A Return Engagement

Even if Sonoma had terrible wine, rotten weather, bad food, and lousy accommodations, it would hold a special place in our heart…it’s where we got engaged 11 years ago. Under the gazebo in Healdsburg center, to be exact.

So we made Healdsburg our home base for this summer’s VinoDuo tour de California. Since our last trip Healdsburg has morphed from a sweet, laid-back town into a chi-chi tourism destination filled with five-star boutique hotels, five-star restaurants, and umpteen cute shops.  Big bucks, all. One thing hasn’t changed—Healdsburg is one sweet base camp for a four-day tour of Sonoma county wineries in the Alexander, Russian River, and Dry Creek appellations.

Cut to the Chase – Wines We Loved

If you're not interested in the travelogue and just want the  scoop on which wines to buy, here's a sneak-peak of the best stuff. For the full list of what we tasted and bought, keep reading.

Whites

Let’s dispense with the whites quickly—most were a disappointment. The Sauvignon Blancs were thin and watery (except for the spectacular Hanna, which was just cited by Wine & Spirits magazine as one of the top 6 SB’s in the US). The Chardonnays were either too oaky, creamy, or expensive.

We added just two bottles of white to our cellar:
•    Hanna Winery – Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley (2006)     $17
•    Williamson Wines – Chardonnay, Estate (2004)                            $28


Reds
Sonoma is big red country. We could have spent a month visiting the hundreds of wineries in the region and tasting nothing but Cab, Zin, and Pinot. Alas, we had but four days and narrowed our tastings to the smaller, family-owned wineries, where we were well rewarded.

PINOT NOIR
•    Balletto, 2006                                                       $24
•    Pedroncelli, Olivet Lane Estate (2005)                    $30

ZiINFANDEL
•    Pedroncelli, Mother Clone Zinfandel (2004)            $14
•    Pellegrini Russian River (2005)                              $24
•    Wilson Winery, Sawyer Vineyard (2005)                $32
•    Wilson Winery, Tori Vineyard, (2005)                     $32
•    Mauritson, Jack’s Cabin  – Rockpile (2005)             $35

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
•    Pellegrini, Cloverdale Ranch (2004)                        $24
•    Mauritson – Sonoma County (2004)                      $31
•    Wilson Winery, Reserve (1996)                              $32
•    Williamson, Amitie (2004)                                      $57

DESSERT
•    Pedroncelli Vintage Port (2002)                              $16
•    Mauritson, Independence Port – Rockpile (2005)    $30
•    Wilson Winery Late Harvest Zinfandel (2004)         $25

MISC (Blends, Rosé, Merlot)
•    Pedroncelli Zinfandel Rose (2006)                           $10
•    Pellegrini Merlot, Cloverdale Ranch (2004)               $22
•    Williamson Cuvee, Menage (2003)                          $42
•    Williamson Meritage, Rouge Amoureaux (2004)       $47

Where We Stayed

RioVino (vacation rental)

Boy did we luck out with this place.  By the time we decided to stay in Healdsburg for our trip all of the hotels were sold out, so we searched online for a vacation rental and hit pay-dirt. RioVino has two sizeable bedrooms, gourmet kitchen, delightful deck with gas grill, and comfortable living room with flat-screen TV. 

Located hard by the Russian River on a winding mountain road, RioVino was quiet and secluded but just 2 miles from downtown Healdsburg. Our morning walks along the river road were a delight…and the river was so clean we could see steelhead and trout cavorting in it.

At $250 a night, it was equal in price to the fancy hotels but offered so much more (except housekeeping!)

Where We Ate

Bistro Ralph
109 Plaza St, Healdsburg
(707) 433-1380


Chef extraordinaire Charlie Palmer opened an outpost in Healdsburg—Dry Creek Kitchen—in 2001 and two refugees from Restaurant Gary Danko in San Francisco followed suit in 2005 with Cyrus. The latter received accolades from Food & Wine, Esquire, and Wine Spectator and immediately claimed bragging rights as the best restaurant in California wine country.

Cyrus’ three-course prix fixe dinner menu starts at $75, wine most definitely not included. Dry Creek’s entrees average $34. And while it was our 10th anniversary, we shrank from those prices. So for our big night out, VinoDuo returned to the scene of the crime—Bistro Ralph on the plaza in Healdsburg. It was after enjoying a memorable meal at this small chef-owned restaurant 11 years ago that VinoUno became a Duo following a proposal under the gazebo in the plaza.

So back to Bistro Ralph we went, hoping that the shop-worn phrase “You Can’t Go Home Again” wouldn’t apply. It didn’t. While Chef Ralph lacks the finesse of Charlie Palmer, and his menus will never wine prizes for daring or originality, the experience was memorable.

Seated near the open kitchen with a birds-eye view of the action, we felt like locals in the know (although a little cramped in our table for two.)  The fabulous rolls, studded with caraway and brushed with olive oil, brought us instantly back to our fateful pre-engagement dinner.  In fact, we were so lost in reverie, we neglected to document what we hate and drank for dinner.  Bad VinoDuo. 

El Sombrero

Before Healdsburg became the Beverly Hills of Sonoma County it was home to a slew of taco joints.  A few survive, including El Sombrero, which a barista at the local café strongly recommended as a locals hangout. 

Even though we were leaving for Mexico the next day we had a hankering for tacos and refried beans. So we sought out El Sombrero on a side street off the Healdsburg plaza.  How they can afford the rent is a mystery, but they must do well churning out affordable food to the folks who can’t begin to afford Cyrus or the other chi-chi spots. 

As expected, the enchiladas and tacos were fresh and delicious. Prices were reasonable and service was non-existent—just walk up to the counter and place your order.

Where We Tasted (the best are starred)

The viticultural map of Sonoma County is large enough to scare even the most intrepid wine traveler. With 13 AVA’s (American Viticultural Area,) 250+ wineries, and almost 65,000 acres of vineyards, Sonoma is best experienced a few “chunks” at a time.  On this trip, we concentrated on three towns—Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, and Geyserville—whose wineries cross appellations.

•    Balletto
•    DeLoach
•    Hanna Winery*
•    Lynmar
•    Maurtison Wines*
•    Murphy-Goode
•    Pedroncelli*
•    Pellegrini Family Winery*
•    Robert Young Estate Winery
•    Rosso & Bianco
•    Seghesio Family Winery
•    Williamson*
•    Wilson Winery*


Balletto Vineyards
The Balletto family started out as vegetable growers but converted their fields to vineyards when farming grew less profitable. The first vintage was released in 2001. Today Balletto grows 100 acres of Chardonnay, 60 acres of Pinot Noir, and 5 acres of Pinot Gris, selling most of their grapes to other producers. With the small yields they keep for themselves, Balletto produces a handful of good, but not great, wines.

Tasting Room Ratings

Balletto shares its tasting room with another family-owned winery, Dutton-Goldfield. Housed in a semi-industrial setting in Santa Rosa, the winery boasts a welcoming, if cold, slate patio with pergola and a stylish tasting bar.

Atmosphere:             6
People/attitude:         7
People/knowledge:    5
Palate cleansers:     crackers
Any free goodies?    No

What We tasted
•    2005 Pinot Gris — eau de wet dog
•    2004 Chardonnay — thin, uninteresting (like Lindsay Lohan?)
•    2006 Pinot Noir — a lovely, light Pinot
•    2005 Syrah — more like a French or Australian style
•    2005 Zinfandel — thin for a Zin; not as smoky as usual

What We Bought
•    1 bottle of Pinot (2006)    $24

DeLoach

You know you’re in trouble when VinoDuo marks the offerings named “OFS” (Our Finest Selections) as “unremarkable.”  It begs the question, “If that’s your finest, how will we rate the rest of the tastings?” The answer—“Just ok; not impressive; and hot.” Ouch!

Frankly, we were surprised.  We’ve always found DeLoach’s Zin a reliable pour (calling it, like a million other people, DeLish.) But this mega-producer didn’t come close to the quality of the smaller wineries we visited.

Tasted: 6        Bought: 0


Hanna Winery
This family-owned winery was founded in 1985 by Syrian immigrant Dr. Elias Hanna. Today, his daughter Christine runs the company as a 100% estate winery with 250+ planted acres in three Sonoma appellations. Hanna’s current production is 40,000 cases.



Tasting Room Ratings
Hanna has two tasting rooms, one in Healdsburg, the other in Santa Rosa. We stopped by the Santa Rosa facility and had a wonderful visit. The grounds are immaculately kept, with stylish plantings, fountain, and welcoming patio for sitting and sipping.

Atmosphere:             10
People/attitude:        10  (kudos to Mary Hilt—friendly, knowledgeable, helpful)
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       crackers
Any free goodies?      No

What We tasted
•    2006 Sauvignon Blanc — a winner—declared so by VinoDuo before Wine & Spirits magazine gave it a 93 in its
      August issue. As close to a New Zealand SB as Lisa has ever found in California. Perfect balance of citrus and
      herbs; clean and fresh.
•    2006 Jasmine Rosé — thin and bland
•    2005 Pinot Noir —
•    2002 Two Ranch Red — hot, soapy; not well balanced
•    2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County) — delicious, very fruit forward
•    2000 Bismark Ranch Noir  — A stunning blend of Cab Franc, Malbec, and other varietals; Lisa’s favorite but at $50,
      we took a pass
•    2002 Bismark Zinfandel  — phenomenal aroma of berries, chocolate, and spice; big, heavy Zin but at $51 a little
      too rich for our blood

What We Bought
•    2 bottles of Sauvignon Blanc  ($17)


Lynmar Winery
Like Balletto, Lynmar’s proprietors started out as grape growers for other producers, focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  In 1990, the Fritz family launched its own winery; today it produces 9600 cases of Chard, Pinot, Syrah, and Rosé from its Quail Hill, Russian River, and Laguna Ridge vineyards.

Tasting Room Ratings
One of the most attractive settings we’ve seen—spectacular grounds, lovely plantings; rock garden with water feature; lounging areas and great music.

Atmosphere:          10
People/attitude:      10 
People/knowledge:  10
Palate cleansers:     No
Any free goodies?    No

What We tasted
•    2005 Russian River Chardonnay
•    2004 Estate Quail Hill Chardonnay —marvelous, crisp
•    Russian River Valley Pinot – wonderful; this is a Pinot to love
•    2002 Two Ranch Red — hot, soapy; not well balanced
•    2003 Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County) — delicious, very fruit forward

What We Bought
•    1 bottle of Pinot ($36)


Mauritson Wines
We fell in love with Mauritson Wines.  Maybe it was the charming Adirondack chairs gracing the front of the winery. Or the funky music playing in the tasting room and the notable absence of for-sale paraphernalia.  But probably it was Carrie Mauritson, tasting room manager and wife of winemaker Clay Mauritson. Gracious but not cloying. Informative but not snobby. She had us at “hello.” Oh yeah, the wine is great too.

Clay Mauritson is a sixth-generation grape grower. He still grows most of his grapes for other producers, keeping 20% (about 9,000 cases annually) for his own label.



Tasting Room Ratings
Someone with great taste and style designed this room. From the copper bar to the stools to the paint on the walls, it was a delight.

Atmosphere:             10
People/attitude:        10 
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?      No

What We Tasted
•    2006 Sauvignon Blanc — Typical CA SB; lacks grassy, mineral flavor
•    2004 Cabernet Sauvignon — 3rd vintage; not quite there; vanilla, cassis, and tobacco on the nose; soft but lots of  
                                                  promise
•    2005 Mauritson Zinfandel — A classy, classic Zin; very food friendly; balanced, with pepper and blackberry flavors
•    2005 Rockpile Jack’s Cabin Vineyard Zin — A winner; fruit forward, stylish. Raspberry/plum/cherry concentrated on
                                                                      the nose with hints of vanilla and leather
•    2005 Rockpile Westphall Ridge Zin — Less successful; harsh and minerally; more of a French Cab in style
•    2005 Rockpile Independence Port — Carrie suggested cellaring this for five years, but we don’t think Gary has the
                                                             patience to wait that long for this super Portuguese-style Port made with five
                                                             varietals

What We Bought
•    1 Jack’s Cabin Zin    $35
•    1 Cab                      $31
•    1 Port                      $30



Murphy-Goode

If we’d been paying attention and knew Kendall Jackson bought MG a year ago we would have skipped it all together. We missed that bit of news, though, and have always regarded the winery’s Chard and Fume Blanc to be among the best of moderately priced wines.

We can’t be sure if our bad experience is related to the new ownership, but our visit was a disappointment.  “At least it was free” is the best notation from our tasting sheet. Some of the other scribbles read “boring,” “not cohesive,” and “hot.”

Tasted: 6    Bought:    0


Pellegrini and Pedroncelli
We were fortunate to have private tours and lengthy interviews with owners of each of these fine, long-lived Sonoma wineries.  We have so much to report we’ve created a separate posting for the “P’s,” as we came to call them.

Click here for the full story on Pellegrini Family Winery and Pedroncelli.


Robert Young Estate Winery
We wanted to love Robert Young Estate. Small, boutique producer of 5-7,000 cases a year.  A sign on the wall with a photo of Marcus Welby that reads “No, not that Robert Young.” And an elegant tasting room on beautifully manicured lawns adjacent to a charming private home.

Unfortunately, the wines they chose for the tasting were not quite ready and needed a good two-three years to reach their (possible) potential. Since we were unfamiliar with their wines and not sure the $60 investment (for the 2001 Scion Bordeaux) would be worth it, we passed.  With the glut of quality wine on the world market, we felt these bottles were at least $10 overpriced.  Since Robert Young sells most of its wine to wine club members, I’m sure our opinion is irrelevant.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:               6
People/attitude:         10 
People/knowledge:     10
Palate cleansers:        No
Any free goodies?       No

What We Tasted
•    2004 and 2005 Chardonnays
•    2001 Scion
•    2003 Scion

What We Bought
Nothing


Rosso Blanco
On a hot summer’s day there were more cars in the parking lot than at all the other wineries we visited combined.  That’s because signs throughout Geyserville point star-struck tourists to “Francis Ford Coppola’s New Winery.” The name Rosso & Bianco was just selected, but we wonder if Coppola will balk at changing the sign names.  After all, his image, and not the quality of the wines, is the draw here.

Formerly the home of the departed Chateau Souverain, Rosso & Bianco is a temple for worshipping at the altar of Francis (Like Madonna, only one name is needed here.) It’s a retail emporium brimming with Francis’ videos, posters, T-shirts, and scripts. It’s a café with recipes straight from his mama. And, oh yes, Rosso & Bianco sells wine.

With so much idol worshipping going on among the staff, it was hard to take the wine seriously.  And yet some of Coppola’s wines are quite good.  The Rosso & Bianco line of “every day wines” is uninteresting but drinkable. The higher-quality Director’s Cut and Diamond Collection impressed. We actually bought a bottle of the 2005 Reserve Sonoma Coast Pinot, a classy, classic wine.

We should qualify this review by admitting to be big Coppola fans. After wine, movies are our great pleasure and he is a master.  But too much ego got in the way at the winery and we’d be loath to return on our next visit to Sonoma.


Seghesio Family Vineyards
Another winery we wanted to love but found their wines not to our taste. Founded in 1895 and now run by a fifth generation owner, Seghesio had everything going for it. A beautiful, classic tasting bar; great jazz playing softly in the background; a wide-selection of Italian-style wines; and an extremely knowledgeable and engaging tasting room staff.

While the most of the wines—particularly their four Zin offerings—did not suit our palates, we are confident that Seghesio makes great wine and encourage others to visit the winery.



Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:             10
People/attitude:        10 
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?      No

What We Tasted
•    2006 Pinot Grigio
•    2006 Arneis (a Northern Italian varietal)
•    2005 Pinot Noir
•    2005 Barbera (includes four generations of vines grafted from Italy)
•    Zin flight (four offerings each from a different vineyard)


What We Bought
Nothing


Williamson Wines
On our last day in Healdsburg we wandered in to Williamson Wines’ tasting room, which skirts the plaza near the Oakville Grocery. Typically we avoid in-town tasting rooms, which, in Healdsburg, are dominated by big producers like Kendall-Jackson and La Crema. But we were feeling adventurous and in we went.

We were greeted by a pleasant Aussie who turned out to be Bill Williamson, who, with his wife Dawn, is the chief cooks and bottle washers. A former high-tech entrepreneur who clearly made boatloads of money both in Australia and later in Silicon Valley, Bill turned to winemaking in 2002.

Our impromptu visit turned into an hour-long tutorial on the art of winemaking, courtesy of Bill, who while fascinating and informative is also a little full of himself. But oh, what wine he makes. And what goodies he passes out with each pour.  For Lisa, whose tolerance for hunger is about five minutes, the free handouts alone were worth the trip.

Tasting Room Ratings
Atmosphere:           5
People/attitude:      10 (with a soupcon of bluster and ego) 
People/knowledge:  10
Palate cleansers:     Fantastic crackers
Any free goodies?    A smorgasbord of food, from cheese and cornichons to a chocolate brownie with the Merlot and
                              sharp cheddar with the Cab

What We Tasted
•    2004 Estate Chardonnay        Outstanding; nice balance of fruit and fullness with melon and pear flavors
•    2005 Estate Chardonnay        Also outstanding, but a more traditional full, butteryChard
•    2003 Reserve Estate Merlot    Ok, but not on the same level as the Cab or Chards
•    2004 Cabernet Sauvignon      Wonderful; Berries galore, silky smooth; Gary found it a bargain at $57, which is
                                                   much more than we generally spend
•    2004 Meritage                        A luscious mélange of five varietals, including Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Big
                                                   fruit; big flavor
•    2003 Cuvee                           Silky and luxurious; a well-made wine

What We Bought
•    2 2003 Cuvee             $42
•    2 2004 Meritage         $47
•    2 2004 Chardonnay    $28
•    2 2005 Chardonnay    $34
•    1 2004 Cabernet        $57


Wilson Winery
Wilson is everything a family-owned and managed winery should be. Warm and welcoming, with serious but accessible wine and a delightful winemaker who casually schmoozes customers. Diane Wilson and her husband Ken bought the winery and vineyard in 1982 and produced their first wines in 1994. Today total production is around 5,000 cases of largely Zin (80%), Cab, and Syrah. Each of the vineyards is named for one of Diane and Ken’s children, which would be cloying if she weren’t so engaging and the wine wasn’t so damn good.

Tasting Room Ratings
Nicely designed with a semi-industrial feel. The winery overlooks the vineyards; an inviting patio beckons with tables overlooking the vines and hills beyond.
Atmosphere:             10
People/attitude:        10 (Bravo to Shane)
People/knowledge:    10
Palate cleansers:       No
Any free goodies?      No

What We Tasted
•    2006 Blushing Flamingo (Merlot Rosé)    Not an auspicious beginning but also not typical of their wines.
•    1994 Reserve Cab (Sydney Vineyard)    This Library Selection had great coloration; caramel on the nose with a hint
                                                                 of cherry. Might be past its prime
•    1996 Reserve Cab (Sydney Vineyard)    A fabulous nose; deep berry flavor; definitely ready to drink now
•    2001 Reserve Cab (Sydney Vineyard)    More drinkable than its older siblings but less interesting
•    2002 Reserve Cab (Sydney Vineyard)    Gary noted a full nose with cassis and leather and found the flavor dry but
                                                                 full-bodied.  Lisa found it harsh.
•    2005 Old Vine Zin (Ellie’s Vineyard)        Blackberry and plum on the nose; a bit of leather/smoke with blackberry
•    2005 Zin (Sawyer Vineyard)                Fruit, fruit, and more fruit, with a hint of vanilla and smoke and a nice finish
•    2005 Zin (Tori Vineyard)                      A big Zin with pepper, spice, and tobacco
•    2004 Late Harvest Zin                        How could they miss?  A winner.


What We Bought
•    3 Sawyer Zin        $32
•    3 Tori Zin             $32
•    2 1996 Cab          $32
•    2 Late Harvest     $25