Non-buzz wineries

WINE TALK
21

Ooooh yeah, forgot Chappellet.

22

In Napa:
Broman
Gargiulo
Dyer
Hoopes
Frank Family
Dutch Henry Winery
Larkin/Jack Larkin
Dutch Henry Winery
Harris Estate
Frazier
Elhers
Emilio’s Terrace
Diamond Terrace

23

Being totally uncool for one thread…I can do that!! [snort.gif]

My vote would go to DryCreekVnyds. They are making maybe the best wines they ever have right now.
Thru the entire lineup…SauvBlanc/Zin/Cabernet/Chard…solid wines at very good prices.
And I…harumph…followed 'em from the very start…the '72 GamayBeaujolais.

Agree w/ David on the Failla. Ehren is making some pretty profound wines these days. But they don’t
get much buzz around here.

Siduri/Novy, Qupe, Ojai, AuBonClimat also come to mind.

Tom

24

My vote goes to Wolf Family Vineyards (excellent CS and CF) and Hestan for its Stephanie production.

25

Yes, all the way 'round.

26

Definitely Seghesio along with Miner

27

I’ve always liked School House, especially with 15 years of aging. In general, many Sant Cruz Mountin wineries deserve much more attention

28

There are Non-buzz wineries and then there are huge Non-buzz portions of the planet to which I wish there was better access:

Switzerland
Corsica
Roussillon
Sardinia
Marche
Molise
Catalunya, excluding Priorat and Tarragona
Huge chunks of Spain and Portugal
All regions of the former Serbia
Large chunks of Eastern Europe
Crete
Western Australia
The US excluding CA, OR, WA, NM and NY

The list goes on and on.

RT

29

I think there are numerous examples of wineries that are under-the-radar that make excellent, reasonably wines. Admittedly Not necessarily huge 100 point type wines.

One that comes to mind is Frick Winery. The Cinsaut is very good.

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30

The Silenus tasting room just north of the town of Napa showcases 9 small production winemakers. The tasting room manager - Scott Turnnidge - is a knowledgeable and engaging fellow.

Silenus is owned by Bob Williamson who produces wine under the Ideology label. The cabs are quite lovely in a forward, easy-drinking way, and Bob is a helluva nice guy.

31

Sobon Estate Rezerve, including the Zin, Primitivo, Paul’s Vineyard and Pets. Amador/Lodi. They’re all rich, spicy, rustic wines - consistently over-deliver at ~23 bucks.

32

I’d add votes for the following. All good QPR and making some really delicious product:

Unti
Olson Ogden
Adelaida (Paso Robles)

33

+1 for Frank Family and Dutch Henry also mentioned multiple times Seghesio. I don’t see this a bunch on message boards but Darioush Cab Franc is a personal favorite of mine as well as Plumpjack Syrah.

34

RIDGE? Zin, of course.

My favorite Cali winery of all-time. Appreciated by afficionados, but does it really have a “buzz” about it? Only talked about occasionally on BBs, easy to find, and best of all, cheap (relatively speaking).

35

Among zinfandels Ridge’s bottlings get their fair share of attention around here, but it’s not a crowded field. And they’re often cited in discussions of affordable wines that age. Monte Bello, on the other hand, is buzz-free.

Non-buzz zinfandel: Chateau Potelle.

36

I think Alma Rosa and J Vineyards do some really great stuff with Pinot without being mentioned much around these parts.

I also think there’s a host of old standbys that especially right now provide great value: Mondavi Cabernets (especially Napa and Oakville), Ferarri-Carano Chardonnay, Seghesio Zins, Chappellet, etc. I still love me some Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages and Reserve bottlings, but they are overpriced.

While I don’t think there’s a buzz around Ridge Monte Bello, I think there’s still a healthy respect that seems to be on the upswing in the last couple years. Actually I would prefer people return to ignoring MB, especially RMP.

37

Sherwin Family Vineyards - outstanding Cabernet’s…Friendly, beautiful and Free tasting room up on Spring Mountain.

38

You hit a lot of my favs on the head. I’ll add smith-madrone to your list.

39

Mayacamas
Failla
Hanzell
Kalin
Calera
Foxen
Talti
Whitehall Lane
Diamond Creek
Andrew Geoffrey
Gargiulo
Von Strasser

40

This is the kind of insight I was hoping to unearth. Tell me more about them – what kind of style are they? Have you tried those many premium cabs they make, and if so, what are they like? Are their wines similar to or different from the Napa wines that usually get discussed on boards like this one?

Another good one. Tell me more – which wines do you particularly recommend, and how do the wines differ or not differ as compared to Sonoma wines that get the buzz?