Daunted by the winery list below (That yes, I had the wherewithal to print out in advance and research.) I attended the Family Winemakers of California Tasting 2011 for trade and media last month at the Pasadena convention center with some trepidation. And no, that sentence wasn’t as long as the tasting. Humph!
I limited my tastings to wineries with current releases that I hadn’t had and/or were new to me. And, I was done in a new record: 70 minutes! Brief notations are in bold below.
Stage Left
Spring Mountain
Spotted Owl
Sojourn – San Giacomo 09 Pinot Noir
Skipstone
Silver
Silkwood
Signorello – Cab
Sierra Madre
Siduri Novy
Carol Shelton – Karma Zin and the Coquelle Blanc
Shannon Ridge
Urban Legend
Van Ruiten
Vihuela
Villa Creek – Okay, so I just had to have it again to confirm I wanted to join the wine club.
Vino Noceto
Vinum
Wallis
Westerhold
William James
X Winery
ZD
ZOTOVICH
Terra Savia Organic
Tercero
Tantara
Tamayo Familly
Tablas Creek
Swanson
Summit Lake
Summerland
Stuhlmuller
Stone Edge Farm
Ca’ Momi
Cain
Calcareous
Calera
Canihan
Carlisle – Syrah
Carter
Casey Flat Ranch
Cass
Ceja
Corte Riva – Heart Oʼ the Mtn.
Hearthstone – Melville
Mercy – Scott Harvey
Shannon Ridge – Zotovich
Barr
B Cellars Napa
Audelssa – Summit Cab Reserve
Aubin /Verve
Arrowood
Arger-Martucci
Arbios /Praxis
Ancient Peaks
Ampelos
Amizetta
Ahnfeldt – Merlot. And their Pinot Grigio is currently at Roman Holiday Wine Lounge.
Cima Collina
Clavo
Clif
Clos Pepe
Coastview/Le P’tit Paysan
Cobblestone – Cab
Collier Falls
Conway
CORE
Corison
Cornerstone
ADS Wines – Cornerstone
Rocca
Rock Wall
Rosenthal/Surfrider
Rutherford
Saddleback – Nils (winemaker) Cab
San Joaquin
San Simeon
Santa Cruz Mountain
Saxon Brown – 06 Flora Ranch Syrah
Scott Harvey
Omega
Oakville Ranch
O’Shaughnessy – 06 Syrah and 07 Cab
Niner
Napa Angel/Star Angel
Muscardini
Monticello
Mi Sueno
Merryvale
Merry Edwards
Robinson
Mercy Vineyards
Mahoney
Maldonado
Manzoni
Marilyn Remark
Mario Bazan
Maroon
Mauritson
Mayacamas
McManis
Melville
J. Rickards
J & J Cellars
Inman
Hunt
hope & grace
Hook and Ladder
Hitching Post
Hidden Ridge
Hestan
Hendry
Lucchesi
Hearthstone
Grey Stack
Guarachi – Pinot Noir
Guilliams
HALL
Halter Ranch
Hamel
Handley
Hannah Nicole
Hanzell
Heart O’ The Mountain
Derby
Demetria
De Novo
Darms Lane
D’Anbino
Cypher
CruVin Dogs
CrU / Carmichael
Croze/Smith Wooton
Costa De Oro
Graziano
Corte Riva
Pietra Santa
Pisoni
Pope Valley
Pride Mountain
Quady
Rack Riddle / Nuestro Vino
Ramey
Random Ridge
Red Car
Robert Biale
Pezzi King
Peña Ridge / Godwin
PEJU
Patland – 07 and 08 Cabs
Parallel
Palmeri / TR Elliott
Pahlmeyer
P.B. Hein
Ortman
Orin Swift
Pierce Ranch Vineyards
Opolo
Lagier Meredith
Landmark – Malbec
LangeTwins
Larkmead
Lava Cap
Line Shack
Littorai
Lone Madrone
Longboard
Longoria
La Jota Co.
L’Aventure
Kristian Story
Kenneth Volk
Kendric
Ken Brown
Keenan
Kachina
JUSTIN
Joseph
Ladera
JJ Custom Wines
Fisher
Fog Crest
Fort Ross
Four Brix
Francis Ford Coppola
Frank
Freemark Abbey/Stonestreet
Fritz
Frostwatch
Grassini
Field Stone
Fiddlehead
Farella-Park
Enkidu
Emmolo
Elizabeth Spencer
Edward Sellers
Eden Canyon
Eberle
Dragonette
Figge Cellars
Donum – Stemmler
Terry Hoage
The Terraces
Thomas Fogarty – Cab Franc
Thomas George
Thorne / Rio Vista
Three Sticks
Treana
Trentadue
Trione
Twomey – 06 Merlot
C. Donatiello
Buoncristiani – Syrah
Brutocao
Brophy Clark
Bodegas P.R./Calstar
Black Sears
Bixler
Benovia
Bennett Lane
Benessere
Terroir Napa Valley
Steven Kent Beckmen
C. G. Di Arie
Ty Caton
Charnu
ADS Wines
