
Gary Farrell is a Sonoma classic, no? I know fellow wine lovers—from casual consumers to expert somms—all rave constantly about Gary Farrell. I’m not going to lie, it took me some time to actually taste from the famed estate, but was lucky enough to find it on a menu not too long ago. (I believe it was my birthday actually.)
Since then, I’ve understood what all the raving is about. Solidly structured, with all its rocky river rusticity elegantly balanced with the ripe red fruit flavors known to the region. Russian River Valley does Pinot Noir right and Gary Farrell expresses this so eloquently.
This is a blend of several different vineyards throughout the AVA. And after having tasted this, I’m so curious to taste the winery’s single vineyard expressions. Especially since it sources from some very prestigious vineyards….
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Scheid Vineyards 2016 Escolle Road Vineyard Chardonnay
I’ve been having such fun experimenting with new releases of California Chardonnay. I feel like the modern expressions of the grape has come to vary so widely that gone are the days of this white wine’s stereotypes — the new norm is the ab-norm. And while this Chardonnay does reflect those “classic” characteristics, and may not be to everyone’s palate, it does have a fresh take on an old look and certainly has its time and place when paired with the proper meal. 
Scheid Vineyards 2016 Doctor’s Vineyards Pinot Noir
This was my first experience with Scheid Vineyards—a winery I’ve heard a lot about and isn’t far from my home base. When I had the opportunity to interview Dave Nagengast, director of winemaking for Scheid, for an article in Wines & Vines December/January Collector’s Edition, I was intrigued by the innovative spirit of the winey, and my interest piqued even further. Luckily (and completely coincidentally), I was contacted by the winery’s PR rep about sampling the wines. That would be an enthusiastic yes…
Goldeneye 2015 Pinot Noir
If you’ve been reading along all week, then you’ve noticed that each day I’ve featured a separate single-vineyard, single-varietal Pinot Noir from Goldeneye. And if you haven’t, I strongly recommend reading about the winery’s The Narrows, Split Rail, Confluence, and Gowan Vineyards before moving on to this review. This Pinot Noir is simply entitled “Anderson Valley.”
Goldeneye winery was established in 1996 by the proprietors of Duckhorn Vineyards, Dan and Margaret. While Duckhorn stakes its claim on Bordeaux varieties grown in Napa, The Goldeneye label is all about Anderson Valley’s claim to fame: Pinot Noir. Cool climate, marine influence—yes and yes. But the area has such varied topography and diverse soils that each vineyard really does have something different to say, each Pinot Noir wine markedly special.
Well this “Anderson Valley” Pinot Noir is a blend of the various Goldeneye Anderson Valley estate vineyards. Tasting them separately and then as a blend was a fun kind of tasting experiment for me. And I just have to add that this is not the case of “left over” Pinot Noir blended away. No, this is the case of what makes a winemaker a winemaker—mastering the art of the blend.
