Carrying on the Tradition of Sonoma’s Boncora Biscotti
Boncora Biscotti continues on in Sonoma County, California after a daughter takes over the business
Tag: top 100 wines
Top 100 Wines: Zinfandel
Carlisle Winery & Vineyards 2013 Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley Zinfandel $46 Carlisle makes outstanding, ageworthy Zinfandels, sourcing from historic sites. Structured and elegant, this grand bottling is layered in coconut macaroon, vanilla and strawberry raspberry jam. Traces of violet and lavender are streaked in black pepper, ending in earthy dust. (VB) Dry Creek Vineyard […]
Top 100 Wines: Merlot
Chelsea Goldschmidt 2013 Alexander Valley Merlot $17 One of winemaker Nick Goldschmidt’s “Daughters” series and named for No. 2 daughter Chelsea, this Merlot is youthful and fresh-tasting, with savory tobacco, anise and barrel spice notes accenting the juicy red cherry and berry flavors. Good value. (LM) FrostWatch Vineyard & Winery 2012 Bennett Valley Merlot $32 […]
Top 100 Wines: Meet & Greet Theresa Heredia
She would have been a chemistry professor, if wine hadn’t gotten in the way. Theresa Heredia, winemaker at Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery, earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry, was a scientist focused on cancer related peptide research, and a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry at UC Davis. But her studies and enology-student colleagues led her […]
Top 100 Wines: Pinot Noir
Arista Winery 2013 Toboni Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir $45 From a 15-acre vineyard off Olivet Lane, this vineyard-designate shows off the talents of new winemaker Matthew Courtney and the longtime farming prowess of Mary and Joe Toboni, offering tight acidity and fine-grained tannins around a core of succulently exotic dark cherry, raspberry and […]
Top 100 Wines: Know Your Vintages
2011 It was a cool, wet and challenging growing season in Sonoma, yet experienced viticulturists and winemakers combined to produce excellent wines. But there were a lot fewer of them: Grape yields were down some 40 percent from normal, as growers removed unripe and rot-affected clusters so that the vines could focus their energy on […]
Top 100 Wines: Other Whites
Anaba Wines 2012 Turbine White Rhone Blend Sonoma Valley $28 A blend of near-equal parts Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and Picpoul Blanc, this is a juicy wine that tastes of anise, almond and caramelized oak, kept bright and light by a deftaccent of lemon zest. (VB) Donelan Family Wines 2013 Venus Roussanne-Viognier Sonoma County $48 […]
Unique Food Trends in Sonoma County
In the ever-frenetic world of modern restaurants, a chef is only as good as his last dish. Fickle diners get bored, and food trends move so quickly from fried chicken to kale that, increasingly, chefs are pushing limits to keep a buzz around their kitchen. It has become such a daily thought in menu planning […]
Top 100 Wines: Meet & Greet David Ramey
He’s produced wine at Simi, Matanzas Creek and Chalk Hill wineries, and Dominus and Rudd estates, all of which benefited from his experienced gained at the Moueix family’s famed Château Pétrus in Bordeaux, France. Yet David Ramey found his final winemaking home in Healdsburg, with Ramey Wine Cellars, where he produces spectacular Chardonnays from Russian […]
Top 100 Wines: Chardonnay
DeLoach Vineyards 2012 Ritchie Vineyard Middle Reach Russian River Valley Chardonnay $50 This wine from one of Russian River Valley’s star sites is rich and decadently creamy in vanilla and apple-crisp character, balanced by refreshing acidity and bright citrus and apple fruit. Oak plays a supporting role, adding depth and mouthfeel. (VB) Dutton-Goldfield Winery 2012 […]