Do you know what up-selling is? It's when you want to spend $20, but then a salesperson tries to talk you into spending $30. Well, we've done so much of the opposite regarding the Bacchus Chard and Cab. Made by the former... Read More
Sonoma's Old Hill Ranch dates back to 1851 but devolved into a 24-acre bushy junkyard until Otto Teller (Will Bucklin's stepfather) saved it in 1981. The Ancient Field Blend comes from a 12-acre plot planted in 1885. It... Read More
Donn and Molly Chappellet settled on Napa's rocky Pritchard Hill in 1967, and the winery is still going strong today under the leadership of their children. In recent years, Chappellet constructed new facilities with modernized... Read More
There's nothing more challenging than finding a varietally correct mid-priced California Pinot Noir. Many are too fruity, oaky, or atypical, but David Gordon, wine director at Manhattan's Tribeca Grill, works with only... Read More
Fundamental Red is a Rhone blend with a bit of extra California oomph. Tensley ferments Central Coast Syrah, Grenache, plus a little Mourvedre for depth and Viognier for perfume in steel before aging for eight months in French... Read More
In this case, Lite refers to both density and price compared to Tensley's premier Syrah. It's still a substantial Syrah but with a northern Rhone flair, meaning the fruit doesn't overshadow the wine's complexities... Read More
Las Jaras is a California-centric partnership between winemaker Joel Burt & comedian Eric Wareheim - probably best known for the TV series Master of None. Instead of shooting for cult status, Joel and Eric went the natural route... Read More
The Matthiassons work extra hard to make Chardonnay with just the right amount of fleshiness and ripeness to balance bright acidity and structure. All the fruit comes from the Linda Vista Vineyard in Napa Valley and is harvested... Read More
Oracle Cellars is another example of a terroir-inspired Cab, which focuses on fruit purity and expression rather than oak and alcohol. Made from 30+ year vines planted in southern Mendocino County (just north of Sonoma County),... Read More
In the late 1990s, Nick and Andy Peay and Nick's wife, Vanessa Wong, were looking for an undiscovered wine-making spot. They finally settled in a remote part of the newer AVA known as Sonoma Coast, an hour north of San Francisco... Read More
