According to the winery, Goldeneye’s Gowen Creek Vineyard, located in the “heart” of the Anderson Valley, showcases mixed terroir, featuring elements from the valley’s warmer regions and its cooler, Northern “deep end.” The Southwestern exposure allows for a wide array of vineyard blocks planted with specific clones of Pinot Noir ideal to each site and soil type.
Tag: wine
Goldeneye 2016 The Narrow Vineyard Pinot Noir
The Narrows Vineyard is located on a narrow ridgetop at the northernmost tip of Anderson Valley, located along the Mendocino Coast in northern California. As such, vines are influenced by its proximity to the ocean, producing summer fog and cooler daytime temperatures. It’s the perfect location for a vineyard planted completely to Pinot Noir grapes…
Amador Cellars 2015 Syrah
I first came across Amador Cellars during a report for the SF Chronicle. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting a few of their wines in the comfort of my own home as well—and the quality of wine I received in the tasting room has held up with every sip, from their 2012 Reserved GSM to their 2014 Reserved Grenache and now this single-varietal expression of Syrah.
J. Cage Cellars 2017 La Cruz Vineyard Chardonnay
When it comes to modern California Chardonnay, it seems more grapegrowers are focused in on purposeful planting, winemakers taking a more “hands-off” approach in the winery. Thus the nuances of the actual fruit are able to come forward, unmasked by excessive ML or NFO aging. Tasting the J. Cage Cellars 2016 Schmidt Home Vineyard is one such Chardonnay that piqued my interest into the current California expressions of the grape. So when owner Roger Beery asked if I’d like to taste his most recent release, my answer was an enthusiastic “yes please!”
Dracaena Wines 2017 Rosé of Syrah
This review is a long time coming—for many reasons. I met Lori Budd, co-owner of Dracaena Wines about three years ago. She’s a fellow blogger, a major social media presence, and, as it turns out when I finally met her in real life during the 2017 Bloggers Conference, one of the nicest people.
