Ultimate California Wine Blog

Bartholomew Park Winery, often referred to simply as "BartPark," has quite a bit of history going for it. Now there are some wineries worth going to for the historical ambience and sheer aura of age. Fortunately, BartPark has the aura, the history, and good wine going for it.

Truly, this establishment can be considered the birthplace of the California wine industry and being a huge history buff, I appreciated the museum housed within the building. Along with the museum displays, there is a great deal of information on the local viticultural heritage and a wall of pictures devoted to Sonoma growers. It is one of the few places in either valley that celebrate more than the owners. Throughout the museum, there are displays which honor the vineyard worker and the growers wall truly immortalizes the farmers who provide the grapes.

The father of the California wine industry was Count Agoston Harasazthy who planted grapes on this property as early as the 1830s. The buildings on the property were Agoston’s personal mansion and the estate was named Buena Vista. (To clarify a point of confusion, "Buena Vista Winery," which will be reviewed at a later time, was part of the original estate and contained the wine-making facilities. The buildings that now house Bartholomew Park were Haraszthy’s ancestral home.)

As you continue through the museum, you learn that after it was a winery, the estate was acquired by a women, Kate Johnson, at the turn of the last century who shared the property with 200 Agoura cats. Most interestingly, under the auspices of the State of California, it became the State Farm for Delinquent Women and housed "women of disrepute." Much of the layout of the building as a sort of hospital is still visible.

Behind the tasting bar, where the wine is stored, is an elevator lift to the second floor, a sort of hospital ward, the skeleton of which is still visible. Right as you enter the tasting room, immediately on your right, is a large wooden door with an elaborate lock and key. Behind that door is a hidden stairwell which leads to what was the morgue. If you are lucky enough to visit the winery on a day when one of the pouring staff are available to show you around (as it is not part of the regular tour), there are a number of amazing stories of ghosts…

It seems back when the building was the home for fallen women, one particular women named Madeleine kept trying to escape. I was told she would sneak out at night, be found by troopers the next day, and was brought back.   This apparently happened a number of times until the occasion when she disappeared and it was thought that Madeleine finally made her great escape.

However, years later when the building was being retrofitted for earthquake compliance, a skeleton was discovered – Madeleine’s skeleton. Many people who have worked there over the years have stories of things they have heard or experienced.

When I have brought friends to visit the winery, they get spooked out by the hallway and framework of the individual rooms upstairs. I get the willies downstairs, looking at the door which leads to the morgue, which is now used as a breakroom and wine storage (gosh, it IS the perfect temperature!)

Now it is back to being a winery, albeit one with lots of backbone and history. Taken over by the Bundschu family in 1994, their winemaker, Linda Trotter, is doing a great job in turning out some very respectable wines:

2003 Sauvignon Blanc, San Lucas Vineyard – From Monterey vineyards, 495 cases produced on a modified lyre trellis. Bouquet of rich, tropical fruit which doesn’t disappoint upon entry where kiwi and pineapple appear on the tongue. A rich, creamy melon continues after the swallow and finishes with a light tang. Very nice and not overly acidic.

2001 Estate Chardonnay – 328 cases. Full overt tangerine nose which, after a bit of swirling, gave way to aromas of an elegant, Oriental spice. I detected a rich mid-palate of star anise. Well structured and not overly oaked or buttered with only 30% malo.

2001 Estate Pinot – Valentine, garnet red color, clear and bright. Aromas of cherry and toffee anticipate rich tastes of dark raspberry and spice. A very long, complex finish.

2001 Apparition – A blend wine of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Merlot. 650 cases produced. Allspice, blackberry, and cedar bouquet. A decent mouthfeel but hot and a little tannic gives way to a metallic finish.

2000 Desnudos Cabernet – 354 cases. Mineral and constrained nose. Rich, complex mid-palate but a harsh, acidic finish.

2002 Estate Zinfandel – 200 cases. Orange edge in color. Elegant, caramel nose which is soft and easy to smell. The first taste produces a structured taste with a soft edge. Lovely, candy and cream mint Andes sensation. A very easy wine to drink.

Bartholomew Park ~ 1000 Vineyard Lane ~ Sonoma ~ CA ~ 95476 ~ 707-935-9511

B.R. Cohn is a bit of anomoly in that it is a winery that also produces and sells olive oil. But B.R. Cohn is also a pioneer in the practice of producing olive oil and more and more wineries are growing grapes and producing oils. It seems that Bruce Cohn owned the olive orchard back into the 1970s and didn’t start his winery until 1984. From my short stint in the olive oil industry, I did learn that there are agricultural areas in Northern California which mirror that area of the Mediterranean which produces supreme olive oils. In the case of Cohn, the vineyards are surrounded by 90 acres olives known as Olive Hill Estate. I appreciate that the Cohn winery has utilized the olive branch motif on their label as I appreciate their non-wine products. But wine is what I was there to taste…

A brief note on their tasting room before I get to the wines. It is a pretty standard room as far as tasting rooms are concerned — a large bar area surrounded by various retail offerings; t-shirts, glasses, decanters, etc. However they also supplement their offerings with the aforementioned oils as well as hand-painted, decorate olive-bedecked trays and serving dishes. I was surprised, however, at the refrigeration unit in the corner where Coca-Cola was being sold along side bottled water. I can expound upon suggested reasons, but suffice to say that I just found it surprising.

Our pourer for the day was graciously offered a vertical tasting of several estate Cohn Cabernets. It was great to be able to taste some history:

1995 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet – Bouquet of cedar and roasted berries. Slightly bricky color on the edge. Supple tones of oak and cedar alongside the dark cassis in the mouth. Great aromas continued to waft through. This is a wine that is drinking very well right now.

1999 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet – Complex and layered aromas of cherry and tobacco. Paled a bit on the finish with acidic tannins.

2000 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet – Green, fruity nose. The mid-palate was showing blueberry but there was very little finish.

2001 Olive Hill Estate Cabernet – Oak and blackberry aromas. Fabulous entry with a grassy mouthfeel. Very lovely, spicy finish. I think this is a wine that will age well.

1999 Special Selection - This wine comes from the oldest vines on the estate. It had a great, full black currant nose. Black raspberry and currant was not as dark as expected from the aromas. Creamy on entry with a tight finish that thinned a bit.

2002 Sonoma Valley Syrah/Cabernet – 60% Cabernet and 40% Syrah. This was a wine I ended up buying. Very huge, jammy nose with opulent, spicy notes. Great drinker now with deep, elegant fruit bomb with a tremendously long finish.

B.R. Cohn ~ 15000 Sonoma Highway ~ Glen Ellen ~ CA ~ 95442 ~ 707-938-4585

Hidden just off Highway 12 between downtown Sonoma and Santa Rosa are a handful of small communities. Glen Ellen (considered to be within the Sonoma Valley appellation) houses a number of small wineries. They are often difficult to find and in the case of Loxton Cellars, well worth the effort.

My friend Eric White recommended Loxton because he knows of my love of big reds. Besides a single Chardonnay, all Christ Loxton produces are Zinfandels and Syrahs. He is definitely my kind of guy. The tasting room is wholly and entirely unpretentious, just a few barrels holding up some planks in the buildings where the barrels are housed. No pretense and no fuss – just really great wine from a incredibly fascinating Australian.

2003 Hawk Hill Chardonnay – At almost 100% ML, this was not a style I truly appreciate, but I could detect the quality of the intense aromas of tropical fruit on the nose and a long, creamy finish.

2002 Stonetree Zinfandel, Sonoma County – This was an amazingly luscious wine. I perceived a very elegant aroma of sweet anise on the nose. Christ got excited at that perception and immediately began telling me about the wild fennel which is grown nearby. A layered mid-palate showed strong dark raspberry and an even tannin. As I don’t often do, this wine was purchased.

2000 Sonoma Shiraz, Sonoma County – A tad pale for Shiraz/Syrah (I forgot to ask why he had both a Shiraz and a Syrah…) While not one to lay down, the accessibility of this wine made the lighter mid-palate easy to drink immediately. Cherry finish with a tad of black pepper.

2001 Hillside Vineyards Syrah, Sonoma County – From Christs’ notes, this wine is actually 48% Russian River Valley, 42% Sonoma Mountain, and 10% Sonoma Valley. Merlot-like aromas of blackberry. Full mouthfeel and a peppery, spicy finish. Not at all over acidic.

2003 Stonetree Late Harvest Zinfandel, Sonoma County – This wine was a shocker. I am so over tasting late-harvest this or late-harvest that which doesn’t actually taste like the wine it should be. So many late-harvest wines taste more like syrup and this wine actually TASTED like a Zinfandel! Dark, concentrated fruit with a hint of chocolate and dark raspberry. Complex and lovely.

2003 Rubaiyat Syrah Port, Sonoma Mountain – Incredibly dark, inky wine. Very complex and layered aromas. Intense rich wine which I would like to try with Roquefort. Christs WAS handing out chocolates which did go very nicely.

Loxton Wines ~ 11466 Dunbar Road ~ Glenn Ellen ~ CA ~ 95442 ~ 707-935-7221

As one begins the drive up the Silverado Trail out of Napa, the very first winery that can be visited is Luna Vineyards. The facilities and reception area are lovely — a large, free-standing bar is the focal point for the tasting area with retail options scattered around. While there, make a point of asking about the tower. While tasting on a bright, sunny afternoon, we were invited to take our classes and ascend up to the viewing tower which provides a fabulous view of the neighboring vineyards.

The emphasis at Luna is on Italian varietals and their winemaker, Mike Drash (formerly of Far Niente) has helped Luna produce a very respectable collection of wines. It was a quiet day and I was able to taste through their entire book, much of which I greatly admired:

2003 Estate Pinot Grigio – Light, bright honeysuckle nose. While there was an immediate crispness on the entry, a rich, creamy mid-palate of peach gave way to a delightfully long finish.

2003 Tocai Friulano – A grape which I am unfamiliar with, but hope to taste more of. Apparently this is farmed from the Vista Verde Vineyard near Monterey. A rich, guava-like scent anticipated the tropical fruit mouthfeel.

2002 Reserve White Wine – 52% Pinot Grigio, 29% Tokay, and 19% Sauvignon Blanc. Well-balanced acidity in with aromas of roasted nuts.

2002 Sangiovese – Actually a blend of 84% Sangiovese with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, and 3% Syrah. Very nice earthy aroma with spicy overtones. Full, jammy mid-palate with a leathery finish.

1999 Sangiovese Riserva – This is a fabulous wine – very nice, ruby color. Roasted berry aromas with a hint of anise. Very even tannic structure and rich, full finish.

2002 Sangiovese Riserva – This wine is 100% vineyard-designate. Considerably younger than it’s 1999 cousin, I suspect it will age gracefully. A bit more earthiness on the nose and much bigger tannins.

2001 Merlot – Remarkably young with green bell pepper aromas. Dark earthy mouthfeel that is more chewy than I would have liked.

2002 Bordeaux Blend – 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 7% Sangiovese. Shockingly young-tasting wine. Elegant spicy nose with hints of clove. Thin entry in the mouth and acidic finish. Needs more time.

2000 Canto – This wine was a complex blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah (although I failed to get the exact proportions). I was immediately struck by the sweet nose of anise.  The mid-palate was a tad green and young, but finished with very round, full minerally fruit. Quite lovely.

2001 Mille Baci; Late Harvest Pinot Grigio – Rich, complex dried stonefruit filled my mouth. This wine is not fortified, but picked at 37 brix and finished out at 16.5 residual sugar. Would love to try a glass with Roquefort cheese.

Luna Vineyards ~ 2921 Silverado Trail ~ Napa ~ CA ~ 707-255-2474

Chateau Sinnet is a bit difficult to find — off the main drag of the "village" in Carmel Valley, but contained within a small shopping center.   There was a very nice young man working the tasting room the day of my visit, but I believe I caught him a bit off guard. There was a large area behind the tasting bar where many additional items are sold, but I was here for wine.

A great number of varietals were offered, including Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Syrah, Petit Syrah, Sangiovese, Touriga, and Zinfandel. Along with these, a number of "California Champagnes" are made as well as some sweet wines, which they market as "Fruit Wine" — wines infused with various fruit juices. These are named after various artists with monikers such as Cranberry Renoir L’Orange, Pomegranate Toulouse, or Peach Monet with Honey. Wanting to touch upon their entire repertoire without going overboard, I tasted just a few of each:

NV California Champagne Grand Cuvee – A bit of tin with an extremely metallic finish.
2002 Chateau Sinnet Cabernet Sauvignon – Apparently opened the previous day and was overly oxidized.
Blackberry Chagall – I should have stopped at the Cabernet.