Subtle sweet oak and spice complement the aromas and flavors of bright apple, tropical fruits, and spiced pear. This Chardonnay is both complex and user-friendly. It's delicious as an aperitif and is versatile at the table.
Gold Medal - 2007 Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine Competition
With Island Block Chardonnay we aim to produce a rich and broad yet balanced wine which we achieve through oak aging and malolactic fermentation. This wine spent ten months in 100% French oak barrels to add complexity and aromas of spice. Seventy percent also underwent malolactic fermentation which contributes notes of butter and gives it the creamy texture Island Block is known for.
Gold Medal - 2008 Sonoma County Harvest Fair
The combination of Minnesota oak and California Chardonnay make for a unique wine. Aromas of toasted nuts and baked apple mingle beautifully with the Chardonnay flavors of mango, orange zest and spiced pear.
The 2008 vintage boasts a citrus, tropical flavor profile, which results in glorious blend of texture, bright notes of grapefruit and hints of tangerine. It's a true family favorite. Enjoy.
This is not your run of the mill wimpy Merlot. It's sourced from bench and hillside vineyards, where the grapes struggle in character-building conditions. The result is more concentrated, intense fruit and, by extension, a more concentrated and intense wine. In it, you'll find blackberry, bay and thyme flavors combined with abundant and rich tannins, all on top of the signature soft, silky Merlot texture.
The addition of Petit Verdot gives this wine its depth, Merlot adds sweetness and Malbec contributes a hint of soft blueberry fruit. It's a wine that packs a punch, exhibiting flavors of blackberry, black cherry, bay and thyme with an oak profile of vanilla and toasted nuts. Its soft, rich tannins make it a very approachable wine that is ready to drink now but equally suitable for hanging onto for years.
Double Gold - 2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition
This silky wine has beautiful balance and structure, promising excellent aging potential. Rich and complex, the 2004 Sarah Block Cabernet Sauvignon fills the palate with bright flavors of black raspberry, cassis, violets and a hint of juniper.
The flavor profile of the 2004 Adams Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of ripe, dark berry fruit and black plums. The mouth-feel is plush, rich and deep, structured by a seamless tannin framework that provides backbone enhancing the smooth, supple texture. Aging for 16 months in French and American oak barrels, 73% new contributed flavors of mocha, caramel and vanilla.
Making a Cabernet Sauvignon from Ellis Ranch is practically a tradition for us, as this is the fourth single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon we've produced from this vineyard. Planted in 1983, this vineyard allows us to create a Cabernet Sauvignon reminiscent of the early California Cabs. With flavors of pepperwood, dark cherry and blackberry, this Cabernet is well-structured. It was aged for 22 months in French oak barrels.
This dark and bold Cabernet offers aromas of sweet oak and vanilla that lead to rich flavors of blackberry, bay and thyme. The palate is rich with soft abundant tannins that will be sure to please for many years to come. The rolling hills of the picturesque Terra a Lago vineyard are located off the southern benches of the Alexander Valley. The vineyard consistently yields the most concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon that we make.
Our 2005 vintage went through extended barrel aging (22 months) in 100% new French oak barrels. At the end of fermentation
we also put this wine through delestage, a winemaking process in which we drained the juice from the tank to remove the seeds, we left the cap on the bottom of the tank for a few hours and then returned the juice to the top of the tank. This process polishes and refines the wine's tannins for a palate pleasing flavor that can be enjoyed for years to come.
A concentrated mouthful of cocoa, black cherry and plum flavors. Silky smooth tannins, lasting finish and good weight. When we planted our Petit Verdot it was intended for blending purposes with our Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot programs; however, upon tasting it, we were so captivated we decided to produce a 100% Petit Verdot wine.
I had always wanted to plant Malbec both to have all five of the Bordeaux varietals and to have a chance to show-off Alexander Valley Malbec, so we went ahead and planted the vineyards on the hillsides of Murphy Ranch. What we received back is an elegant wine that is a true testament to the Alexander Valley. Spicy flavors of red cherry, strawberry and boysenberry are balanced out by sweet vanilla notes which are attributed to the 22 months this wine spent in barrel. - Winemaker David Ready Jr.
This harmonious wine offers aromas of blackberry, sweet vanilla ant thyme that lead to a rich palate with flavors of black cherry and fresh herbs. This proprietary blend of four Bordeaux varieties represents our flexible approach to creating the best wine from our greatest "winning hand" of grapes. The 2004 vintage of Wild Card Claret, fashioned from grapes grown primarily in the southern portion of Alexander Valley, is a seamless marriage of 53% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.
One of the Cellar's favorite pastimes after work is spending time together playing cards. Many an evening, egos have been built-up and then destroyed. Bragging after a major victory can last days, even weeks, while others are clambering for the next Hold 'Em Tournament to get even. It is in this spirit of fun and togetherness that we introduce "All In" is a blend of our top lots of Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
Our 2005 vintage is 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Terra A Lago vineyard in the Alexander Valley. This vineyard consistently yields the most concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon we produce and contributes structure and flavors of blackberry and thyme. Texture and red cherry sweetness come from the Merlot, which we source from benchland vineyards in the central Alexander Valley. The Petit Verdot comes from River Ranch vineyard which is one of our favorite blending vineyards because of the depth and color the fruit adds to our wines.
In Liar's Dice Zinfandel, we've created our most passionate wine - one that's so sweet and juicy, it'll leave you wanting more. Our 2006 vintage is a commbination of both Dry Creek and Alexander Valley fruit. The Dry Creek grapes contribute black raspberry and currants. The Alexander Valley fruit imparts rich, fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberry jam. Soft tannins perfectly balance the sweetness of the fruit. We blend 4% Carignan to add balance and structure to this well rounded Zinfandel.
Our 2005 Snake Eyes Zinfandel spent 20 months in French (68%) and American (32%) oak barrels and has flavors of black raspberry and blackberry jam. While the wine drinks great now, it also has strong tannins that make it suitable for aging. Every year we search for the best Zinfandel fruit that the Alexander Valley produces and that is what goes into our Snake Eyes Zinfandel. This year the honor has been bestowed upon Nancy Ellis Dalziel, the 5th generation owner of Ellis Ranch. This 70- year-old vineyard tends to be low yielding, with small clusters and berries that create a highly concentrated wine with rich color.
Four+ Stars/Excellent - Ronn Wiegand, Restaurant Wine, June 2008
Four Stars/Wine of the Week - Peg Melnik, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, July 2008
The 2005 Zinfandel "Box Cars" is a uniquely versatile wine. Fermented to 1.5% residual sugar, this Late Harvest is not a traditional dessert wine. Dried cherry, raspberry and red plum fruit complement a generous structure and enormous round texture. A classic with cheese, this wine will also complement dishes ranging from marbled beef to dark fruit reductions, blackberry tarts or dark chocolate desserts. For those who indulge, this is also a perfect wine to enjoy fireside with a great cigar.
The benchland and hillside vineyards on the eastern edge of the Alexander Valley give us pure flavors of wild blackberries, ripe plums and fresh herbs that make up the luscious core of this wine. Full and rich on the palate with soft, supple tannins, this is a classic Alexander Valley Cabernet.
89 Points - Wine & Spirits, December 2007
Inviting aromas of black cherry and thyme deliver a wine with rich flavors of blackberry jam, nutmeg and dark fruit. The addition of Cabernet Sauvignon (8%) and Petit Verdot (1%) add great complexity to this Merlot. The blend was aged in small oak cooperage to polish the soft tannins and complement the finish with a sweet toastiness.
Gold Medal - 2008 Jerry D. Mead's New World International Wine Competition
The flavor profile of the 2003 Adams Knoll Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of ripe, dark berry fruit and black plums. The mouth-feel is plush, rich and deep, structured by a seamless tannin framework that provides backbone enhancing the smooth, supple texture. Aging for 16 months in French and American oak barrels, 73% new contributed flavors of mocha, caramel and vanilla.
One of the Cellar's favorite pastimes after work is spending time together playing cards. Many an evening, egos have been built-up and then destroyed. Bragging after a major victory can last days, even weeks, while others are clambering for the next Hold 'Em Tournament to get even. It is in this spirit of fun and togetherness that we introduce "All In" is a blend of our top lots of Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.