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Peter Michael Winery Knights Valley Les Pavots: French for “The Poppies,” Les Pavots is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based, Bordeaux-style red that’s muscular and tannic when young, but ages beautifully after 10 years or so in the bottle. The Les Pavots Vineyard sits at 1,400 feet elevation on the west side of Mount St. Helena, and is often mistaken for being in Napa Valley. Au contraire. It’s Sonoma, and it sells for approximately $280 a bottle. petermichaelwinery.com
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Cobb Wines Diane Cobb Coastlands Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir: Winemaker Ross Cobb used estate grapes from his family’s chilly Coastlands Vineyard, which hugs the ocean, to produce this scintillating wine. The specific block for this wine is named for his late mother, Diane, who planted Coastlands Vineyard in 1989. Vintage after vintage, the wine has a savory sage and white-pepper edge to the crystalline red fruit. $120 retail price. cobbwines.com. (Courtesy photo)
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Martinelli Winery Jackass Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley Zinfandel: Super-small production (59 cases in 2014) from vines planted in the 1890s, on a 60-degree slope “only a jackass would farm,” this wine sells for $150 on the open market. Without knowing the secret handshake, you won’t find it. If you do, drop to your knees and thank Bacchus for your taste of Sonoma winemaking history. martinelliwinery.com (Courtesy photo)
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Kistler Vineyards Cuvée Cathleen Sonoma Valley Chardonnay: Kistler has long been an icon producer of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, commanding high prices long before Sonoma was recognized as a superior-quality winegrowing region. Cuvée Cathleen is boldly flavored, potent and sumptuous, with oak-tinged apple and pear fruit. It sells for $150 or more on the market, if you can find it. kistlervineyards.com (Courtesy photo)
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Rochioli Vineyards & Winery West Block Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Grower Joe Rochioli and his winemaking son, Tom Rochioli, have been major players in establishing Russian River Valley’s reputation for high-end Pinot Noir production. They sell their grapes to others, yet keep some of the good stuff — particularly the West Block grapes — for their own wines. West Block is loaded with juicy blackberry and black cherry fruit, with bright acidity and structure to improve with time in bottle. Prices start at $150. rochioliwinery.com (Courtesy photo)
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Flanagan Wines Platt Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir: Platt Vineyard, west of Sebastopol near Freestone, is owned by Eric Flanagan-led Russian River Partners. Former proprietors Lou and Joan Platt sold grapes to the likes of Littorai, Ramey and Red Car, and while Flanagan’s group continues to sell fruit to others, it also cherry-picks for Flanagan Wines. The 2015 Flanagan Platt Pinot is precise, profound and ethereal. Less than 100 cases were produced from this inaugural Flanagan vintage, at $115 per bottle. Get on the list. Now. flanaganwines.com (The Flanagan family, courtesy photo)
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Verité La Muse Sonoma County: The late Jess Jackson brought Bordeaux winemaker Pierre Seillan to Sonoma to produce the Verité wines and there are three, each priced at approximately $400 a bottle. La Muse is predominantly Merlot, and the 2013 vintage of the wine earned a perfect 100 points from influential critic Robert M. Parker Jr. It’s boldly flavored and beautifully layered, with lavish oak spice adding to the precise balance and texture. veritewines.com (Photo from Facebook)
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Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir: Burt Williams and Ed Selyem sold their legendary brand in 1998, to New Yorker John Dyson. Dyson has maintained the Williams Selyem style of Pinot Noir — the wines are now made by Jeff Mangahas — emphasizing floral aromas, bright acidity and vibrant fruit. Whereas most Williams Selyem Pinots come from purchased grapes, this estate Pinot Noir, at $105, is the jewel in the Dyson crown, offering dark cherry, plum, anise, citrus and herb character on the generous, juicy palate. williamsselyem.com
