varietal character index

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A taste of Livermore Valley

Livermore Valley
The New Old Livermore Valley By Laura Ness

J Vineyards and Winery

Russian River Valley
THE ABCS of J By Rosina T. Wilson

Circa Estate in Michigan

Leelanau Peninsula
Circa Estate Winery Attempts Timelessness By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Colorado
Colorado Wines - High Altitude, High Expectations By Dan Berger

Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Iron Horse: Everything Old is New Again.

Really. By Dan Berger

Hamptons Long Island AVA

Hamptons Long Island
So Many Grapes, So Little Land to Grow Them On By Roger Morris

Nicholson Ranch in Sonoma Valley

Sonoma Valley
Nicholson Ranch: A Marriage of Three Sonoma Appellations By Rosina T. Wilson

Russian River Chardonnay

Russian River Valley
Russian River Valley Chardonnay Gets Its Dew By Dan Berger

Littorai Wines' Ted Lemon

Sonoma Coast
Burgundy And Biodynamics:
Ted Lemon Of Littorai Wines By Rosina T. Wilson

Pennsylvania
Fast-Growing Brandywine Valley
Searches for Terroir-torial Identity By Roger Morris

Lemon Creek Winery in Lake Michigan Shore AVA

Lake Michigan Shore
No Citrus But Loads of Intriguing Wines at Lemon Creek Winery By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Freestone Vineyards by Joseph Phelps

Sonoma County
A Napa Valley Winery Puts a Sonoma County Winery on the Map By Dan Berger

Gainey Vineyard

Santa Ynez Valley
Gainey Vineyard
Runs Hot and Cold* By Dennis Schaefer

Contessa Wine Cellars

Lake Michigan Shore
Contessa Wine Cellars:
Where Hybrid Grapes are King By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Hestan Vineyards

Napa Valley
Hestan Vineyards Is Off the Beaten Track but Its Grapes
are Right on Course By Alan Goldfarb

Round Barn Winery in Michigan

Lake Michigan Shore
Round Barn Winery’s
World is Not Flat By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Kiona Vineyards

Red Mountain
Kiona Vineyards
John Williams boldly went where no one had gone before. By Anne Sampson

King Ferry Winery Treleaven Wines

Cayuga Lake
King Ferry Winery:
The Sweet Spot for Dry Wines By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Gallo of Sonoma wants to expand the Russian River Valley AVA

Russian River Valley
Gallo Wants a Russian River
Valley AVA Expansion By Dan Berger

Wolf Mountain Winery in Georgia

Georgia
Georgia Gold Country is Now Golden for Wine By Gregory McCluney

Auxerrois on the Leelanau Peninsula

Leelanau Peninsula
Auxerrois has found its best home By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Monterey
Monterey Hones Its Identity By Laurie Daniel

Santa Lucia Highlands
Santa Lucia Highlands Vintners Carve Out Artisan Niche In Monterey By Laurie Daniel

2 Lads Winery in Michigan

Old Mission Peninsula
2 Lads Winery's Success
is 2 Good to be True By Eleanor & Ray Heald

GustavoThrace Winery

Napa Valley
Bottle Shocked:
Uncorking the Real Gustavo Brambila By Alan Goldfarb

The great white lie: white wine is only for sissies

America
The Great White Lie:
White Wine is Only for Sissies By Alan Goldfarb

Canada & Virginia: Quietly Achieving Greatness

Canada
Canada and Virginia: Quietly Achieving Greatness By Dan Berger

Prince Edward County Wineries Achieve Finesse and Flavor with Low Alcohol Wines

Prince Edward County
Prince Edward County Wineries Achieve Finesse and Flavor
with Low Alcohol Wines By Craig Pinhey

Bonterra Vineyards winemaker Bob Blue

Mendocino
Bonterra Vineyards: Ground Zero
for Organic Grapegrowing By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Josh Jensen's Calera Wine Company

Mount Harlan
A Conversation With Josh Jensen:
The Original ‘Soilest’ By Alan Goldfarb

Ozark Highlands
A Wine Rite-of-Passage
in the Ozark Highlands By Tim Pingelton

Mountains of Difference

Napa Valley
Napa Valley High:
Mountains of Difference By Roger Dial

August Briggs wines

St. Helena ~ Napa Valley
August Briggs: It’s both the winemaker and the vineyard By Alan Goldfarb

Klipsun Vineyard

Red Mountain
The Sun Shines Bright
On Klipsun Vineyard By Anne Sampson

Cherry Creek Cellars

Michigan
Cherry Creek Cellars Sees
Green in Its Red Wines By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Benjamin Bridge in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia
A Bridge Not Too Far By Craig Pinhey

Wente Vineyards' Karl Wente

Livermore Valley
Taking Wente Vineyards to the Nth Degree By Laura Ness

Firestone Estate Vineyard

Santa Ynez Valley
How Firestone's Winemaker
Kevin Willenborg Tamed
Its Wild Frontier By Dennis Schaefer

New Mexico wineries

New Mexico
Bringing the people to the wine:
How New Mexico connects wines, tourism and its unique cuisine By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Robert Mondavi Winery update

Oakville ~ Napa Valley
How Robert Mondavi Winery
Maintains Its Original Vision By Alan Goldfarb

Thomas Fogarty Winery

Santa Cruz Mountains
Winemaker Michael Martella:
The Soul of Thomas Fogarty Winery By Laura Ness

Diamond Mountain District ~ Napa Valley
Diamond Mountain: A gem of a place By Alan Goldfarb

Sanford and Benedict Vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills AVA

Sta. Rita Hills
The Pursuit of Perfection:
The Evolution of
Sanford and Benedict Vineyard By Dennis Schaefer

Calera Wine Company

Mount Harlan
The Limestone Chronicles:
How Josh Jensen Mines
His Coveted Pinot Noir By Laurie Daniel

Inniskillin Ice Wine

Ontario
Kings of the "Ice":
Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser By Tony Aspler

Childress Vineyards in the Yadkin Valley, North Carolina

Yadkin Valley
Recipe for Wine Success:
Take One Nascar Driver,
Add a Winemaker from Long Island,
Mix Well By Barbara Ensrud

Global Climate Change

America
As the Climate Changes
So Does Our Wine By Dan Berger

Spring Mountain District

Spring Mountain District ~ Napa Valley
The folks on Spring Mountain
‘have to know what they’re doing’ By Alan Goldfarb

Cambria Winery and Vineyards

Santa Maria Valley
Cambria Winery – It All Comes
Back to Terroir By Michael Lasky

Rutherford ~ Napa Valley
A Tale of Four Vineyards Gets Under the "Dust" in Rutherford By Alan Goldfarb

Old Mission Peninsula
Bowers Harbor: The Focused Evolution of a Michigan Vineyard By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Golden Mile Winery

Okanagan Valley
Michael Bartier is
The Okanagan Mixmaster By John Schreiner

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
Oak Knoll District:
Where Merlot Gets the Vote by Default By Alan Goldfarb

Sutter Home Victorian on Highway 29

Napa Valley
Trinchero Napa Valley Uses White Zinfandel Profits to Make Top Tier Wines By Alan Goldfarb

Pam Starr is the real Starr.

St. Helena ~ Napa Valley
The Real Starr of Napa Valley By Alan Goldfarb

Zaca Mesa Winery and Vineyards

Santa Ynez Valley
Clay Brock is on Top of the World...
er, the Mesa By Dennis Schaefer

Atlas Peak has three unique growing regions

Atlas Peak ~ Napa Valley
The Three Facets of Atlas Peak By Alan Goldfarb

An interview with Bernard Griffin winemaker Rob Griffin

Washington
Washington State Grapes
+ Winemaker Rob Griffin
= A Brilliant, Expanding Future By Anne Sampson

Martin Ranch Cab makes music.

Santa Cruz Mountains
Tango in the Vineyard - The Love Affair of Martin Ranch By Laura Ness

Wild Horse Valley is in Napa Valley...sort of

Wild Horse Valley ~ Napa Valley
The Siberia of the Napa Valley
Has Wild Horse Valley’s Time Come? By Alan Goldfarb

Carneros is the sweet spot for Pinot and Chardonnay.

Carneros ~ Los Carneros
Carneros AVA -- The Sweet Spot
for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay By Alan Goldfarb

Welcome to Napa Valley

Napa Valley
Pop Quiz: Do appellation differences exist in the Napa Valley? By Alan Goldfarb

Mission Hill Winery markets new labels.

British Columbia
Mission Hill Has High Prospects
with New Brands By John Schreiner

Welcome to Shady Lane Cellars.

Leelanau Peninsula
Unique Terroir Dynamics Define
Shady Lane Cellars Wine By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Some Like it Hot

America
Some Like It Hot By Clark Smith

The caves at Del Dotto Vineyards & Winery

St. Helena ~ Napa Valley
Gerard Zanzonico’s Winemaking Adventures in Xanadu By Alan Goldfarb

An interview with Alpha Omega's winemaker Jean Hoefliger

Rutherford ~ Napa Valley
When Mr. Natural Meets Dr. Blender
You are at Alpha Omega By Alan Goldfarb

Chardonnay has been the white wine king. Can it stay that way.

Chalone
Want Classic Chardonnay?
Michael Michaud Still Makes It That Way By Alan Goldfarb

Gray Monk Cellars' business continues to grow and so must its buildings.

Okanagan Valley
Gray Monk Estate –
Winery as Terroir By John Schreiner

Cask 23 is just one of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet labels.

Stags Leap District ~ Napa Valley
Why Warren Winiarski sold Stag’s Leap:
“I wasn’t going to live forever.” By Alan Goldfarb

Hess Select - Just Say No

Mount Veeder ~ Napa Valley
THE HESS ULTIMATUM By Alan Goldfarb

Big does not necessarily mean less wimpy.

America
The Paradox of Unwimpy Wines:
Why Less is More By Dan Berger

Leo McCloskey talks about how wineries get high wine scores.

California
Leo McCloskey is against wine scores... By Alan Goldfarb

The Renaissance (Winery) in North Yuba AVA

North Yuba
The "Renaissance" of the
Sierra Foothills’ North Yuba AVA By Jean Deitz Sexton

Christian Roguenant

Edna Valley
The Master of Edna Valley
An Interview with Christian Roguenant By Laurie Daniel

Dan Aykroyd's new career as wine-meister.

Niagara Peninsula
The Blues Brother Drinks Red and White:
Dan Aykroyd Builds a Canadian Winery By Tony Aspler

The Niagara Escarpment can be seen at the top of the photo.

Niagara Escarpment (NY)
Arrowhead Spring Vineyard:
Winemaking Where the Niagara Falls By Lenn Thompson

York Mountain AVA is a small AVA to the west of Paso Robles.

York Mountain
What’s Up on York Mountain? By Laurie Daniel

Charles Krug Winery has made big changes as it reinvents itself.

Napa Valley
The Fall and Rise of Charles Krug Winery By Alan Goldfarb

Tony Baldini in his 'workroom' at Trefethen Vineyards.

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
Napa Valley Pioneers
Tony Baldini, Vineyard Genius By Alan Goldfarb

An esteemed panel tastes Virginia wines but not under the gun.

Virginia
Virginia Wines Wow the Brits By Barbara Ensrud

Altus
Post Familie Winery – Standard Bearer for Arkansas Wine By Tim Pingelton

Welcome to Arkansas Wine Country

Altus
An Introduction to Arkansas Wine:
Diamonds in the Mountains of Altus By Tim Pingelton

Trademarking a vineyard to protect its name and reputation.

Carneros ~ Los Carneros
Trademarked Vineyards
A hedge against the devaluation
of “Vineyard Designates” By Alan Goldfarb

Monterey County is where Chardonnay is king

Monterey
Monterey – Where Chardonnay is King By Laurie Daniel

An interview with Doug Meador, Meador Estate winery

Arroyo Seco
Doug Meador is convinced:
Monterey is one of the world’s great wine areas. By Laurie Daniel

An interview with Ray Signorello Jr. of Signorello Vineyards

Napa Valley
Signorello Vineyards: No Sub-AVA, No Problem By Alan Goldfarb

An interview with Cooper Garrod Estate's Bill Cooper

Santa Cruz Mountains
Steward of the Terroir:
Cooper-Garrod's Bill Cooper By Laura Ness

Highland Estates wines are KJ's AVA designated wines.

California
KJ Takes the "High" Road:
Consumers' Terroir Education with Highland Estates Wines By Alan Goldfarb

Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley in Sonoma Valley AVA

Sonoma Valley
Two Little Known Sub-Appellations
Reveal the Diversity of Sonoma Valley By Dan Berger

The Snake River Valley is the first separate AVA in Idaho.

Snake River Valley
Snake River Valley Appellation a First for Idaho By Cole Danehower

The story of a one of a kind vineyard and its success.

Santa Maria Valley
My, has the Bien Nacido Vineyard come a long way in three decades. By Dan Berger

Bien Nacido Vineyard's custom farming is like white glove service.

Santa Maria Valley
Bien Nacido: The Vineyard is the Brand By Dennis Schaefer

Valley View Cabernet is made from grapes grown in nearby Rogue Valley.

Applegate Valley
One of the Oldest Wineries in the Southern Oregon AVA Has Some New Ideas By Cole Danehower

The Chalone AVA's terroir lends itself to age worthy wines.

Chalone
Chaloneage: Monterey County’s Chalone AVA shows a propensity for longevity By Laurie Daniel

Joie Rielsing is made in a dry German style.

Okanagan Valley
The Stereophonic Winemaking Couple
Behind Naramata’s Joie Wines By John Schreiner

Esterlina Vineyards in the Cole Ranch AVA

Cole Ranch
The Tiniest Appellation in the US:
Diversity in the Cole Ranch AVA By Laura Ness

Zinman is Perry Creek's most popular wine.

Fair Play
Perry Creek Adjusts Focus:
New Owners Change Winery's Direction By Jean Deitz Sexton

Bryon Winery has had numerous owners but the wine quality remained strong.

Santa Maria Valley
Byron Vineyard and Winery:
Perseverance Pays Off By Dennis Schaefer

Fenn Valley Vineyards - Fennville AVA, Michigan

Fennville
Fenn Valley Vineyards
Maximizes the Lake Effect By Eleanor & Ray Heald

Interview with Jason Melvin, vineyard manager for Estancia

Monterey
Estancia: The “Pinnacles” of Success By Laurie Daniel

Remi Cohen is the vineyard manager for Merryvale Vineyards.

Napa Valley
Merryvale’s Vineyard Guru Remi Cohen – She’s Young and Good* By Alan Goldfarb

Nick Nardolillo has had his hands in everything.

Livermore Valley
As the Crane Flies
An Interview with Nick Nardolillo
of White Crane Winery By Laura Ness

The shaly loam beneath Lockwood Vineyard defines it.

San Lucas
Lockwood Vineyard – Wine on the Rocks By Laurie Daniel

The harsh winds of Arroyo Seco.

Arroyo Seco
Three decades defining the Arroyo Seco appellation: An interview with Jerry Lohr By Laurie Daniel

Peter Luthi precise knowledge of terroir of Trefethen

Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
A Precise and Intimate Knowledge of the Oak Knoll District: An interview with Peter Luthi By Alan Goldfarb

Matt Oetinger maintains the famed Vanumanutagi Vineyard

Santa Cruz Mountains
Understanding the Terroir of the Santa Cruz Mountains: An interview with Fernwood Cellars' Matt Oetinger By Laura Ness

Featured Chardonnay

Battaglini Estate Winery 2002 Chardonnay Reserve, Estate (Russian River Valley)
Deftly balanced; this wine combines fresh lemon and stone fruit aromas with a light touch of oak.

buy wine

$22.00

Okanogan Estate & Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay Ice Wine, Orchard Hills Vineyard (Washington)
Golden raisins and ripe orchard fruit that leads into flavors of dried tropical fruit and candied pineapple and hints of clover honey.

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Latest Chardonnay Recommendations (Reviews)

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