For a small country on the Pacific Rim, New Zealand is having a remarkable impact on the world wine scene. Missionaries planted our first vines as early as 1819, but only in the last two decades have we seen this country develop into one of the most consistent fine wine producers in the world. New Zealand has 13,000 hectares planted in vines, and over 480 wine producing companies. The principal white varieties are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muller Thurgau and Riesling. The main reds are Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Our Sauvignon Blanc is considered by many European wine critics to be the best in the world.
New Zealand
This region has long summers, warm temperatures and a lower humidity than Northland. The diverse community of winemakers has gained a reputation for producing robust, rich, deep-flavoured red wines particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-styles. The vineyards are on clay soils with well-drained slopes. The warmth and relatively low rainfall is good for red varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Merlot, but whites like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are showing excellent consistency. SOLD BY VINUM IN WASHINGTON & OREGON
Providence curently has no website.
The region has long summers, warm temperatures and a lower humidity than Northland. The diverse community of winemakers has gained a reputation for producing robust, rich, deep-flavoured red wines particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-styles. The vineyards are on clay soils with well-drained slopes. The warmth and relatively low rainfall is good for red varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Merlot, but whites like Chardonnay and Pinot Gris are showing excellent consistency.
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FRANK FAMILY VINEYARDS
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.
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FREEMAN VINEYARD & WINERY
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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HANDLEY CELLARS
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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KOBALT
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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O’SHAUGHNESSY ESTATE WINERY
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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RUBISSOW-SARGENT ESTATE & WINERY
Bordeaux-style Wines to Complement Good Food,Friendship and One’s Life’s Work
Rubissow-Sargent produces handmade, elegant, single vineyard artisan-style red wines from the Mt Veeder AVA. Since 1983, this winery has been focused exclusively on producing Bordeaux style wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, including some vintages of Trompettes, a proprietary blend, that is predominantly Cabernet Franc. The vineyard and winery are a true partnership of the families of George Rubissow and Tony Sargent. For example, the fruit is produced in the Napa Valley, while winemaking takes place at their facilities in Berkeley, and Rubissow-Sargent uses night-harvesting to preserve the quality of their fruit. George’s children Ariel and Peter are also active partners in the grape growing and winemaking, and represent the passion of this winery’s next generation of wine producers!
Rubissow-Sargent is producing quality Bordeaux-style wines in the tradition of Bordeaux; small productions of classic varietals aged in oak with finesse. The wines produced are “…on the same plane as the best of Bordeaux”, according to the Fine Wine Review. Their wines have received acclaim at wine competitions, but most importantly these are highly regarded and cellared by many of the finest restaurants in the US, including Chicago’s Charlie Trotter’s, Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, New York’s Gramercy Tavern and DB Bistro Moderne, and Aspen’s Ajax Tavern, among others. Ronn Wiegand, Master of Wine, Master Sommelier and Publisher of Restaurant Wine has regularly reviewed these wines and commented that recent vintages are “Excellent!”
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Providence
A pioneer, Jim Vuletic set-out in the late 1980's with the aim to make "the best Bordeaux style wine outside of France." As evidence from Providence's cult-like following in the East, many Bordeaux enthusiasts would agree that Jim has done just that.
Providence is made in Matakana, on the North island, just north of Auckland. His vineyards were planted in 1990 to Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Several clones of each varietal were planted which helps to contribute to the overall make-up of the vineyard as well as the complexity of the wine. To produce top quality wine, the vines are vigorously pruned, hand leaf plucked and thinned. No fertilising, irrigation or herbicides are used.
Providence is aged in 100% new Seguin Moreau barrels every vintage. The wine is egg-white fined if necessary and is bottled unfiltered and without the addition of sulphur. SOLD BY VINUM IN WASHINGTON & OREGON
Providence currently has no website.
Providence is made in Matakana, on the North island, just north of Auckland. His vineyards were planted in 1990 to Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Several clones of each varietal were planted which helps to contribute to the overall make-up of the vineyard as well as the complexity of the wine. To produce top quality wine, the vines are vigorously pruned, hand leaf plucked and thinned. No fertilising, irrigation or herbicides are used.
Providence is aged in 100% new Seguin Moreau barrels every vintage. The wine is egg-white fined if necessary and is bottled unfiltered and without the addition of sulphur. SOLD BY VINUM IN WASHINGTON & OREGON
Providence currently has no website.
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Victor Hugo Vineyards and Winery
Innovative Paso Robles’ wines with balanced exposure to American oak
Victor Hugo Vineyards and Winery, begun in the mid 1980’s by Vic and Leslie Roberts, is one of Paso Robles’ most innovative, small, family-owned and operated wineries, specializing in handcrafted lots of wine with intense color and flavors. While there is no known family relationship with the famed French author, Vic given names have been passed down through several generations in his long French geneology. His heritage is reflected through his dedication to producing elegant, rich wines exhibiting excellent longevity. Further, productions of each wine are limited to preserve quality in the vinification process and retain the subtle character of the Paso Robles’ fruit.
Victor Hugo utilizes grapes from the estate’s own Templeton Hill Vineyard, as well as fruit from selected neighboring vineyards. The estate property has 78 acres of rugged, shale-filled hillsides planted with vines, including Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Syrah, Viognier, and five Bordeaux varietals. Victor Hugo ages their wines in American oak barrels for a relatively short period to permit the flavors of the fruit to come through. Victor Hugo produces micro quantities that include a wide selection of single-varietal based wine and blends. Over the past ten years, Vic’s wines have been recognized with more than 200 awards, including selections in the San Francisco Chronicles’ “Top 100 Wines”.