Cakebread Cellars 2015 Two Creeks Vineyards Pinot Noir Over 30 years ago, Jack Cakebread came to photograph the Napa Valley for a book and while there, he casually mentioned his interest in one day owning a vineyard to some family friends who had a ranch in Rutherford. When he returned home that afternoon, the phone rang and it was the family friends offering to sell their property. He headed back up to the valley that same afternoon to make his best offer, and Cakebread Cellars was born. Today, the winery owns 13 sites totaling 982 acres, 460 of which are currently planted. The Cakebread Website is full of interesting information…
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Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rose Brut N.V. Founded in 1812, Laurent-Perrier has been crafting Champagnes for nearly two hundred years, making it one of the largest family owned brands. Located in the northeastern region of France, the Champagne region has one of the coolest possible wine producing climates, which is moderated by the Marne River and the region’s proximity to the ocean. Laurent-Perrier is based in the picturesque village of Tours-sur-Marne – an ideal location at the intersection between Champagne’s three foremost sub-regions: Montagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne and Côte des Blancs. The Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier is the most recognized rosé champagne in the world. It is also one…
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Anthill Farms Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015 Three guys crossed paths while working at Williams-Selyem in 2003 after a few years as cellar rats in California, Oregon, and Virginia, started Anthill Farms in 2004, making eight-and-a-half barrels of wine their first year. Today, they make eight single-vineyard Pinots and two appellation wines every year; depending on the vintage, they also produce a couple of Syrahs and a Chardonnay. Most of their wines are released to their mailing list members while a small amount of wine is released every year to restaurants and wine shops. The fruit for this Pinot comes from two of the coolest, most coastal parts of this…
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Browne Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Inspired by the greatness of one man, owner Andrew Brown’s Grandfather, William Bitner Browne, built the winery on standards of integrity and excellence. As a curator of the brightest talent, best vineyards and the divining rod of winning concepts at Precept Wine, where Andrew serves as its CEO, his groundbreaking feats across the wine industry carry through to his own family legacy in wine, Browne Family. Browne Family Vineyards was 15 years in the making before its first vintage ever debuted. Vineyards, winemakers and cellar masters committed to world-class wine production were carefully and deliberately selected to represent the best of the Columbia Valley…
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Miner Napa Valley Chardonnay 2014 Following a number of years spent working in the software industry, Dave Miner got his start in wine in 1993 as President of Oakville Ranch Vineyards, owned by his late uncle, Robert Miner. Having spent years as an enthusiastic wine consumer and collector, Dave had a natural affinity for the business. In 1998 Dave and Emily Miner, founded Miner Family Winery tucked along the eastern hills of the Oakville appellation in the heart of Napa Valley Aged for 10 Months, 30% New French Oak, sunshine yellow with full concentrated stone fruit aromas. On the palate crisp apple, melon and citrus flavors with gentle toasty oak…
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Nickel & Nickel 2012 Merlot Suscol Ranch Nickel & Nickel winery, located in Oakville, Napa Valley, produces 100 percent varietal, single-vineyard wines that express the distinct personality of each vineyard. Established by the partners of Far Niente in 1997, Nickel & Nickel is focused on producing single-vineyard wines from the appellation’s most significant vineyards. Construction of a cutting-edge winery facility housed within a vintage 1880s farmstead was completed in the summer of 2003, when the winery officially opened to the public. Merlot is often thought of as the little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon and the two varietals are frequently blended together. Yet, when grown in the right places, Merlot makes…
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David Bruce 2014 Sonoma County Pinot Noir The David Bruce Winery was founded in the remote Santa Cruz Mountains in the early 1960’s and was one of the first of a new generation of wineries that would lead a modern resurgence of premium winemaking in the region. David Bruce Winery has earned an international reputation throughout its nearly four decades for its dedication to producing the greatest pinot noir in the world. In pursuit of his goal, the winery has adhered to traditional European winemaking practices that trace their lineage back to the early pioneers of winemaking in the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley. David Bruce Winery has…
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Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 2014 In 1900, at age 13, Louis Martini emigrates from his native Genoa, Italy to the U.S., where he joins his father, a fisherman, in San Francisco. In 1906, Louis makes his first wine alongside his father, who wisely sends him back to Italy to hone his craft and study winemaking at the university in Alba (Piedmont). In 1911, Louis returns to CA where he makes his first martini wine. In 1922, Louis forms the L.M. Martini Grape Products Company, producing sacramental and medicinal wine in the Prohibition-era. In 1933, Louis puts down roots in Napa, one of the original 5 wineries founded…
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Merry Edwards 2013 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir One of California’s first woman winemakers, Merry Edwards began her career at Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in 1974. She went on to become the founding winemaker at Matanzas Creek in 1977 and remained there until 1984. In 1997, family and friends joined Merry to found Merry Edwards Winery, with a focus on producing Pinot Noirs with a sense of place from Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast. Living her dream, she and her husband, Ken Coopersmith, now manage five estate vineyards: Coopersmith, Cresta d’Oro, Flax, Georganne and Meredith. They maintain collaborative relationships with several other dedicated growers to supplement…
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Robert Stemmler Winside Vineyards Pinot Noir 2012 After making wine in his native Germany, Robert arrived in Napa Valley in 1961, working with the Mondavi brothers at Charles Krug Winery, then becoming winemaker at Sonoma County’s historic Simi Winery. In 1976, he opened Robert Stemmler Winery, and in 1982 released his first Pinot Noir to critical acclaim. Meanwhile, in 1981, Anne Moller-Racke arrived from Germany to work at the family’s Buena Vista Winery. They soon became friends. After promoting Pinot Noir nationwide, Robert retired in 1989, and the Racke family purchased his label. When Anne launched an “ultimate Pinot Noir project” at The Donum Estate in 2001, Stemmler wines…