I sold an absolute boatload of Beringer French Colombard in the early/mid 1980s - it was hugely popular with the masses. Around the same time, Inglenook used to bottle a jug French Colombard that was also hugely popular. Never understood why it just went by the wayside, it was a huge step up from the generic jug wines of the era.
Gallo also made a decent one in the 70’s and early 80’s. That and Hearty Burgundy were good choices for picnic wines back in my feckless youth.
Ditto
Thompson Seedless, no? I think it was the base for the Mondavi Woodbridge white back in the 80s.
If not Thompson Seedless, maybe Ruby Cabernet?
Thompson Seedless is used for a whole slew of pretty refreshing Turkish and Cypriotic Sultaniye whites, so it’s not beyond any grape to make decent wine as long as it’s done in a way that suits the fruit.
Reasonable guesses, John. I meant but did not say “wine-grapes” so you could be right.
“my source”" http://calag.ucanr.edu/Archive/?article=ca.v057n03p71
Imagine winery in Buellton makes it.
While surfing the interwebs the other night, I stumbled across an unfamiliar winery with a well-known winemaker…
Marchelle Wines is based out of Graton in Sonoma’s RRV. They specialize in old-vine varieties, including French Colombard, Cinsault, and Carignan.
Marchelle Wines’ Colombard fruit is sourced from two RRV vineyards:
· “Betty Ann Vineyard”
“The ‘Betty Ann Vineyard’ is located in the Santa Rosa Plains neighborhood of the Russian River Valley AVA. Originally planted by William Guptil in the early 1900s and now owned by Clark and Bonny Lystra, the French Colombard vines are some of the oldest in Sonoma County at over 100 years old. The vines are head-trained and pruned with no irrigation or cover crop.”
Historic Vineyard Society profile: “Betty Ann Vineyard”
· “Wes Cameron Ranch”
“‘Wes Cameron Ranch’ is one of Sonoma County’s historic vineyards, dating back to the mid-1800s when the land was purchased by Alonzo Meacham. It is now owned by Alonzo’s great, great grandchildren, Laurie Cornelssen and Butch Cameron. The Colombard vines were planted in the early 1960s and continue to thrive to this day.”
Here is a video of winemaker Greg LaFollette explaining his preference for older vineyards. The site featured is the “Betty Ann Vineyard”, a centennarian Colombard planting.
https://youtu.be/gDOAQ4IMdSE
Marchelle Wines website:
https://www.marchellewines.com/
The Carmenet Colombard from the Saviez Vineyard were solid wines in the early 90s. Loved that stuff!