Fog Crest Vineyard

Take a trip off the beaten path, down Occidental Road in Santa Rosa, and you will find Fog Crest Vineyard. Marked by a sign barely big enough to read, this winery, part of the Russian River Valley AVA, was established in 1998 and practices sustainable farming methods. Fog Crest's rolling hills provide excellent drainage, the south/east exposure allows for full morning sun, and the coastal fog keeps the grapes cool. This creates a "premium wine growing terroir" for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

My tasting started with the 2013 Rosé. The rosé is a light-bodied filled with berry aromas and is dry with moderate spice. I took a bottle home and paired it with salmon ceviché. It was delicious.

The 2011 Estate Chardonnay highlights the vintage notes. 2011 gave us a wet spring followed by a cool summer, resulting in a smaller than normal crop. The low yield led to intense flavors of crème brûlée and pear making this my favorite sip of the day.

2011 was also a great year for Fog Crest's Laguna West Pinot Noir. The smaller than usual crop was able to take advantage of the only sustained ninety degree days of the season in September to accelerate their maturity. The low crop yields led to very concentrated and intense berries. Aromas of plum and currant with hints of spice and a silky finish made this my favorite Pinot of the day.

To find out more or schedule an appointment check out http://www.fogcrestvineyard.com/.

And because I mentioned the salmon ceviche...

J. Rickards Winery

At the Northern End of Alexander Valley, on Chianti Road, lies J. Rickards Winery. I was introduced to this hidden gem during Wineroad’s Wine and Food Affair. I had the pleasure of visiting 7 wineries and J. Rickards Old Vine Zinfandel was my favorite sip of the day.

The vines are 106 years old and the wine is 80% Zinfandel blended with Petit Sirah, Carignane, Mataro, Alicante Bouschet, Muscent de Canelli and Golden Chasselas. All are picked and fermented together. The result is juicy, dark fruit and spice with finely integrated tannins. 

I was equally impressed by the 2013 Sémillon. I was informed that this wine “has some elbows” and it definitely did. The fermentation process is 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral oak which give this wine a full melon and honeysuckle flavor with hints of spice.

Both wines won silver medals at the 2014 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Well worth the trip to taste a J. Rickards wine.

Since the trip happened on the Wine and Food Affair weekend I will also mention DL Catering’s Lamb Shank Cassoulet paired with J. Rickards’ Malbec. While not my favorite pairing of the day, I will mention that in another post, I did enjoy the rich flavors. To find out more about J. Rickards winery visit http://www.jrwinery.com.

Battaglini Estate Winery

The Olivet Road section of Santa Rosa has become one of my favorite areas for wine tasting. There is so much diversity in a small strip of road. One could blink and miss a winery sign subtly marking a driveway. Such is the case with Battaglini Estate Winery. There amongst the houses and barns is a tasting room.

Battaglini Estate Winery Tasting Room

I was first introduced to Battaglini Estate Winery in February while attending Wine Road's barrel tasting event. This appointment only winery opened up the nearby wine production facilities to better accommodate the crowds of people that participate every year. I did not have the pleasure of meeting Giuseppe Battaglini, the owner and winemaker, that visit but I fell in love with his Zinfandel and later returned to share that love with some friends. We were greeted by Joe, as his friends refer to him, and promptly taken to the vineyards for a tour and history lesson.

Battaglini's historical vines date back to 1885 when Bartholomew Lagomarsino first planted Zinfandel and Petite Sirah however Joe did not make his first wine until 1994. Battaglini produces Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Rosato, and Chardonnay. All are high quality, low production wines.

I came home with a handful of bottles including the 2002 Reserve Chardonnay, a smooth and creamy wine with an apricot flavor. And we saved the 2003 Proprietor's Reserve Zinfandel for our anniversary. It is a jammy Zin with hints of pepper and it won Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, Gold at the 2005 Sonoma County Harvest Fair, Bronze at the 2005 California State Fair, Double Gold at the 2005 Pittsburg Seafood Festival.

2002 Battaglini Reserve Chardonnay

2003 Battaglini Proprietor's Reserve Zinfandel

To find out more you can visit their website: www.battagliniwines.com.

Reverie Vineyard

Nestled in the hills of Calistoga, up Diamond Mountain Road where the cell signal can’t reach, is Reverie Vineyard and Winery. This thirty acre vineyard is an appointment only must-see and Norman Kiken, Reverie’s owner and winemaker, has been making his elegant Bordeaux-style wines for 22 years. All his grapes are estate grown and picked early so he can keep the alcohol levels low and “showcase the intense and unique mountain flavors”.

I had the pleasure of attending the Reverie Harvest Release Party, met Norman and his family, toured his amazing property and tasted several incredible wines. I will share with you my top 3.

Out tour started on the crush pad where we learned some Reverie history as we sipped the 2012 A.S. Kiken, names after Norman’s oldest son. This blend is made up of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, but also includes Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Grenache.

 

Our next stop on the self-guided tour was the wine cave tasting of Reverie’s Tempranillo. My second favorite wine of the day is a varietal that is predominantly grown in Spain’s Rioja region. This wine is lighter than a Cabernet and possesses elements of tobacco and spice.

 

In the Redwood grove I met my favorite wine of the day, the 2012 Cabernet Franc. Norman describes his Cab Franc as a feminine wine and I must agree. This fruity and soft wine put Norman on the map. A slightly older vintage of Reverie’s Cabernet Franc was recently selected as one of the Top 100 Wines in the World and it was the only Cabernet Franc-based wine to make the list.

If you want to learn more visit their website at www.ReverieWine.com. If you want to make an appointment to visit them give them a call at (707) 942-6800.