Neville Blech
As with ANDERSONS CONN VALLEY, this small property shows the excellent potential for this vineyard area in the foothills to the east of St Helena. The Seaveys purchased the property in 1979 but its origins go back a 100 years before that. The original stone barn on the property has been renovated…
From a large number of some of Clare’s best sites Peter and Mark Barry continue to build on what their father made famous over four decades, but whether the wines will now show more individuality or refinement remains to be seen. Reds are the mainstay: deep, impressively rich and concentrated if…
The winning combination of Doug Balnaves fruit and Peter Bissell’s winemaking has propelled this 52-ha estate near the southern end of Coonawarra into the top echelon of Coonawarra producers. The flagship is The Tally, a big, powerful, oaky Cabernet Sauvignon that needs at least 5–8 years’ ageing.…
Stephen George is a winemaker of considerable talent, especially given the diverse range of wines he produces to a such high standard. To be equally at home producing fine sparkling wines as cool Adelaide Hills Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay or rich powerfuls reds from the Clare Valley, as he…
Jeffrey Grosset is an Australian superstar and deserves to be as well-known as the country’s many sporting greats (in some circles he is). Outstanding Riesling, Chardonnay and Gaia Bordeaux blend all show pristine fruit, wonderful symmetry and excellent concentration and have proven ageability.…
One of the latest in a long line of cult wines, no expense has been spared by Barry Schuler, the ex-CEO of AOL, to realise his dream of making world class Cabernet Sauvignon. Teaming up in partnership with Bill and Dawnine DYER, one of Napa Valley’s leading husband and wife winemaking teams, they…
This is a top-quality, low-volume winery producing three super-premium wines, although occasional declassified lots under the Jayson label can also be very good. A committed approach to viticulture throughout Pahlmeyer’s vineyard sources, with reduced yields and careful canopy management, combines…
Now a fairly large operation, originally founded in 1972, Phelps has built a reputation based on top-quality Bordeaux-style red varietals and blends. The full range encompasses those other usual suspects Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, a small volume of an excellent late-harvest Eisrébe Scheurebe…
Established relatively recently, Miner Family Vineyard was founded in 1998. The principle source of fruit for the range is the Oakville Ranch, where Dave Miner was president. Other Napa vineyards are also used as well as Gary’s, Sierra Mar and Rossella’s vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands for…
Before establishing his own St Helena-based winery, Ted Lemon gained considerable winemaking experience in Burgundy as well as California. This is reflected in a range of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs which are distinctly Burgundian in style. The winery name derives from the Latin litor and means ‘the…
John Kongsgaard produces wines of formidable weight and concentration. The approach is one of minimal intervention in the cellar allied to wild yeast fermentation and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. The Chardonnay is a very impressive example of the variety, combining the best subtle…
The Krupp family began by planting a vineyard with their own name in 1991 and completed their estate holdings by planting the Stagecoach Vineyard on Pritchard Hill in 1996. While the majority of the wines come from the Stagecoach vineyard, a varietal Merlot is released from the Krupp vineyard. All…
This historic estate and trademark has been re-established with wines made under the former Rubicon Estate banner now being made under the Inglenook banner by Francis Ford Coppola. This began as a small operation when film director Coppola first became involved in winegrowing, but there is now a…
Along with Randall Grahm of BONNY DOON, Fred Cline was one of the original Rhône Rangers. From his 142 ha (350 acre) property he produces a plethora of Zins and some first-class Rhône styles. The family have some of the most extensive plantings of Rhône varieties in the state and account for no less…
Small, very high-quality Napa operation established in 1992 and sourcing fruit from a number of locations. Affinity is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Ripe, supple and surprisingly elegant it can be approached relatively young. For Napa…
One of Napa’s small-volume, super-premium wineries with a first-class hillside site to the east of Oakville. The vines are planted in sparse red clay and volcanic soils which forces them to struggle for excellence. Also crucial to quality here is the extra sunshine the vineyard receives compared…
The late Al Brounstein died in June 2006 but his great achievement was to produce supreme Cabernet Sauvignon for a great deal longer than most of the new generation of super-cuvées. These are not just wines of massive extract and weight, sourced from prime mountain sites and each individually…
Small, very high-quality producer dedicated solely to super-premium Bordeaux-style reds. The property is located in the western foothills of Oakville and 17 ha (40 acres) of the estate’s 100 ha (240 acres) are under vine. Yields are restricted to an absolute minimum and output rarely gets close to…
Randy Dunn was one of the pioneers of great mountain-grown Cabernet. He established his own operation in 1979 during the time he was winemaker at CAYMUS. Output is now capped at around 4,000 cases a year. The estate bottling, Howell Mountain, is a massive wine almost always offering formidable…
This is the tiny scale home project of Todd Anderson who runs his family’s estate and winery ANDERSONS CONN VALLEY. The family labels offer some of the better values in the Napa whereas his approach here is somewhat different. Output is absolutely tiny, just 200 cases or so a year and the wines, all…
Christian Moueix is a member of the Bordeaux dynasty responsible for Château Petrus. Some of the exotic but firm youthful elements of that great wine are reflected in Dominus despite it being a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. The key is in the winemaking and while the ripe fruit character of…
The Bond label was established in 1996 by Bill Harlan to produce a small range of bespoke reds from exceptional vineyard sites to compliment his great HARLAN ESTATE Oakville red. The first releases followed in 1999. The wines are all individually branded rather than labelled by vineyard source in…
John KONGSGAARD consults widely for other wineries as well as producing some superb Rhône styles under his own label. Here he has established a partnership with Fritz Hatton to produce very small-scale, high-quality reds modelled mainly on the wines of Bordeaux. The Merlot is 100% varietal, dark,…
This operation has owned vineyards in the Napa Valley for decades but more recently they have established themselves as a very impressive small producer of mainly old-vine Zinfandel from a range of sources including their home vineyard, along with Petite Sirah and a Barbera and Sangiovese. The Hill…
With production of just over a 1,000 cases the Bryant Cabernet has become one of a handful of bluechip California examples of the variety alongside such illustrious names as ARAUJO, COLGIN, GRACE FAMILY, HARLAN and SCREAMING EAGLE. The property is located in the Pritchard Hill sector of the Napa,…
The Seghesio family have been based in the Sonoma Valley since 1895, although they only decided to bottle their own fruit as recently as 1983. Today there are 162 ha (400 acres) of prime vineyard sites which are producing some of the best Zinfandel and Italian-style wines in California. The Zins, of…
An extensive range of fine and stylish Pinot Noirs, as well as impressive Syrah under the NOVY label have been made by this small warehouse operation on the outskirts of Santa Rosa since its first vintage in 1994. Diana and Adam Lee recently sold their operation to Kendall-jackson and have practiced…
One of a number of high-quality, medium-sized wineries in the Jackson family empire. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon both in various guises, and the Bordeaux style red Legacy, a blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, are all impressive with fruit coming from the estate’s high altitude Alexander…
Recently established Jackson family premium operation specialising in Bordeaux red styles. The wines are all hand-crafted from various sites throughout Sonoma County. The vineyard sources are classic mountain terroirs and winemaker Pierre Seillan is able to source what the winery refers to as micro…
The Dysons purchased this classic Sonoma property from founders Burt Williams and Ed Selyem in 1998. Winemaker Bob Cabral has stayed on and continues to make the same artisan styles of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel as Williams and Selyem. The Pinots are rich and concentrated, marked by their…
David Abreu is best-known among his fellow winegrowers as a superlative viticulturalist. Numbered among his distinguished clientele are GRACE FAMILY, VIADER and PAHLMEYER. As well as his many vineyard-management commitments, he fashions a number of massive, super-ripe Cabernets. The Madrona Ranch…
Todd Anderson creates his family’s small range of wines both from home Conn Valley as well as other vineyards with winemaker Mac Sawyer. The reds here in particular during the last decade have emerged as some of the finest and best priced examples from an area notable for its inflated prices. Todd…
These formidable wines are all produced from the Eisele Vineyard, originally owned by JOSEPH PHELPS, in the north-eastern part of the Napa Valley. As well as the Cabernet Sauvignon there is a first class Syrah and most recently Altagracia, a Bordeaux red blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and…
This is a partnership between winemaker Vanessa Wong, vinegrower Nick Peay and marketeer Andy Peay who established their small, remote Sonoma Coast vineyard in the mid 1990s. They produce a small range of elegant and intensely flavoured wines from the Rhône varieties as well as Chardonnay and Pinot…
Eric Sussman established this operation in partnership with Bill and Joan Smith, former owners of LA JOTA and WH SMITH, producing fine Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Before venturing out on his own project Eric gained invaluable experience both in the States and elsewhere. Those he has worked for include…
Dave Rafanelli has some excellent hillside vineyard sites in the Dry Creek Valley from which he ensures top quality fruit for his own estate wines. He not only produces superlative old-vine, highly complex and characterful Zinfandel, but some impressive Cabernet Sauvignon as well. The estate…
After a period of ownership disputes it is good that this very impressive warehouse winery is continuing to produce some of the best small-lot Syrah, Grenache and Rhône blends in California. The wines are characterised by ripe, opulent, full-blown dark fruit, loads of depth and concentration, and…
Gerry Pasterick makes only Syrah and Viognier including now a Rosé of Syrah. He produces around 600 cases, mainly the Estate Syrah from his steep hillside vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley. He augmented his holding with several plantings in 1990, 1998, 1999 and 2001. In 2001 he planted a small block…
As well as her own MARCASSIN wines, here at Martinelli winemaker Helen Turley produces brilliant Zinfandel, some of the very best in the state; the Jackass Hill is a benchmark for all. Look out too for releases from the Russian River Vellutini Ranch and the barrel selected Vigneto di Evo. You can…
Sir Peter Michael’s Knights Valley winery has, for nearly three decades, been producing very fine cool climate wines, with mountain vineyard sources a key element. The Chardonnay cuvées are all very impressive with a combination of rich, ripe, honeyed fruit and deftly handled oak. The combination of…
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