Tag: syrah

With each passing vintage, the wines of family-owned Cliff Creek Cellars attract national accolades that further confirm Vern Garvin’s excellent decision to build one more business at the age of 70.

In the early 1990s, Vern took ownership of a 100-year-old Rogue Valley farm dedicated to growing grasses and grazing cattle. He selected 15 acres for his first grapevine planting and broke ground in 1999, founding Sam’s Valley Vineyard, nestled in the foothills of the region’s majestic Table Rocks.

Sanger Family of Wines invites guests to fully savor the Mediterranean lifestyle as they discover three distinctive wine brands, all born on California’s Central Coast. In late 2013, Bill and Jan Sanger, proprietors of Marianello, welcomed Consilience and Tre Anelli into the Sanger Family of Wines—creating an exciting portfolio inspired by the wines of Italy, France, Spain, and Portugal. The releases from all three labels are under the direction of Winemaker Brett Escalera.

Cool climate winemaking may be in the blood of Mount Aukum Winery's new owner, Winemaker Michel Prod'hon. He was born in the village of Chaumont in the champagne region of France, and felt naturally drawn to Mount Aukum in the higher and cooler growing elevations of El Dorado county.

The high wheel bicycle is a fitting symbol for Dutcher Crossing Winery, not because its proprietor, Debra Mathy, is an avid cyclist, but because to ride it one must possess imagination, determination, and a good deal of skill.

For many years, Debra had dreamed of owning a winery. With the guidance of her father, a successful Wisconsin businessman, she spent years searching the world for the right one. He helped her narrow her search to St. Helena and Healdsburg, California, but then he passed away. Just a few months later, in early 2007, Debra had the opportunity to buy Dutcher Crossing Winery. Needless to say, the experience was bittersweet. She decided that her vintage high wheel bicycle, the last Christmas gift her father gave her, would serve as an icon for Dutcher Crossing Winery.

Three generations of family stand behind the wines of Cliff Creek Cellars. The family wine business started when the Garvin family bought a 100-year-old ranch in 1992 and broke ground seven years later for a vineyard in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. Today, Sam’s Valley Vineyard is planted to about 70 acres of grapes.

The vineyard, a composite of sandy Medford loam and volcanic ash, enjoys a great deal of sunshine and heat, and little rain. It provides a long growing season and a perfect incubator for Bordeaux and Rhône varieties.

When third-generation grape grower Jim Jacobsen sold his land in Fresno County and purchased the 40 acres that would become Doce Robles Winery’s vineyard in 1996, the Paso Robles, California wine industry was just getting underway. Jim planted Barbera, Zinfandel, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. As his vines matured, he worked alongside other winegrowers in the area. Jim fondly remembers those early days when he learned to make wine with his neighbors.