On the second day of our wine country trip, we headed to the Russian River Valley. I’d been there only a couple of months before, when my friend Lola treated me to a wonderful girls-weekend-out for my birthday, and I was eager to go again. I found the wineries in the Russian River Valley more relax and more friendly than those in Napa, and I was there purely for relaxation (OK, and wine tasting too).
Last time, the helpful manager of the West Sonoma Inn, where we had stayed, had recommended we go tasting at the wineries on Olivet Road. We hadn’t managed to do it, but it made sense to try them on our way from Calistoga. So there we headed.
The first winery we visited was Harvest Moon. This is a very, very small winery that also (as Flora Springs in Napa) grew out of a wine growing operation. The owners had been growing wine for a number of years, and their son decided to start making wine. I think they’ve been doing it since 2002.
The winery is small and the tasting room is very modest. However, the people serving the wine were very friendly and attentive. That may be because we were the first guests of the day. Unlike many Russian Valley wineries, which offer complimentary tastings, there is a $5 tasting fee here.
We started with their 2006 Estate Dry Gewurztraminer ($20). If found it to be dry, with hints of sweetness, and pretty light. Their 2002 Rusian River Valley Zinfandel ($30) was a blend of grapes from different vineyards all nearby. It was very buttery, soft but in need of more finish. It’s probably a wine that will age well. The 2003 Pitts Home Ranch Estate Zinfandel ($42), on the other hand, is made completely from their own fruit. It was very bright, very fruity with spice on the background. It wasn’t oaky but had an oky finish. I think it’d be meat friendly.
One surprise was their 2006 Dessert Gewurztraminer ($42), an artificially frozen ice wine. The grapes are freezed for 90 days and then pressed. It was very good, light, peachy and floral, but I found it too sweet for my taste. Mike, who likes sweeter wines, thought it was great. Alas, I think for that price, I’d get a naturally iced wine.
We continued with the 2006 Late Harvest Zinfandel ($32). The grapes are given 3 extra weeks on the vine with no water, this causes the water to evaporate and the sugar in the fruit to intensify. It is meant to be eaten with dark chocolate, as the chocolate takes some of the sweetness away. They recommend an orange chipotle truffle.
In all it was a very good tasting experience, and I’d recommend it.
Our second winery of the day was Pellegrini, an Italian winery, also on Olivet Road. It has a very impressive tasting room, with lines and lines of wine barrels around you. It makes you feel like you are in the real thing. They also have a little store selling the usual wine paraphernalia. One nice touch is that they have a plate with crackers and cheeses available for tasting. Tasting is complimentary.
We started by tasting their 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($14). I found it to be light and different from other sauvignons, though I didn’t write why. It was good with the cheese. Their 2006 Chardonay Pellegrini ($16) is a food wine that also goes well with cheese. It’s very light and has no complexity but I overall liked it. I forgot to write what the third wine was! Silly me.
The next wine was the 2006 Pellegrini Rosato ($14). While most wines will lose flavor by cooling them down too much, you can make this wine as cold as you want it without any bad consequences. It should also work with any type of food. I found it to be very empty, though sweet around the edges. I wouldn’t drink it.
The 2005 Olivet Lane Estate Pinot Noir ($30) was very pinoty, presenting a burst of oakiness and a blunt finish.
We then arrived at what for me was the surprise of the day, a Merlot I liked. The 2004 Cloverdale Ranch Merlot ($22) was very well balanced, had medium tanins and oakiness. I liked it so much that Mike bought me a bottle.
The 2005 Pellegrini Carignan($18) is a wine that originates in Spain. It compliments cheese very well. Finally the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Cloverdale Ranch ($32) is 5 years old but needs aging. It was still very light, with medium tanins and an easy drinking wine.
Finally (and I can’t believe how many wines I tasted there), the 2005 Pellegrini Zinfandel ($24) was very fruity.
The wine servers were very friendly and knowledgeable. I certainly recommend that you come here.
Our next stop was Suncé winery, owned by Croatians who’ve brought their own wine making style to the Russian River Valley. It’s a very small family owned family producing 5,000 cases a year. The tasting room is also small, and features pictures of Croatian vineyards and boats loading wine. They offer complimentary tasting, served by the sister-in-law of the owner.
We started with their barrel fermented 2006 Chardonnay ($19). I found it to be rather empty, not very sweet, with an alcoholic finish. I didn’t like it. I don’t think I liked their 2005 Pinot Russian River Valley ($20), their 2005 Sangiovese ($28) or their 2004 Meritage ($48) as I didn’t write any notes on them. Indeed I remember being particularly disappointed in the Meritage. I did find their 2003 dry farmed Old Vine Pinot Noir ($20) to have a pleasant earthy quality.
Their 2005 Malbec ($50) was very good. It was well balanced and ready to drink now. However you can get many Argentine Malbecs which are just as good or better for much lower prices. I think that because Malbec is a new grape in California, they are probably trying to recoup their investment by charing ridiculous prices for it.
I also liked their 2006 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc ($50) very much, which wasn’t too sweet nor overpowering, but it was too expensive for what it was.
In all I’m not sure I’d return to Suncé again. It was my second time there and it wasn’t the best tasting experience I had (not bad, just not the best).
It was time then for Martinelli Winery. We had been there before and loved their wines. I don’t know if it was because I was tipsy but now, but I wasn’t as crazy about them this time.
Martinelli is a nice winery. It’s an artisan winery, with a woman winemaker. There are a couple of picnic tables outside (albeit close to the noise of the road), and has a shop selling assorted wine paraphernalia as well as mustards that you can taste. Tasting is complimentary.
Here I started with the 2005 Tessa Lee Sauvignon Blanc ($26). I found it to be too light and soft and to have an alcoholic finish. It wasn’t for me. The 2005 Russian River Valley Chardonnay ($28) was well balanced, oakey and not too sweet. It was a very nice Chardonnay and I would drink it/buy it (but I didn’t). The 2006 Bella Vigna Chardonnay ($28) was less balanced, with hints of alcohol, a light wine, but it was fine, I’d drink it. I did like the 2005 Bella Vigna Pinot Noir ($40). It was a blend of several vinyards, and I found it to be soft, nice and balanced. The 2004 Syrah ($45) was oaky and had a less sharp finish than most Syrah.
In all, it was a pleasant tasting experience and I’d come back.
After resting and having lunch, we headed to Davis Bynum winery. I think I’d been there before, it has a very large tasting room with enough interesting things for Mike to keep occupied while I tasted (he barely tasted anything because he was driving). Their tasting fee is $6.
Their 2005 Fumé Blanc had hints of overpowering sweetness but it was light. Their 2005 Rosé was a mixture of Cab Franc and Syrah. I found it light, fruity and not too sweet, but ultimately it was too dry for me. I did like their 2005 Pinot Noir ($32), which mixes grapes from 6 vineyards. It had a nice oaky start and a sultry finish. Their 2001 Cabernet ($35) was melow, a bit too alcoholic and had a sweet finish that reminded me of port.
Next, we went to my favorite winery in the Russian River Valley, Arista. It’s my favorite garden because it has a beautiful garden outside, there is a table with chairs facing their waterfall/pond that is just the most perfect place to relax and have a pleasant conversation with your friends. Tasting is complimentary. You should definitely come here.
The winery is a boutique operation which sells mostly at the winery. It’s owned by a Texan family and they concentrate on pinot noir. They produce 3,000 to 3,500 cases per year. Jeff, the wine server that day, was very helpful and friendly.
I started with the 2006 Russian River Valley Gewurztraminer ($24), which I found to be on the sweet side and very nice. The Sonoma County Pinot Noir ($28) was nice but the 2005 Longbow Pinot Noir ($45) was deeper, full of flavor and yet an easy wine to drink. I’d have it with meat.
Finally, and as if I hadn’t gone to enough wineries that day, we decided to stop at Hop Kiln, as I had heard it was somewhat eccentric. I didn’t find it to be so, but I did think it was a pleasant place to stop. In addition to the tasting area they have a store selling the usual wine stuff, but also mustards (they were all very good), cheeses, bread and drinks. You can load up and have a picnic in one of their outside tables.
Tasting of their regular wines is complimentary, but tasting of their reserves is $5. I went for the regular wines.
I thought the 2006 Gewurztraminer ($22) was very pleasant, with hints of sweetness but not overbearing. It’d be good with spicy food. The 2006 Sauvignon Blanc ($16) was very fruity, and I could discern (finally!) peach and/or apricot. Ultimately, however, it tasted like a wine cooler – but was very nice. I’d drink it.
Their 2006 Thousand Flowers ($15) was indeed very floral and fruity. It was an easy to drink wine, and one of their most popular ones. I’d buy it, but didn’t.
Their Big Red is also a favorite. It goes well with chocolate sauce, as it’s served at the winery. I also tasted their 2005 Russian River Red ($22) but I didn’t write any notes.
So that was it for our tasting at the Russian River Valley. Next day: Mendocino.