Winery Information, Wines & Vintages

 

United States: California: Sonoma

    

                Novy Family Wines

         

Novy Family Wines was established in 1998 by Adam and

Dianna Lee of Siduri Wines in collaboration with Dianna’s family,

the Novy’s of Texas. With a passion for discovering unique

vineyard sites, the Novys cultivated various varietals such as Zinfandel, Grenache,

Viognier, and Chardonnay,

but the brainchild is their outstanding single vineyard Syrah from Napa, Sonoma

and Santa Lucia Highlands.

In an effort to preserve the flavors and characters of

the terroir, there is very minimal intervention and

each wine is vinified

separately by block, clone

and barrel type to

emphasize its unique various elements. In addition, the majority

of grapes are purchased by the acre instead of the ton to

ensure maximum quality. After only 6 years, their 2004 Sonoma County Syrah was recognized by Wine Spectator Magazine as a Top 100 Wines of the Year.

Winemaker: Adam Lee and Dianna (Novy) Lee

 

Wines:

 

 

Page Nord Vineyard Syrah 2005

ITEM # NOVPAGSY05     

Varietal: 100% Syrah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Part of the must was fermented in oak, the remainder was pressed. The wine was barrel aged in oak for 1.5 years. 382 cs production.         

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

 

 

 

Judge Family Vineyard Syrah 2005

ITEM # NOVJUSY05    

Varietal: 100% Syrah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: This wine is a blend of three different Syrah clones, two of which were fermented with 20% whole clusters. Only 2/3 of the best fruit was selected for the final blend. The wine was aged in 38% new French oak barrels. 316 cs production.         

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings 

 

      

 

Rosella’s Vineyard Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands 2005

ITEM # NOVRVSY05              

Varietal: 100% Syrah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The fruit was left on the vines for an extended hang time to allow the grapes and their flavors to fully develop. During the fermentation, native yeasts were used derived from the portion of whole clusters that were kept whole.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

Toolbox Wine Company

         

Three girlfriends started a winery together.

Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

ITEM # TBSCS07               

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Barrel-aged in Aged in 25% new French oak. 988 case production.  

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

Carneros

    Robert Stemmler Estate Winery

     

In 1961, Robert Stemmler, a pioneer and passionate producer of outstanding California Pinot Noir as well as dear friend of the Moller-Racke family, arrived in Napa Valley after making wine for 10 years in Germany. In 1982, he released his first Pinot Noir to great critical acclaim.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Anne Moller-Racke moved from Germany to work at their family’s Buena Vista Winery in Carneros. In 1984, Marcus introduced Robert to Anne who by that time, having been trained by legendary winemakers such as Andre Tchelistcheff, had been made vineyard manager at Buena Vista Winery. Over the years the Moller-Racke – Stemmler friendship evolved and when the time came for Robert to retire, the Moller-Rackes bought his label leaving his reputation and vinification in their hands. In 2001, Buena Vista was sold and with the addition of Ferguson Block and Nugent as estate vineyards, Robert Stemmler re-emerged as the new name from an old winery for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Winemaker: Kenneth Juhasz

 

Wines:

Estate Chardonnay Carneros 2007

ITEM # RSCH07

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: In an effort to bring together new world fruit with old world style, Juhasz uses three clones grown in clay loam soils to marry ripeness, texture and minerality. Wines undergo malolactic fermentation and are barrel aged in a small percentage of French oak.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

                                                        

Estate Pinot Noir Carneros  

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir    

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The must was cold-soaked before undergoing the first fermentation in cool temperature steel tanks and then malolactic fermentation in French oak. The wine was then barrel aged for 11 months in Burgundian cooperage. 

Vintages Available:

2005 (in 375ml format)

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

2006 (in 750ml format)

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

Nugent Pinot Noir Russian River 2007

ITEM # RSRRPN07

Varietal: 100% Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The grapes were hand-sorted (95% were destemmed) and gravity fed into tanks. The must was cold-soaked and inoculated with a Burgundian yeast. During fermentation the must was hand-plunged. The wine was barrel aged for 11 months in 45% new French oak (Burgundian cooperage).

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

Ferguson Pinot Noir Carneros 2007

ITEM # RSFPN07

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: This is a vineyard designate wine. The must was cold-soaked and the wine was barrel aged for 11 months in 60% new French oak, 40% 2 year old French oak (Burgundian cooperage). 

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

 

              The Donum Estate    

             

When Buena Vista Winery was sold in 2001, Marcus and Anne Moller-Racke held onto a piece of the property: a jewel of a vineyard tucked between Sonoma and Napa counties they  called The Donum Estate. The word Donum literally means “the gift of the land” or “donation” and the premium wines produced from this highly lauded producer clearly demonstrate the power of the land. The Donum Pinot Noirs exemplify the winemaking expertise of the Stemmler family. Situated in a dramatic and demanding microclimate, this vineyard produces rich complex fruit grown in diablo clay and haire clay loam soils.

Winemaker: Kenneth Juhasz

Wines:

 

Pinot Noir Carneros 2007

ITEM # DPN07

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The fruit is cold-soaked. Aged for 14 months in 75% new French oak (Burgundian cooperage).

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2007

ITEM # DRRPN07

Varietal: 100% Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Fruit is destemmed. Must undergoes a 5-day cold-soak and fermentation begins with native yeasts. Barrel-aged on the lees in 75% new French oak.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

  

 

Russian River Valley

        Christopher Creek Winery      

       

After 30 years of farming oranges and olives in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma, Fred and Pam Wasserman began a new project, The Christopher Creek Winery. With profound understanding and appreciation of the relationship between the practices applied in the

vineyard and the resulting fruit quality, the Wassermans and winemaker Chris Russi focus primarily on Rhône varietals. In the rolling hills in the northern part of the valley where the climate is warmer and optimum for growing such varietals, Christopher Creek produces Petite Sirah, Syrah, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Viognier. 4500 cs production.

Winemaker: Chris Russi (former winemaker of Geyser Peak)

 

Wines:

 

Viognier 2006

ITEM # CCV06          

Varietal: 100% Viognier

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The grapes were sourced from Catie’s Corner Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Whole berry press, fermented in stainless steel, minimal malolactic, aged sûr lies in stainless steel. 516 cs production.   

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

 

Syrah 2005

ITEM # CCSY05   

Varietal: 100% Syrah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The estate grown fruit is hand-elected and harvested at 3 tons/acre. The wine is barrel aged in French oak for 13 months before being bottled on the estate. 631 cs production. 

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

Reserve Petite Sirah 2005

ITEM # CCPSE05                

Varietal: 100% Petite Sirah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The grapes, estate grown in mostly alluvial soil, undergo a 2-day cold soak, are fermented for 2 weeks with both punch-down and pump-over methods. The wine is then barrel aged for 14 months in mostly American oak barrels with some French.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

 

                 Soliste Cellars

A small boutique producer in California’s Russian River Valley, Soliste aims to produce premium vineyard designate wines. Created by long time friends Claude Koeberle and Donald Plumley, the label takes its name from the French word "soliste" which is what winemakers in Burgundy call the barrel they put aside each vintage for special friends and family.

Soliste's unique vineyards are each meticulously tended to year-round as well as sustainably farmed. With yields kept low using careful vineyard management, the fruit is optimum and production is small. The oustanding wines are delicious examples of terroir driven wines at their best.

 

Wines:

L'Espérance Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2006

ITEM #SESPPN06     

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon 777 and 115 clones)

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The gently sloping L’Espérance Vineyard in Green Valley is one of the coolest sites in the region due to the nightly fog that keeps the air cool. The microclimate ensures that the fruit has a longer handtime period. The vineyard has Goldridge (clay loam) soils and is sustainably farmed. The fruit is hand-picked, gently destemmed and cold soaked with consistent manual punch-downs. The wine is barrel aged in 100% French oak (25% new, 75% used) for nine months. 183 cs production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

Sonatera Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2006

ITEM #SSCSPN06

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir (Dijon 777 and 115 clones)

Viticulture & Vinification Notes:

Sonatera Vineyard T Block is uniquely situated: the vines straddling a ridgeline giving them exposure to the north, south, and west. This distinctive location provides the vines with chilly marine breezes that prolong the handtime period while allowing plenty of sunlight to ripen the fruit. The vineyard is sustainably farmed. The fruit is hand-picked, gently destemmed and cold soaked with consistent manual punch-downs. The wine is barrel-aged in 100% French oak (33% new, 66% used) for nine months. 138 cs production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

 

 

          Sapphire Hill Vineyards 

          

In 1989, longtime friends and winery partners Tim Meinken, Anne Giere, John Hall, and Denice Engstrom searched Sonoma County for the perfect site to grow the cool-climate varietals of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the tradition of the great Burgundian vintners. The Sapphire Hill Vineyard,  located in the Middle Reach of the Russian River Valley appellation and named for the cool, sapphire-blue nights of the area, was the perfect choice. With 32 hillside acres of high-density planted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and later Syrah, the partners began by selling their estate-grown fruit to renowned wineries such as Sonoma-Cutrer, Rodney Strong, and La Crema but later, in 1997, set out to make the finest wines possible themselves. In 2002, Sapphire Hill Winery was established.

Winemaker: Tim Meinken

Wines:

 

Chardonnay 2006

ITEM # SHCH06    

Varietal: 100% estate grown Chardonnay

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Part of the fruit is fermented in in barrel, part in stainless steel.

The wine is bottled unfined and

unfiltered. 400 cs production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings         

 

 

Pinot Noir 2005

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The wine is produced from three rare Dijon clones of estate grown Pinot Noir. The must is fermented using native yeast and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 610 cs production.

Formats Available:

750ml: ITEM # SHPN05 

375ml: ITEM# SHPN05375    

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings          

       

Syrah 2005

ITEM # SHSY03  

Varietal: 100% estate grown Syrah

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Its style is reminiscent of a great Côte-Rotie. 200 cs production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings              

 

Old Vines Zinfandel Sonoma County 2003

ITEM # SHBZIN03     

Varietal: 100% Zinfandel

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The fruit was sourced from 100 year-old head-pruned vines in the Bastoni Vineyard. The wine was bottled unfiltered and unfined. Yields: less than 2 tons/acre. 250 cs production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings         

 

 

                      Talisman   

    

Located in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, Talisman was founded by UC-Davis graduate Scott Rich who, with experience being a research enologist for Robert Mondavi and winemaker for Etude and Carneros Creek, wanted to focus on producing small lot Pinot Noirs.

 

As winemaker/owner of Talisman and winemaker and general manager of Moraga Vineyards in Bel Air, Scott   is aided  by his wife, Marta Rich, who heads Talisman’s Sales and Marketing team. The estate’s unique vineyards are each meticulously cared for in ways that cultivate each plot’s distinctive expression so that all of Talisman’s Pinot Noirs each reflect their singular terroirs.

Winemaker: Scott Rich

 

Wines:

 

Red Dog Pinot Noir Sonoma Mountain 2005

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Located on the northwest part of Sonoma Mountain, at 2000 feet, this gorgeous vineyard enjoys cool breezes off of the ocean as well as coastal fog. Low temperatures and loamy clay soils moderate vine vigor on both eastern and western exposure in the Red Dog Vineyard. Fruit is hand-picked, clusters are partially destemmed before undergoing native fermentation. The wine is fermented and aged in new and two year old French oak barrels for 18 months. Very limited production.

Formats Available:

750ml: Item # TRD05

375ml: Item # TRD05375  

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

Thorn Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Located southwest of Sebastopol, Thorn Ridge Vineyard is exposed to 3-5 day cycles of alternate hot and cold as well as wind, fog and cold air, a climate idea for cultivating great Pinot Noirs. With low-vigor silt soils the vineyard is planted with Dijon 115, Swan, and Pommard clones. Grapes were harvested and 75% were destemmed (25% remained as whole clusters) before fermentation began. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation and was barrel aged in 60% new and 40% 1-year old French oak. Yields: 1.7 tons/acre. Very limited production.

Vintages Available: 2004, 2005

Formats Available:

750ml: ITEM # TTH04, TTH05    

375ml: ITEM # TTH05375

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

Hawk Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2005

Item #THHPN05

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir (Pommard and Dijon 115 clones)

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The fruit is sourced from a particularly cool vineyard site only 10 miles from the coastline that features 19 year old vines. Long growing season. Both clones co-fermented inoculated by indigenous yeasts and then macerated before being transferred to French oak barrels for malolactic fermentation. Bottled after being barrel aged in 60% new French oak for 18 months. Very limited production.

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings

Napa:

Adastra Vineyard

Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2005             

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir (Swan, Pommard, Dijon 113 and Wadensville 2A clones)

Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Grapes are sourced from Chris Thorpe’s famous Adastra Vineyard, a California Certified Organic vineyard. Found in the heart of Los Carneros, the meticulously farmed vineyard has light clay-loam soils with exposure to cool breezes. A blend of clones were fermented together—some as whole clusters(25%) and some whole berries that had been gently destemmed—with consistent punch-downs. Barrel-aged in 60% new French oak for 18 months. Very limited production. This is the first vintage produced.

Formats Available:

750ml: ITEM #TAVPN05   

375ml: ITEM #TAVPN05375

Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings