Vinum Wine Importing and Distributing, LLC

August West produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Syrah exclusively from their partner's own vineyards at the new winery in San Francisco, CA.
With two outstanding vineyards, Rosella's Vineyard and Graham's Family Vineyard, the quality of the fruit is exceptional.
Ed Kurtzman has been making wine since 1994 where he got his start in the cellar at Bernardus in Carmel Valley, CA under the guidance of Don Blackburn and Kirby Anderson. His career has lead him many places and enabled him to meet his partners at August West. You will taste the passion in every sip of the wine he makes and want to share it with your friends
For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.augustwestwine.com

Verdad Wines

Louisa Sawyer Lindquist is the inspiration behind Verdad. She became enamored with the beauty and finesse of Spanish Albarino while working in a retail store on Long Island in the late 80's. She had the opportunity to expand upon that knowledge when working for a Spanish wine importer. She found that Tempranillo was just as alluring as Albarino.
After working the vineyards of Long Island she moved to California and began working with wineries and their vineyards. She started dating Bob Lindquist, the owner/winemaker of Qupe Wine Cellars, and they planted small plots of Tempranillo and Albarino in the Ibarra-Young vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.
Louisa went to Spain to work harvest. She traveled to the primary grape growing regions to understand how the top producers worked with the fruit in both the vineyards and the winery. As she talked with the people across the country, she noticed that one of the favorite expressions, repeated on a regular basis was "es la verdad" (that's the truth). That became her inspiration to naming the fledgling brand "Verdad". The wines are produced at Qupe under Bob's direction.

 

For tasting notes and technical information please see: http://verdadwines.com

Joseph Family Vineyards is a small family owned winery producing Cabernet Sauvignon in the Alexander Valley. The vineyard is located above the Russian River plain in the southeast corner of the Alexander Valley. These west facing vines are blessed with plenty of noon-day sun for ripening, and cool afternoons with some fog to help maintain balance. The wine is made by Scott Peterson of SP Drummer winery and David Ramey of Ramey Wine Cellars.

   

For winery information, plus tasting & technical notes and accolades, please see:

www.josephfamilyvineyards.com

Excllent French-style Wines from the Friendliest Winery in Napa Valley

Frank Family Vineyards has a wine-making tradition extending for over 125 years since the construction of the Larkmead Winery in late 19th century. The winery rightfully self-proclaims to have the friendliest staff of “wine dudes” through out all tasting rooms in the Napa Valley. But that is not all that makes Frank Family Winery well worth the visit. Owners Rich Frank and Koerner Rombauer have focused their energies on making superb, handcrafted wines in small productions and with exclusive distribution; for example, most wines are only available from the winery or a handful of restaurants and retailers.

The winery produces Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, and several distinctly different Cabernet Sauvignons. Frank Family Winery sources fruit for their wines from three properties, Winston Hill, which has 20 acres in Rutherford AVA planted predominantly with Cabernet Sauvignon, Lewis Vineyard in Carneros AVA, which is dedicated to Chardonnay vines, and S&J Vineyard, which has Cabernet Sauvignon in the Capell Valley east of Vaca Mountain range. The highly regarded Cabernets, which barrel age for up to two and one-half years, are emerging as one of the most sought after wines. The Chardonnay is made in a classic California style. The Sangiovese and Zinfandel fruit is grown on the estate. Interestingly, Frank Family Winery is also continuing a tradition of producing very popular sparkling wines, including Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, and occasionally Rouge and Reserve offerings. All are made in the traditional French methode champenoise style. Frank Family Winery has been recognized for excellent wines in competitions and reviews, in particular garnering high scores from The Wine Enthusiast for their Cabernets.

For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.frankfamilyvineyards.com

Family-produced, Award-winning Pinots for any Cuisine

Established in 2001 by owners Ken and Akiko Freeman in the Russian River Valley near Sebastopol, Freeman Vineyard & Winery crafts elegant cool climate California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a Burgundian style. Given their American, European and Asian experience, the Freemans strive to make wines that will pair well with the abundance of exotic flavors encountered with international cuisine.

Ken and Akiko, together with Freeman’s celebrated winemaker Ed Kurtzman, oversee every step of winemaking from the hand sorting of fruit to final blending, with Akiko adding her talents and refined palate as assistant winemaker. Freeman sources fruit from a select portfolio of California vineyards, including Klopp Ranch, Keefer Ranch, Heintz Ranch and Black Emerald Vineyard. Freeman is a small California producer (< 5,000 cases/annually), comprised mostly of Pinot Noir, and a little Russian River Chardonnay. Freeman is focused on a more understated style of Pinot that is food-friendly, and has been decreasing the exposure to oak.

Freeman understands that there is a great need to offer European style wines that combine well with sometimes challenging foods, such as Asian cuisine. This approach has been paying off with an abundance of awards and accolades from NY Times, Tanzer, Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine, The Pinot Report, The San Francisco Chronicle and Burghound.com, as well as recognition as one of the “Magnificent 30” by Wine Spectator! Now that’s Alternative Napa!

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For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.freemanwinery.com

Pioneering Anderson Valley’s Refreshing Wines with Great Acidity to Pair with Food!

Celebrating more than 25 years since her first vintage at Handley Cellars, Milla Handley has emerged as a champion of Anderson Valley wine production. Milla began Handley Cellars in 1982 in this valley after serving as assistant winemaker at Chateau St. Jean because it was removed from the entrenched winemaking culture. Handley has been committed to producing Pinot Noir, Gewurztramier, Pinot Gris and Riesling. Her passion and dedication has resulted in her selection as one of the featured “Women of the Vine: Inside the World of Women Who Make, Taste and Enjoy Wine” by Deborah Brenner.

Handley has two primary vineyards. The Anderson Valley estate vineyard has Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Gewurztraminer. The Dry Creek Valley vineyard near the Russian River in Sonoma County is planted with Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Viognier. Handley produces approximately two to three thousand cases each of Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Milla has received accolades for many different wines over decades, including Tanzer, Wine Review Online, the LA Times, and Wine & Spirits Magazine, which named Handley Cellars the Best Mendocino Producer in 2007. In particular, Handley balances the acidity of her whites very well for a fresh and mouthwatering flavor that is consistently at the top of their class.

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For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.handleycellars.com

Highly rated, Small Productions of Intense “Garagiste” Cabernets

Kevin Carriker began Kobalt Wines as a natural extension of an extensive and untraditional wine making experience, which left him with both juice-stained hands and an appreciation for quality wine making and the impact of “terroir”. From San Francisco wine shops, to family-owned wineries of Napa, to harvesting at Bordeaux chateaux, to even a brief attempt at producing wine in a St Helena garage, Kevin has focused his skills on making the finest Cabernet Sauvignon from fruit of a small vineyard in Coombsville (SE Napa). In 2001, he produced Kobalt’s first vintage with the help of friend, Mark Herold, winemaker at Merus, with an emphasis on nearly all Cabernet juice and ageing for nearly two years in new French oak. Since that time, the 2002, 2003 and 2004 vintages have all provided very limited, “micro-productions” (less than 400 cases each) of concentrated and intense Cabernets that have received high acclaim from Wine Spectator, Parker, Tanzer and others. Kobalt seems to live by the adage, that they do one thing, and do it very well. Perhaps untraditional training should be the new tradition in Napa! Carriker has produced a fantastic string of California Cabernet with excellent ratings from Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Tanzer.

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For winery and award information, and tasting & technical notes, please see:

www.kobaltwines.com

Ladera Winery

With 2 vineyards on opposite ends of Napa Valley and with 2 very different histories is the story of The Ladera Winery. Lone Canyon Vineyard on the flank of Mt. Veeder ranges in altitude up to 1,100 feet; some areas are so rugged and steep it is hard to stand up straight. Ladera's Howell Mountain property ranges in altitude from 1,600 feet to 1,800 feet: a gently rolling terrain, but set on a broad ridge of the mountain high above the Napa Valley floor.
The wines from Lone Canyon Vineyard are the essence of a rich California Cabernet - highly concentrated and full of the dark, bold fruit of black cherries, blackberries, plums and currants. Typically, the spicy components tend to be herbal, like sage and anise. The taste is very full bodied and throughout the palate, with a juicy middle body. The wine has the hallmark of California Cabernets: it is very forward and seductive for a young wine, but also will develop beautiful depth and complexity during aging.
The wines from Howell Mountain are elegant wines of great depth, complexity and concentration. The aromas are similar to the bramble fruits-blackberry, and raspberry with hints of blueberry, anise, clove and vanilla. The mouth-feel is very well integrated with full, soft tannins and an elegance and freshness that is not often found in California Cabernets; consistent with the analogy of a bit of the Medoc in Napa.
These two wine exemplify the power of terroir. They are made using the same treatments and methods, yet they are uniquely different in flavors and textures. Try these wines side by side to compare the differences in how soil and climate express themselves in the wine.
For winery & vineyard information, plus tasting notes and accolades, please see: www.laderawinery.com

Qupe

Bob Lindquist is one of the original pioneers to grow the Rhone grape varieties in California. Along with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon he helped market and produce excellent Rhone style wines in the early '80s. Today Bob still focuses on Rhone grapes such as Syrah, Grenache, and Marsanne, but also makes excellent Chardonnay sourced from the Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley.
Qupe is focused on producing well structured wines which retain balance and exhibit great varietal character. The cooler climates found in Santa Barbara allow the grapes a long growing season; this extra time to mature results in a more complex final wine. Bob is also involved in Verdad, a winery dedicated to Spanish grape varieties produced by his wife, Louisa.

 

For tasting notes and technical information please see: www.qupe.com

Highly-rated, Small-Production Howell Mountain Cabernet

Located in the northern reaches of Napa Valley on Howell Mountain, O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery was established by Betty O’Shaughnessy over ten years ago. Since she has been nearly obsessed with producing single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and now has teamed up with celebrated winemaker, Sean Capiaux, who was at Pine Ridge and Peter Michael. O’Shaughnessy’s winemaking philosophy is focused on a single bottling of Cabernet expressing the character of our vineyards on Howell Mountain and Mt Veeder, and they have produced an impressive, albeit young, vertical of wines since the premier vintage in 2000.

The 100 acre O’Shaughnessy Estate has only three vineyards, “Del Oso” and “Amphitheater” vineyards on Howell Mountain, and “Progeny” vineyard on Mt. Veeder. Only 37 acres have been planted with vines, mostly with Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance with Bordeaux blending varietals. The winemaking style is contemporary, utilizing “cutting-edge” fermentation equipment paired with natural, hands-on winemaking. The emphasis is on balance of flavors to produce a “harmonious wine”, which they only produce in micro quantities. Wine enthusiasts have praised the deep, intense fruit of these wines, through recognition in The Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and San Diego Magazine.

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For winery information, tasting & technical notes, and some vineyard notes, please see:

www.oshaughnessywinery.com

Palazzo Wines

Scott Palazzo's love affair with wine began almost 30 years ago while in France. Particularly wines produced from the Bordeaux region, small family owned Chateaus that dot the rolling hillsides of the beautiful "Right Bank" countryside.
Finally the chance came to produce his own wine that would capture the power and elegance of the wines that he loved in France. In November of 2005 he released his first vintage Of Palazzo Napa Valley Red.
Like the great wines from the "Right Bank" villages of St. Emilion and Pomerol in BordeauxÉ..Merlot makes up the lion share of Palazzo Napa Valley Red wine, giving the wine it's sheer power and strength, silky texture and beautiful layers of rich cherry and black currant fruit.
The goal of Palazzo wines is to make wines of outstanding quality, depth, balance and structureÉ..that exhibit both power and elegance on the palate and that pair well with a broad range of foods. That will always be the standard!
For winery & vineyard information, plus tasting notes and accolades, please see: www.palazzowine.com

A Rising Star in the Central Coast
Founded in 2001, Niner Wine Estates is dedicated to making the highest quality wines possible in the Paso Robles appellation, using only estate-grown fruit. Owner Dick Niner’s attachment to Paso Robles and the bounty of its land came from his early upbringing on a rural farm in West Virginia. Niner wines inaugural vintage was released in January of 2006. Varietals include Sauvignon blanc, Barbera Rosato, Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

SOLD BY VINUM IN WASHINGTON & OREGON For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.ninerwine.com

Selene Wines is a tiny producer of hand-crafted Napa Valley wines. Selene's wines are the personal winemaking expression of Mia Klein, a consulting winemaker. Selene's output is exclusively focused on the Bordeaux varietals that thrive in great Napa Valley vineyards. Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc have been produced since 1991. Cabernet Sauvignon and a Proprietary Red (Chesler) have been produced since 2002.?? With each release, Selene's goal has been to capture forward fruit flavors and vibrancy from the vineyard, and use minimalist winemaking techniques to frame the wines with extremely supple textures. The resulting wines are food-friendly. Open and accessible upon release, their wines have the necessary balance and complexity to enhance either home cooking or haute cuisine.

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For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information and their blog please see:

www.selenewines.com

Linne Calodo Winery is a family-owned and operated winery, focused on the production of unique and exceptional, hand-crafted wines. The name derives from the distinctive limestone soils of the west side of Paso Robles where our vineyards are located. Linne Calodo focuses on creating unfined and unfiltered wines balanced through the blending of Rhone and Zinfandel varietals.
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For winery and tasting notes information please see

www.linnecalodo.com

The Core of Every Wine Begins in the Vineyard! Dave and Becky Corey are involved in every aspect of their family-run Core Wine Company located in Santa Barbara County. Their experience in many areas of the California wine trade has fueled their passion for launching their own CORE label in 2001, which features blends based on Grenache and Mourvedre varietals; in addition to their classic Syrah and Cabernet bottlings. Their total production is small, less than 1000 cases, to allow them to focus on making high-quality, boutique wines!
SOLD BY VINUM IN OREGON ONLY For tasting & technical notes, winery & vineyard information, please see: www.corewine.com.

Four Vines Wines are bold, eclectic wines that stay true to their nature. Christian Tietje has a passion for monster reds and his travels have led him far and wide in the pursuit of the red beast Zinfandel.
The vision of Four Vines is to create powerful and stylish wines from the finest Zinfandel regions anywhere: Paso Robles, Sonoma, Napa, and Amador. Christian sought out eclectic old vine vineyards and began to craft wines which express the unique characteristics of each appellation's soil, water and sky - the very flavor that terroir imparts to a glass of wine.
With his two partners, Susan A. Mahler and Bill grant, Four Vines is taking the wine world by storm.
For tasting & technical notes, winery & vineyard information, please see: www.fourvines.com.

Beckmen Vineyards has emerged as one of North America’s premier producers of Rhône varietal wines, while also helping to establish Santa Barbara County as one of California’s most highly regarded winegrowing regions. Founded in 1994 by Tom and Steve Beckmen, this is a family-run, estate winery located in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley. Beckmen Vineyards produces a full line of exceptional estate-grown Rhône varietals including Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rosé, Marsanne, and the Cuvée Le Bec blend. It also produces small quantities of exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Hailed for the excellence of its portfolio, Beckmen Vineyards was named Food & Wine’s “Most Promising Winery” in the magazine’s 2000 American Wine Awards. Beckmen Vineyards has lived up to that promise, and was selected as one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine.

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For winery, tasting & technical notes, vineyard and award information please see:

www.beckmenvineyards.com