La Pelle Wines: Quality Being Made and Expressed
What I believe is most important to the wine aficionado is the quality in the bottle. Does what is in my glass represent the varietal, and is it well-crafted to enjoy slowly with thoughtfulness and great pleasure? The label is La Pelle; and the winemaker is Maayan Koschitsky; and the answer is “yes” on all counts.
DuMOL’s 2021 MacIntyre Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir: Wine of the Year
In a follow up to my previous post about DuMOL, you will see the newest accolade for them. Their 2021 MacIntyre Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir was named "Wine of the Year" by wine critic Antonio Galloni. This is a prestigious acknowledgement of the quality that DuMOL crafts and delivers. Find yourself a bottle from this vintage and enjoy!
DuMOL: The Evolution of Outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
DuMOL is a Sonoma County winery that has evolved since its inception in 1996. And that is truly a progression that rewards you and me as enjoyers of wine. The original owners named the winery using an amalgamation of the names of their children (Duncan and Molly). The wines at that time were made from grapes bought from Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol, CA. In 1999, Andy Smith joined DuMOL as their winemaker/viticulturist. In 2005, Andy became part owner of the winery; and, in 2015, he and an associate bought full ownership of the winery. The results today are remarkable.
Wayfarer Pinot Noir — The Road to Take!
I recently opened a Pinot Noir that literally stopped me in my tracks. The sweet fruit aromas wafted from the glass and the flavors sailed on through the finish. The aromas and flavors were so compelling that it truly deserved my full attention. The finish sailed on for over a minute and left me really wanting more. It was truly beautiful. This Pinot Noir was a standout.
Wayfarer Vineyards is the baby of Jayson Pahlmeyer who truly has a passion for Burgundian wines. The vineyard itself was brought to Jayson’s attention by Helen Turley and planted by David Abreu. It is located in the Sonoma Coast hills less than five miles from the ocean and bears some gorgeous fruit. The proprietor of the winery now is Cleo Pahlmeyer, Jayson’s daughter.
Rivers-Marie: First Class Wine and Service
Located in the quaint town of Calistoga, Rivers-Marie is a must visit. That is a bold statement yet the wine, the tasting room and the staff are all worthy of that. First and foremost, this is the home of Thomas Rivers Brown’s personal label. He is one of the most highly regarded winemakers in the valley. His credits are wines such as Outpost, Schrader, Maybach, Mending Wall, Pulido-Walker, Hestan, and so on. He has twenty-five 100 point scores for the Cabernets he has crafted and, simply put, that is a record in the valley. All this alone should lead you to taste his personal label wines that do not disappoint.
Secondly, the staff that support this winery are top notch. They are professional, learned and talented. The space is open and expansive as you sit in a wide open space with glass doors at both ends of the tasting room. You can see out to the back which is a private farm (in process of updates). There is a live wall which brings nature in, and all is done in very comfortable seating.
Arista: A Gem in Healdsburg
Arista is a winery built from the ground up. Prior to 2002, the property was a private residence without vines, and the McWilliams family has turned it into an outstanding producer of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is a family owned winery that has grown to be a contender for luscious Chardonnay and earthy, fresh Pinot Noir with thirty-six acres on property; only 10 are planted to vines. Nine acres are Pinot Noir and one is Chardonnay. In addition, they have several contracts with vineyards such as Ritchie and Ferrington, which put them in a great position to attain their goal of world-class wine production.
The grounds have an Asian flair and are well manicured and relaxing. The previous property owner loved his time in Japan, so he brought that home with him. The McWilliams chose to keep the touch, and it provides a beautiful setting for visitors to relax, picnic, and enjoy the sweeping landscape of vines and mountains. The property now is by appointment only, and visitors have many options to choose from including a 2-½ hour tasting that includes a five-course lunch prepared on site by their full time chef.
Giving Thanks
Cheers to all of you on this Thanksgiving holiday. May your holiday season be spirited and sparkling. Thanks for your support and for following Diana’s Wine Blog!
Carneros Pinot Noir Tasting: Artesa, Donum, Etude, Hyde de Villaine (HDV), Renteria
Recently, I had the pleasure to attend an event that focused solely on Pinot Noir from the Carneros AVA of Napa Valley, also known as Los Carneros. It was hosted at Artesa and led by Kelli White of GuildSomm. You might be wondering what that is and why you should care. Let me set the stage for you.
“GuildSomm is a nonprofit international membership organization for sommeliers and wine professionals that promotes education, collaboration, and healthy debate while maintaining the key values of the sommelier profession: integrity, humility, and hospitality. We’re here to help you expand your knowledge of the wine world, network, and stay up-to-date on industry news and trends.”
Pinot Noir Tear
Palates change. I have seen my own appreciation for different varietals evolve over time with the wines that I drink. When I was young, we had Liebfraumilch at the table – also know as “The Little Blue Nun.” My father was German; and this, in his mind, was appropriate for a young palate. I then fell in love with Kendall Jackson Chardonnay – which, by the way, is the number one selling Chardonnay in the U.S. No, it is not Rombauer, as popular as that wine is. Then I moved on to Merlot, Zinfandel, and so on up the ‘tannin scale’. By the way, there is a great blog written by Tim Gaiser, Master Sommelier, summarizing how he describes the journey of the palate. It’s called The Evolution of a Palate.
As of late, I have been on a Pinot tear. It has captivated my palate, and I am looking to explore and taste as many as possible. This exploration of Pinot is what led me to Failla Wines, near Saint Helena in Napa Valley. Failla is a small, boutique winery that flies a little under the radar. I had become aware of Ehren Jordan, the owner and winemaker at Failla, through his work at Turley. He led the winemaking team for several years and took the opportunity to shift gears and direction. His first vintage under the Failla label was back in 1998.