They poured 100 wines from all 15 of the Sonoma County AVA’s places like the Russian River Valley, Sonoma Coast, Dry Creek Valley and many others. Sonoma is one of my favorite places in the world and with any luck I’ll be writing to you from there noy too many years into the future. This was by no means a full selection of Sonoma wines as there are several other groups that represent them but there were certainly many recognizable names.
Many of these wines are small production and won’t be at your local mass marketed store so look for them on wine lists in restaurants and occasionally in smaller local retail operations, prices quoted are from the winery and usually can be found at lower cost once it comes to retail.
Enjoy.
Adlerbrook Winery: 2009 Russian River Chardonnay, fab fruit that tastes like real Chardonnay- $24
Château St. Jean: 2010 Chardonnay Sonoma County – $14 (our house white and usually around $8.99.)
Ferrari-Carano: 2011 Fume Blanc, $25 and the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon at $30 always dependable and popular wine and a real crowd pleaser.
Gloria Ferrer: NV Sonoma brut – I don’t think you can find a better sparkler for under $20 in the marketplace currently.
Gundlach Bundschu: 2008 Merlot tastes like what Merlot should taste like absolutely wonderful $30. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon features tremendous flavor and great fruit its huge but will age to become a real treat $40.
Joseph Swan Vineyards: 2009 Pinot Noir Cuvee de Trois, true Russian liver Pinot flavor and body at a reasonable $29 price. The 2006 Zinfandel from Mancini Ranch featured great flavor and good depth for $25.