Ultimate California Wine Blog

One of the difficulties of finding and tasting the wines of very small producers is that a large percentage of them don’t have tasting rooms or visitor facilities. They rely on custom crush wineries to help them make their wine and I have to carefully monitor local pouring events to see if they are offering tastes… This was how I stumbled on yet another elusive producer from the Napa valley, Spencer Roloson Winery, at the latest Copia tasting…

I was first drawn to the Mondrian-style design on the bottles, but then by the actual varietals. No standard Chard or Cab here! Nope – unusual and intriguing grapes are the norm. It is a small operation; Sam Spencer is the winemaker and has a varied background having started in the wine industry in New Zealand. Sam is the technician in the project, crafting the wine from grapes grown in what can only be considered extremist vineyards (a Clear Lake Tempranillo?). Wendy Roloson is his partner and it is she who is responsible for the design of the bottles and the marketing of the brand. Swan Day is the third leg in the tripod and it was she whom I met and was able to learn about this impressive wine. There were three available for me to taste, but five wines are in their book and I will look forward to acquiring and tasting the rest!

2004 Viognier, Noble Vineyard, Knights Valley – Fabulously rich nose of yellow and white stone fruit; peach, apricot, and yellow plum with layers of exotic, spicy flowers. Expressive, complex flavors that mirror the bouquet with a clean, bright acidity that heightens with a slightly mineral finish. $30.00

2003 Tempranillo, Madder Lake Vineyard, Clear Lake – What can I say? I adore Tempranillo and there are so few California wineries producing one that I am hard-pressed to not be thrilled… I find many Spanish Tempranillos medium-bodied so discovering a California version that is hefty and full-bodied is doubly more exciting. Dark and plummy, the hefty nose shows also displays vanilla, chocolate, and dark exotic earthy tones. Smooth and velvety in the mouth, black fruits dominate and show a hint of tobacco and rustic earth. $30.00

2003 Syrah, La Herrandura Vineyard, Napa Valley – These vineyards are located in Conn Valley which is just over the hill from the Meadowood resort. Inky black in color, with spicy exotic liqueur aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and clove. It is illusive and powerful showing concentrated flavors of black fruit with whispers of mineral and a defined herbal finish. $38.00

Spencer Roloson Winery ~ 1207 Randolph Street ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 94559 ~ 707-257-5880
No public tasting facility.

When you go to Benziger, be prepared for a long visit as there is lots to do here. For starters, this is a winery that is far off the main drag from other Sonoma wineries so getting there is a journey. It is located up a small, windy mountain road surrounded by secluded mountain residences. Dozens of buildings greet the visitor after passing through the white picket fence in a theme park-like atmosphere of gingerbread houses, passenger trams,and directional signs.

It is hard to not be charmed with an outhouse and as a winery, Offering charm, instruction, and great fun, I arrived too late in the date, but apparently the multi-passenger trams run several times a day and offer a 45-minute vineyard, garden, and wildlife sanctuary tour. Self-guided walking tours exist in adjacent gardens to show off what makes Benziger really special: Certified Organic and Biodynamic wines.

These are big buzzwords in the industry these days and I’m not going to provide an entire dissertation, but will give you a link: here. Suffice to say I have a growing appreciation for wineries promoting organic growing practices producing biodynamic wine. There are many doing it on a small scale, but here is an opportunity to see it on a large scale and taste multiple examples. Benziger is large, producing 176,000 cases of wine (not ALL biodynamic) and several dozen varietals including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, multiple blends, and a sweet wine. I was selective in my tasting:

2000 Reserve Pinot Noir – 65% of the grapes come from the Bien Nacido Vineyards in the Santa Maria area of Santa Barbara and 35% from the Bodega area; Sterling Little Vineyards.. Huge, spicy nose with core of raspberry and cherry. Even and balanced, the smooth mouthfeel is defined and balanced. Predominately berry in its presentation. $37.00

2002 Bien Nacido Syrah – Medium-bodied, a dichotomy of aromas of boysenberry and a touch of hospital do not prepare for the intensely smooth, integrated mouth entry. Integrated and complex with a touch of sage on the finish. $37.00

2002 Petite Sirah, McNab Ranch, Mendocino – Spicy, dark blueberry liqueur in the small-production wine (380 cases). Surprisingly easy to drink, where many this young are bombs, this medium-bodied wine starts a little sweet, intensifies in the mid-palate, and finishes with a happy little bite of spice. $35.00

2003 Estate Sonoma Mountain Red – 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc. Dark cherry, cocoa, and tobacco aromas. Warm, soft entry shows deep, integrated terroir-driven notes with defined earthy components. $49.00

2001 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County – This wine has been blended from grapes that come from four different vineyards throughout Sonoma. Immediate bouquet of cedar and eucalyptus complements with dark fruit flavors. Smooth and velvety, easy tannins are supple and expressive. $42.00

2002 Tribute – Their flagship wine dedicated to Helen and Bruno Benziger, this wine is darkly intense with black cherry and tobacco. Smooth erotic with earthy qualities. The feelings in the mouth are redolent with smooth tannins and hints of smoke. The finish is long and supple. $75.00

Benziger ~ 1883 London Ranch Road ~ Sonoma ~ Ca ~ 95442 ~ 707-935-3000
Three different tasting menus available, five tastes each;
$5.00 for their large production family wines
$10.00 for reserve and single vineyard wines
$10.00 for biodynamic and premiere wines

Diamond Oaks is a relative new-comer to the Napa Valley wine scene. Located on the edge of a mountain up the Oakville Grade, the building facilities was once better known as Vichon (a Mondavi project) – and, for a short while, La Famiglia (another Mondavi project).

Indian-born Dinesh Maniar is the current proprietor. Having already acquired numerous Napa and Sonoma vineyards, the acquisition of this property from the Mondavis was a jewel in his wine-bedecked crown. By all accounts from those who work with him, Maniar is an introspective, unassuming gentleman who has made some very impressive improvements to the property.

The tasting room, when it was La Famiglia, was known for the hand-painted wall-sized mural. That was the only aspect of the original hospitality area that Maniar retained. The building was slightly retrofitted to accommodate much-needed windows for light, new marble floors, and elegant lighting fixtures (selected by Dinesh himself).

Of special note is the picturesque picture area. Undoubtedly one of the most stunning views of the valley, for a mere $30.00, the winery will reserve a table, provide a bottle of wine and glasses, and place a checkered tablecloth to await your culinary delight. Corkpulls are strategically dangled from the trees, just in case you forget…

2001 Chalk Hill Chardonnay – Maniar owns 95 acres of Chalk Hill vineyards. This 100% malo chard is fruit forward, with intense lemon and tropical fruit aromas. Initial flavors are fruit forward with lemon and a hint of cream. The finish shows nuts, oak, and a touch of butter. $29.00

2001 Reserve Carneros Chardonnay - Another 100% malo, but this one has seen 100% French oak. Rich, full, layered offering with a tropical bouquet surrounding a core of butterscotch. Flavors dance between lemon meringue and clean pear. $39.00

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir – Simple aromas of cherry, licorice, and earth in the nose. Bigger fruit flavors explodes in the mouth, counter to the thinner bouquet. Tight and young, earth and licorice dominate. $19.00

2002 Silver Carneros Merlot – Deep tones of green olive, rich earth, and some cherry. Richer fruit flavors of solid dark fruit, a mid-palate of toast, finishes with a tease of eucalyptus. $17.00

2002 Hira Ranch Merlot, Carneros – 70% French oak, 20% of that is new – the other 30% is American oak. Dark chocolate and tobacco qualities in the nose. Initially soft and supple upon entry, dark berry and earthy qualities become rich and complex on the finish. $29.00

2003 Cabernet, Alexander Valley – (Wine Club only). A pre-release tasting is still a bit green with tons of rustic herbs and cherry. Gobs of chocolate mint on the nice, lingering finish. No price.

Diamond Oaks ~ 1595 Oakville Grade ~ Oakville ~ CA ~ 94562 ~ 707-948-3000

Smack-dab in the center of Hopland, in what used to be the High School, lies one of Brutocao Cellars tasting rooms. Still trying to map out this region, I may be going out on a limb by my category placement; Sanel Valley. You see, according the Mendocino Winegrowers Alliance, “There are 10 growing regions within Mendocino County. Eight are official
AVAs, while two (Ukiah and Sanel Valleys) have not yet been granted
official AVA status even though they are very significant grape growing
regions that had their first vineyards in the 1800’s.” And if you look at one of their maps, Brutocao’s Hopland TASTING ROOM is the center of Sanel Valley.  Seeing they also have an Anderson Valley tasting room, I have included that as well but I am
honestly not sure where the specific vineyards lie as so indicated on their wines labels and hope that someone will either enlighten me or that I will have an opportunity to visit more
often to learn the region. I also want to add a private perturbance that I had a camera failure for a few of these blogs and lost a dozen or so pictures, this being the first.

One of the extremely charming aspects of Brutocao is its placement in Hopland — as indicated, dead center in the two-lane town. But moreso, is that it is located in what was the Hopland High School adjacent to a bocce ball field. The morning of my visit there was a tournament to decide the summer teams. It seemed all so civilized and lovely. The tasting room also sits in front of The Crushed Grape restaurant so that from the interior of the building, right by the tasting bar, is the opening to the restaurant. The tasting room also hosts the dispensing and tasting of local artisinal olive oil and an especially elegant mural behind the tasting bar. An image of the city of Florence, the Brutocao winged lion logo can be seen in the part of the architectural motifs of the mural. All that, and pretty good wines too…

2004 Sauvignon Blanc, Feliz Vineyards – Aromas of warm melon and lemon peel shows depth and elegance in its accompanying flavors. Slight mineral finish does not interfere. $12.00

2003 Chardonnay, Bliss Vineyard – 100% stainless steel with no ML, this wine showed bright, clean green apple in its bouquet and tone. Citrus on the mid-palate. $15.00

2003 Reserve Chardonnay, Bliss Vineyard, Riserva d’Arento – 100% ML with oak. Similar apple qualities in aromas and flavors as in the previous Chardonnay, but a bit creamier. Rich, melon entry but a surprisingly crisp finish, considering its thick texture. $24.00

2003 Pinot Noir, Feliz Vineyard – Medium-bodied with fresh raspberries and cherry predominating. Clean, easy entry with a thin, mineral mid-palate. $18.00

2001 Merlot, Brutocao Vineyards – Rich raspberry and dark cherry that teases of earthiness. Some thin, herbal tones in the mid-palate, a dusty coffee filled out the finish. $20.00

2001 Merlot, Feliz Vineyard Select – An unfiltered offering, this rustic, earthy wine showed layers of dried twigs and leather with a tease of cherry and a finish of herbs. $25.00

2000 Reserve Merlot, Riserva d’Argento – With 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, a playful interchange between elegant raspberry and cedar, layers of dried herbs and tobacco develop to a redolent finish. $25.00

2003 Zinfandel, Brutocao Vineyards – Dark berry shows immediately in the nose and softens to display sherry-like qualities in the back of the nasal passages. Warm berries fill the mouth but thins a bit to a tinny, herbal finish. $20.00

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Brutocao Vineyards – Unfiltered. Dark, ripe cherry aromas and hints of green bell pepper show in the nose in a sherry-like essence. Concentrated dried fruit flavors produce a tease of sweetness on the back-palate with a long finish of black cherry. $20.00

2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Brutocao Vineyards – Unfiltered. Black loganberries, black raspberries, and black cherries all show alongside layers of dried herbs in its aromas. The dried herbal qualities show again in the mouth entry, alongside dried twigs and a dry, dusty finish that hints at smoke in its even finish. $34.00

Brutocao, Hopland ~ 13500 S. Highway 101 ~ Hopland ~ CA ~ 95449 ~ 707-744-1664
Brutocao, Anderson Valley ~ 7000 Highway 128 ~ Philo ~ CA ~ 95466 ~ 707-895-2152