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Taster’s ChoiceBy Stephen Thaler
I savored a number of wines from several Sonoma wineries and selected some to evaluate which especially pleased my taste buds. My stops included the combination wine bar/art gallery of Imagery, the large, opulent tasting room of Ferrari Carano, the classic tasting room of Hartford, the “in” and “hip” boutique “J”, and the homey, wine bar of Iron Horse which looked down on its hillside vineyards.
After tasting several of their reds and whites, I founded their viognier 2005 distinctive. These classic Rhone varietals have the body of a chardonnay. Their exotic scent of peach, pineapple and honeysuckle comes from the exceptional grapes of the Russian River and Dry Creek Valley vineyards. My impression on the palate was rich, fruity and balanced. My next stop was Ferrari Carano. With 19 estate vineyards in four appellations totaling 1,400 acres, this is one of the largest wineries in Sonoma County. It has an exceptionally diverse wine making facility which creates a number of very fine reds, whites and blends. Their mountain winery estate lies in the Alexander Valley where more than half of the vineyards are located.
She also suggested I try the Siena 2004 red wine. This wine combines several lots of select grapes from vineyards in the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys. As I sipped this beautifully balanced, medium bodied wine, I detected strawberry jam, dried cranberry and raspberry, mixed with chocolate and a few spices. The finish was lingering. I also enjoyed an elegant dessert wine, the 2003 Eldorado Noir, accompanied by chocolate covered blueberries. This wine would pair beautifully with rich, decadent chocolate desserts.
I sampled several of their sparkling wines which I understood exceed French standards for vintage quality. The richness and creaminess of the cuvees comes from extensive aging. The 2001 Vintage Brut is a classy blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. I was especially fond of the 2001 Russian cuvee. This historic sparking wine put Iron Horse on the map. President Regan ordered this wine for his historic summit meeting with Gorbachev. The 2001 Russian cuvee is the same base wine as the 2001 classic vintage brut. Although quite dry, this wine is richer, making it more opulent, slightly sweeter and heightening the fruitiness.
I sampled several pinot noirs from the Green Valley and the Sonoma Coast vineyards. The 2004 Seascape creates an opulent taste with aromas of blackberries, roasted plums and sassafras flavors. Another one which I particularly enjoyed was the 2005 Fog Dance which has purity and an elegant texture with the aromas supported by flavors of cranberries, red cherries and allspice. This is definitely a sophisticated wine for a sophisticated palate. Hartford Court wines, in the Russian River Valley produced wonderfully rich chardonnays. Like the pinot noirs, the chardonnays express the distinctive qualities of the vineyard where they’re grown. The Four Hearts vineyard is very distinguished and uses only the best grapes which are selected and blended in the final bottling. Complex aromas and flavors of white peach, citrus blossom, Asian pear and candied lemon give a rich and weighty taste.
For information: Ferrari Carano Hartford Family Winery Imagery Winery Iron Horse Vineyards J Vineyards and Winery Wine Spectrum Shop and Bar |
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TM
Since wine tasting is really subjective, price, point
rating and year are not always the answer to one’s particular palate.
Imagery Winery is
dedicated to the crafting of small quantities of wine from uncommon varietals.
I perused their collection of original one of a kind art labels which grace its
walls. Each has been featured on a past wine label and specially created to
celebrate their unique wines.
I toured their impressive wine making
operation, a mixture of old handmade barrels containing special single grape
types and the sleek, modern copper clad vats housing the blends. During the
tour I had the opportunity to meet winemaker Sarah Quider who leads the Russian
River white wines program. We discussed the 2004 Chardonnay which I later had
the opportunity to taste and especially enjoyed. The grapes of this wine
captivate with tropical overtones supplemented by toasty almond.
Iron Horse Winery was my next
stop. Located in the Green Valley, it is the coolest, foggiest part of the
Russian River Valley. The vines grown here are exclusive to chardonnays and
pinot noirs. The soil is perfectly balanced and the most sought after type in
Sonoma, especially for pinot noir. Iron Horse makes estate bottled wines which
are expressive, stylish and nuanced with quality and class.
I continued on to the Hartford Family
Winery, located about 15 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Their special Hartford
Court wines are produced in extremely limited quantities. The one of a kind
grapes grown in these vineyards are bathed in the cool, coastal fog which drifts
through the area daily. These grapes take five to seven years to mature and
produce Pinot Noirs which are notable for their supple, silky texture.
The J Winery, also situated in the
Russian River Valley, was the last stop on my Sonoma wine producers’ itinerary.
The exceptionally attractive, contemporary tasting room was the first winery in
Sonoma County to pair food and wine for visitors. There I sampled combinations
of special wines and hors d’ oeuvres creating a play of flavors and textures.
Initially a producer of vintage brut sparking wines, J has expanded to include
classic varietals. The pinot noirs and chardonnays which I sampled had great
flavor and were opulent and balanced. J’s Pinot Noirs and Pinot Noir Varietals
were all produced from low yielding but excellent vineyards. I tasted several
of their offerings including a 2002 vintage brut, a brut rose, a 2005 viognier
and a 2003 zinfandel. My favorite was the pinot noir blend, a 2004 pinotage
which was rich and intense with a bouquet of dark fruits which included
blueberry, blackberry and plum with hints of orange peel and peppercorns giving
it a full bodied and lingering taste.
My Sonoma visit came to a close in the uptown
atmosphere of the new Wine Spectrum Bar and Shop. They carry selections from all
of the wineries I visited plus thousands more from all around the world. I found
this venue to be the place to relax with an inexpensive but delicious glass of
wine or to purchase one of the world’s rare and costly vintages. They offer
these heavenly nectars of the grape for all tastes and price ranges.