Russian River Valley

Sourced from High Valley in Lake County, the Brassfield Sauvignon Blanc vineyard is north of Napa at 1,800 feet above sea-level. It is one of the coolest sites in Lake County and helps the wines obtain nervier acidities. As for the winemaking: whole-cluster fermentation, no malolactic and a mix of stainless steel and oak barrels for fermentation, it’s then aged for two months on lees, in a mix of neutral oak, stainless steel and concrete egg. The resultant wine is almost Loire in style – fresh and chalky with a citrus core.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

This wine comes from the Alegria vineyard (in Sonoma County’s Russian River. Certified sustainable, the site has complex alluvial, gravelly loam, marine and volcanic soils. The gnarly head-trained vines range from 60 to 125 years old. The field blend is mostly Zinfandel (80 percent) with Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah, Sangiovese, Carignan, Trousseau, Petite Bouschet, Syrah, Beclan, Tannat, Peloursin, Graciano, Plavac Mali, Palomino, Monbadon. This undergoes a 20-day ferment and maceration before being aged in neutral oak barrels for 14 months. The resultant wine has dark, red-berried fruit with spiciness. The palate has voluptuous but structured tannins, with great freshness at its core.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

This Sauvignon comes from the well-known Ritchie vineyard. In the Russian River (Sonoma County), the site is a mix of sandy loam and volcanic soil with vines planted in 1972. After whole-cluster pressing, the juice is fermented in concrete eggs and spends eight months on lees, with some aged in neutral barre. It has an attractive phenolic grip with intense grapefruit, a herbal note and a mineral attack.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer

Tasting both the 2012 and 2013 vintages of Occidental’s Sonoma Coast Pinot was eye opening and this continues in the same vein. It is another real “wow” wine. Occidental is firmly at the top of our list for New World Pinots. Forget this as an “entry-level” wine, the Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir easily rivals top Premier Crus (and some Grand Crus) from Burgundy.

This is beautifully fragrant, with an abundance of fruit jumping out of the glass. It is rich yet restrained and superbly structured – the tannins melt seamlessly into the fruit. Give this a couple of years in the cellar and it will be a beauty. While arguably more famous for his Chardonnays, Steve Kistler appears to have the Midas touch when it comes to Pinot Noir. A must buy!

Richer than the 2012 but with the same orange blossom fragrance that seems to be the hallmark of this exceptional site. 19 months in French oak (26% new) adds creaminess to the fruit power. Hugely impressive considering the vines are quite young – you can see why David Ramey really rates this site. I’d give this a couple of years in the cellar to shed some of the youthful exuberance. I’ve been a follower of David’s wines for a number of years and the latest releases are right at the top of the tree. Drink 2019 to 2025+.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager