Taste of Mendocino’s 2018 festival featured the following wineries:
http://www.tasteofmendo.com/wineries/
The Taste of Mendocino also has upcoming events:
Wine Terroirs
“Martha Stoumen, California”
August 31, 2018
Benson Ranch: “Here at ‘Benson Ranch’, North of Ukiah, she has 5 acres (2 hectares), 3 already planted when she took over the lease, these are fairly young vines, like 16 years old now, and then last year & this year she planted rootstock and later grafted them a few weeks ago. These young vines got some water but otherwise she doesn’t irrigate, that’s why they cultivate, doing a light plow to get the weeds away, breaking a bit the soil, which brings water from below. I ask if a plowing doesn’t accelerate the drought, but she says no, it’s counterintuitive but it’s a method many old farmers use around here, it works on the dust mulch that works in two ways : the first way is it’s creating a crust to cover and seal the capillaries, the channels made by the rain water going down through the soil in winter. The second and probably more important way is that when you turn that soil, it is a little drier on the top, it creates a wiccan like you’d have with a teabag with a string, the water travels up the string because it’s drier, so in short it brings the water below closer to the root. Martha seems very skilled on agriculture and soil matters and I understand that’s because her initial training was in this particular field. She’d like to experiment a no-tilling viticulture but she doesn’t know a dryfarming growers who does that. The owner here is John Chiarito, a descendant of Sicilian immigrants and he planted this vineyard in a very old-fashioned way, like what she’s been doing for her plantings : plant the rootstocks first then wait and let the roots get firmly established before bringing in the budwoods. He also didn’t irrigate, they use the rootstock 110t which is quite drought tolerant and fares well in acidic soils which is what they have here. There’s also Petite Syrah on this vineyard and at the beginning, to get started, she sold the grapes to another winery to get cash, making some wine with the other varieties and selling this one. Now she keeps everything.”
Venturi Vineyard: “…Martha also gets Carignan from this vineyard which she labels specifically from ‘Venturi Vineyard’. This farmer has mostly Carignan, Zinfandel, also Sauvignon Blanc (very old vines from the 40s, makes great wine), also dryfarmed and head trained. Originally this land before the prohibition was cleared by his grand-grandparents using dynamite, the old way to clear land back then up here. At the prohibition the vines were uprooted and most of the replanting took place after WW2…”
Maps of the Past is a cool website featuring detailed maps of the counties in California!
“Mendocino California - Rice 1890”
(23 x 27.81):
From the Newfound Wines email:
"…It is my pleasure to announce that our latest installment of wines will be available for purchase during the release period of March 8th – March 24th.
"…Given our small production and growing list of members, we have reserved limited quantities of each wine based on previous purchase history. If you are new to our mailing list, we’ve reserved a small amount of wine for you as well. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly at matt@newfoundwines.com or call my cell: 707-590-0982.
"Thank you for joining us on this wine journey. Our success would not be possible without your support.
“With gratitude,
Audra & Matt Naumann”
Newfound 2017 Carignane ‘Colombini Vineyard’, Redwood Valley, Mendocino County
“We were delighted to be introduced to the ‘Colombini Ranch’ in 2017. The Carignane vines are over 75 years old and deeply rooted in the well-drained benchland soil of Mendocino County’s Redwood Valley. Head trained at a density of 681 vines per acre, the planting is of an earlier era; one that we admire for its long-term sustainability. Carignane has long been a favorite varietal. At its best, it can thread the needle with dense fruit and balanced acidity. ‘Colombini’ offers a wonderful expression of this under recognized varietal.”
Newfound Wines website:
California Wine Country Podcast
“Bernadette Byrne, Mendocino Co. Wine Growers”
by Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger, & Barry Herbst
July 11, 2018
"Bernadette Byrne, Executive Director of the Mendocino County Wine Growers, is our guest on California Wine Country today. She joins Steve Jaxon, Dan Berger, and Barry Herbst to talk about Mendocino County grape growers and vintners and to taste several examples of their production.
“…Bernadette has been in the Mendocino County wine business for thirty years, including time working for Fetzer and then in other wineries in Napa. She was the hospitality director for Fetzer in the ‘80s and ‘90s when they were growing rapidly. They were innovators in organic farming at the Food and Wine Center in Hopland, and introducing the Bonterra line of wines. She was marketing director for McDowell Vineyards and had a wine shop called Sip Mendocino, which she later sold…”
• Mendocino County Wine Growers: http://www.mendowine.com
• Mendocino County AVA’s:
Home - Mendocino County Wines
• GuildSomm
“Making Sense of Mendocino”
by Kelli White
April 19, 2018
I know Kokomo Winery in Dry Creek Valley makes an amazing Carignan from the Tollini Vineyard in Redwood Valley
I already have posted the info on Vinca Minor’s “Rosewood Vineyard” Carignan on the “Carignan Renaissance Part Deux” thread, but I wanted to include it here along with additional stuff related to this vineyard:
Vimeo video of Vinca Minor’s Harvest of “Rosewood Vineyard’s” 85-year-old Mendocino County Carignan:
Mendocino County’s “Rosewood Vineyard”:
Profile on Mendocino Wine & Winegrapes website: link
Jenny & Francois Selections portfolio Vinca Minor “Rosewood Vineyard” Carignan:
“› Age of Vines: 85 years old
› Soil: Redvine, red clay strewn with fist sized rocks
› Varieties: Carignan
› Viticulture: ‘Rosewood Vineyards’ is farmed organically by a couple who have been on the property for over four generations.”
Vinca Minor website:
https://www.vincaminorwine.com
Dirty & Rowdy Family Wines has bottled a handful of limited-production red wines from the “Rosewood Vineyard” in recent vintages:
Dirty & Rowdy Family Wines YouTube video: “Harvest 2018: Old-Vine Carignan”
Mr Hardy Wallace shares a few details about the “Rosewood Vineyard” on this forum post: link
Some Dirty & Rowdy “Rosewood Vineyard” Tasting Notes:
Wine Berserkers post:
“2015 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Old Vine Rosewood Vineyards”
by Peter K
January 19, 2018
Wine Berserkers post:
“TN: 2015 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Old Vine Rosewood Vineyards”
by David B
March 21, 2018
Wine Berserkers post:
“TN: 2015 Dirty and Rowdy - Mourvedre Old Vine Rosewood Vineyards (USA, CA, Redwood Valley)”
by Brian G
March 17, 2017
Wine Berserkers post:
“TN: 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Old Vine Rosewood Vineyards”
by David B
December 27, 2016
Wine Berserkers post:
“TN: 2013 Dirty and Rowdy Mourvedre Old Vine Rosewood Vineyards”
by Warren T
November 20, 2016
Dirty & Rowdy Family Wines Vineyard Profile: “Rosewood Vineyard”
Dirty & Rowdy Family Wines website:
https://www.dirtyandrowdy.com
In the past, Navarro Vineyards produced a ‘Rosewood Vineyard’ Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, and has used the site’s Carignan fruit in dry Rosé wines:
• Navarro Vineyards 2005 Mourvèdre
“We were introduced to ‘Rosewood Vineyards’ in 1994. What attracted us were the gnarled gobelet trained vines planted in 1933. We hang around grapevines a lot and it’s not hard to anthropomorphize their qualities. Old vines have a distinct personality that expresses itself in increasingly certain terms year after year. Old vines aren’t as vigorous as teenagers, they don’t produce as much fruit and they take longer to ripen it. The Petite Sirah and Mourvèdre vines at Rosewood are now in their mid-seventies so one can easily imagine how they struggle to ripen their crop. In difficult years the combination of old vines growing in a cool microclimate results in under ripe fruit; the wines are sometimes blended or declassified.”
• Navarro Vineyards 2005 Rosé
Ukiah Daily Journal
“Navarro Vineyards: Iconic Standard Bearer”
by Heidi Cusick Dickerson
August 23, 2018
“…Petite Sirah comes from Troy and Tia Satterwhites’ 80-year-old ‘Rosewood Vineyard’ in Redwood Valley as well…”.
Navarro Vineyards website:
https://www.navarrowine.com
The “Dark Horse Vineyard” in Mendocino County has a 2.5 acre plot of Mourvèdre.
Mendocino County Grape Growers website profile: “Dark Horse Vineyard”
“Paul Dolan: Rooted and Visionary”
by Heidi Cusick Dickerson
“…In 1998, Dolan, with sons Heath and Jason, purchased the 160-acre ‘Dark Horse Ranch’ on Old River Road, south of Talmage. It is now certified organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamic. They are growing 70 acres of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel, Grenache, and Mourvèdre.”
Below is Navarro Vineyard’s bottling info for its 2012 “Mendocino County” Mourvèdre:
"…We’ve made wine from Mourvèdre grapes from 1994 to 2007, but 2007 was our last harvest from ‘Rosewood Vineyard’; the vineyard was so ancient that the vines ability to ripen fruit declined with each vintage.
“2007 also marked the first time we harvested Syrah from ‘Dark Horse Vineyards’ and we were delighted that the fruit was perfectly ripe. Fortuitously, they also farm a half-acre of Mourvèdre and beginning in 2012, Navarro was given access to the grapes. Because the field is tiny, only years with bountiful crops provide enough Mourvèdre to produce a separate bottling. This wine differs from previous Navarro Mourvèdre wines; this healthy and well-sited vineyard yields succulently ripe fruit which morphs into a handsome wine, full of brawn and vigor…”.
• Navarro Vineyard’s 2014 Mourvèdre
“…In 2007, we began producing Syrah and Grenache wines from ‘Dark Horse Vineyards’ grapes. A year or two later, we discovered that they had a tiny plot of Mourvèdre, so small in fact that, in years with a light crop, we had barely enough wine to fill a barrel. In 2012, and again in 2014, the vineyard produced enough crop for a tiny bottling…”.
• Navarro Vineyard’s 2015 Mourvèdre
“When we are inspecting other vineyards, we seem to encounter two main types of growers: those whose business is primarily growing grapes for resale and those who have been, or are currently, winemakers. The grapes for Navarro’s Mourvèdre come from ‘Dark Horse Vineyards’, owned by the Dolan family, who also operate their own winery. We love dealing with the family; when we visit there is little we can suggest to improve their vineyard techniques. Their winemaking orientation leads them to many of the same viticultural regimes that we employ at Navarro: shoot thinning and positioning in the spring, followed by crop thinning in late summer to match each vine’s crop load to the vine’s vigor in order to ensure that the fruit harvested is consistently ripe from vine to vine…”.
*** Image Deleted ***
Navarro Vineyards sourced its Mendocino Mourvèdre from the “Rosewood Vineyard” in Redwood Valley until 2007. Dirty and Rowdy Family Wines has produced a handful of single-vineyard old-vine red wines from the ‘Rosewood Vineyard’ in recent years.
Below are vintage notes for several of Navarro’s Mourvèdre bottlings:
› 1999 vintage notes
Wine Business Blog
“Paul Dolan on Settling Litigation, Leaving Eponymous Brand Behind, Moving Ahead”
by Cyril Penn
August 27, 2014
"…His ‘Dark Horse Vineyard’, which has been farmed organically and biodynamic for some time, previously supported Paul Dolan Wines.
“…‘You can always look for my wines without my name, to enjoy’ Dolan said. ‘Wines to look for are those that have the “Dark Horse Vineyard” designation: Campovida Grenache, Truett Hurst “GPS”, Pacific Star Petite Sirah or Navarro Grenache and Syrah…’.”
Biodynamic Food
“‘Dark Horse Vineyard’ & Farming Company”
“‘Dark Horse Vineyard & Farming Company’ is a Biodynamic farm, vineyard, and garden. We grow grapes and olives, and also raise sheep and cows. Our farming philosophy is that raising a Biodynamic grape vine is like raising a child. As parents we recognize our role is not to control, but rather simply to contribute to the health of the space in which the child grows, with great anticipation that the child will be fully expressed at maturity. Our grape varietals are all red: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah.”
Growing Produce
“How to Dry-Farm Winegrapes”
Dark Horse Ranch Vineyard
5341 Old River Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
That picture at the bottom of the post is not at the Dark Horse site on Old River road.
1 Like
Thanks for the correction, Casey!
I usually have to rely on the info on winery websites for these pictures. If a product page specifically talks about the “Dark Horse Vineyard”, and includes a photo of a vineyard…well, you know.
I will try to locate a true image of the site if possible.
My stepson is one of the owners of DH. I’ve been all over that place with grandkids.
Just wanted to post a note that the 2019 Taste Mendocino event (the name has been shortened from Taste of Mendocino this year) is coming up in San Francisco on April 27. Always a fun tasting that features a diverse group of wineries from all over Mendocino County, many of them smaller, under-the-radar producers. I’ve written up notes from previous tastings on the Grape-Nutz.com website if anyone wants to have a look.
General info on the event is here: Taste Mendocino 2019
Preliminary list of participating wineries and other participants is here: Taste of Mendocino 2019 Participants
Thanks for sharing, Casey & Ken!!
I hate to share such a vague, disheartening article, but the map feeds my curiosity as to what vineyards are okay and what is no longer available…
Wines & Vines Analytics
“Fire Wreaks Havoc in Mendocino County: Redwood Complex Damages One Winery and Five Vineyard Properties Totaling 200 Acres”
by Kate Lavin
October 11, 2017
"…About 70% of the county’s grape crop had been harvested when the fire began Sunday evening, the viticulturist said. Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot, Petit Sirah and Carignan were among the varieties still hanging.
“According to Mendocino Winegrowers, 38 vineyard properties totaling 900 acres were in the fire zone, and five vineyard properties totaling around 200 acres in Potter Valley were damaged…”
Special thanks to Mr Ken Zinns for continuing his thorough reports on the tastings of Mendo wines:
2019 T.o.M. Grape-Nutz link
“…There were about 30 winery tables at this year’s Taste Mendocino among more than 50 exhibitors altogether. I tasted samples from 23 wineries at this year’s event, and found at least one noteworthy wine from nearly all of them. Though I focused largely on past favorite producers, I also made an effort to check out one or two places I’d missed during recent tastings and a few others that were new to me…”
Notes from Taste Mendocino – April 27, 2019 in San Francisco
Last Year’s T.o.M. Grape-Nutz link
“…A total of 30 wineries poured at this year’s Taste of Mendocino among nearly 50 exhibitors altogether. I made it to the tables of 19 wineries and also sampled some hard cider, then finished the day with a welcome beer – that was a tasty IPA from Ukiah Brewing Company but I was done with taking notes by that time! I tasted from a number of longtime favorites but also made an effort to check out a few places I’d missed during recent tastings and some others that were entirely new to me…”
Notes from Taste of Mendocino – San Francisco, April 7, 2018
2016 T.o.M. Grape-Nutz link
Taste of Mendocino – 8th Annual Tasting, June 25, 2016
2014 T.o.M. Grape-Nutz link
Report on the 6th annual Taste of Mendocino – 6/10/14
Grape-Nutz website:
The most recent interview at the Wine Write blog features Rebekah Wineburg of Post & Vine, as well as Quintessa.
The Wine Write blog
“The Observation And Intuition Of Rebekah Wineburg”
October 25, 2020
"…Rebekah Wineburg has been the winemaker at the famed Napa Valley wine estate Quintessa since 2015…But that isn’t the only place where Rebekah employs her powers of intuition and observation. While working as an intern at Rudd Estate in 2003 she observed a dark, brambly grape come on to the crush pad. The fruit was eye opening. She had to learn more. Rebekah befriended the grower family at Testa Vineyards and tucked away the notion to someday spotlight the heritage property planted to Carignane, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Grenache, and more.
"In 2012 intuition told her the time was right. Partnering with friend Erica Kincaid, whom she had met back in the Rudd days, Post & Vine was launched. The brand puts the field blend of mixed black varieties from Testa Vineyard on center stage. A refreshing Rose’ of Carignane rounds out the lineup. Like the top shelf offering from Quintessa, these wines are crafted with care and aim to speak of their origins.
"…The Wine Write: Tell me about starting Post & Vine.
“Rebekah: I started Post & Vine in 2012 with my friend Erica Kincaid. We met while working at Rudd. The kernel on the seed of Post & Vine is working with terroir. We want to work with old vineyards and heritage vines that have something to say, but aren’t getting the attention they deserve in the wine world. Our main wine is from the Testa Vineyard in the Redwood Valley of Mendocino County. It was planted in 1912 and is still being biodynamically farmed today by the same family. It’s planted to mixed blacks, so there is Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, and Grenache. I believe that Testa has a true character. The vines have a lot to say…”.
Read the entire interview over at The Wine Write.
Excellent interview. I have followed Post & Vine from the start and enjoyed visits with Rebekah & Erica. Their wines get better and better; highly recommended.
Is anybody familiar with Kivelstadt? They’re a Mendocine winery which produces carignan and carignan blends, among other things. They recently hit my radar when Tom Maresca wrote up their Charbano, and I’m curious whether anyone has direct experience with any of their wines. They appear to be mostly below the radar, both here and on Cellartracker.
I spent some time a couple of years ago trying to dig up as much info on Kivelstadt as possible with minimal luck. I ultimately purchased a bottle of the 2014 “Old Wyves Tale” Alexander Valley Carignan from an online retailer. I failed to record my TN’s, but I must have enjoyed it since I bought another one shortly afterwards.
I seem to recall that the winery once went by a different name. The surname of the proprietor was originally the business’ branding. I believe that their estate vineyard was labeled the same. However, the switch to Kivelstadt saw a changeup in label art, as well as an addition or two of grape varieties to the lineup.
Now, I am no Charbono expert. The winery website identifies the “Venturi Vineyard” as the source of the grapes. I have posted info on the Venturi property on this thread in the past. Here’s some quick stuff I was able to dig up.
Mendocino Winegrowers blog
“Venturi Vineyards”
by Heidi Cusick Dickerson
"…The year they married, however, they also purchased an old 15-acre vineyard just up the hill from Larry’s family ranch in Calpella in 1965.
“‘Every weekend we drove to Calpella to pull out the old vines and replant,’ Larry reminisces. After their two daughters Deanna and Celestina were born, Doreen would take them to her mother’s to stay while she and Larry worked in the vineyard all weekend. ‘The first grapes we planted were Charbono and Gamay which we sold to Beringer Brothers and Mondavi,’ says Doreen.
"…As we drive through the vineyards Larry’s sentimental side shows as he points to the old Carignane vines planted by his grandfather. Some of the hillside Zinfandel is more than 50 years old. He has 45-year old Charbono grapes, a once popular varietal that some vintners are trying to revive. In the Italian tradition plum, persimmon, quince, peach, fig and apple trees planted by his grandfathers and dad grow among the rows of grapevines. Doreen has revived her family traditions and puts up the fruit that comes from the trees.
“The family’s old ranch was bisected by the construction of Highway 101 in the 1950s. The hillside vineyard he and Doreen bought 45 years ago is planted to Syrah, Carignane, Charbono, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. On the East side of the freeway he grows Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Noir, Sangiovese and Merlot…”.
Wine Business Monthly
“Charbono: A Grape Struggles to Avoid Extinction”
by Patricia Savoie
May, 2003
"…Charbono wines are a dense, inky, deep purple. In a hot climate it can become ‘cooked’, but allowed to ripen slowly - as it usually does - it makes a medium-bodied wine with big, black fruit flavors, aromas of plums, leather and tar, and moderate acidity. It is a wine with structure and finesse. While it can be enjoyed young, many can age 10 to 20 years or more and become silky, elegant, unusual wines. It is best when drunk as part of a meal, as it seems to pick up the flavors of and complement almost any type of food, whether it be game, beef, chicken, seafood or nuts and cheese.
“…Mendocino: The Venturis”
"Larry Venturi’s grandfather, ‘Bob’ Viarengo, came to California from Northern Italy in the early 1900s. He brought with him several grape vines. One of them was Charbono, which was thought then to be Barbera. He established the Venturi vineyards in Ukiah, which he passed on to Larry’s father, Mario, who passed them on to Larry and his wife Doreen, who have been tending them for almost 40 years.
"Larry’s grandfather originally planted the Charbono with other grape varieties in a field blend. The grapes were sold to make ‘Burgundy’; there were no varietal bottlings back then. When Larry took over the vineyards in the early 1960s, he pulled out the old vines and planted 20 acres of Charbono, among other varieties, using St. George stock. When demand for the grape fell, he pulled up 10 acres and planted it with other more desirable varietals. The remaining 10 acres of 40-year-old vines are dry-farmed and yield 2.5 tons per acre. They are planted on hillsides, just as his grandfather planted them, in bench land soil - clay and rocks.
"The Ukiah Valley has an ideal climate for red grapes. In fact, Larry talked about having lunch with the late Julio Gallo, who used to buy some of his red grapes. Gallo commented that he could get white grapes from anywhere, but for the red, he preferred Mendocino. The days are warm - warmer than in Napa - and the nights are cool, with breezes from the ocean 20 miles away. The vines are head pruned and trained Gobelet style, in the traditional manner, which helps keep yields down. Larry reconfirmed that sugar is generally low; any year in which Brix 23 is attained is a great year.
“He has many older Charbonos in his cellar - including Parducci and Souverain. ‘Charbono is a dedicated wine drinker’s wine. It takes three to five years to mellow.’”
Oh, but you wanted direct experience with the Kivelstadt Charbono? Sorry, I dunno. 
![[whistle.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/87d24eb81ec6dc01d84f3d6c19fa9a357e90218e.gif "whistle"){kind=small}
I do not remember where or how I got the following link, but it provides a LOT of vineyard information for Mendocino County. Some of the data is bound to be a little out of date, but I’d bet most of it is okay.
LINK (opens in Google Maps)