NOV/DEC 2015 $4.95

sonomamag.com

The Heart of Wine Country

Four FeastsFamily Traditions for Everyone p.78

All About Heritage TurkeysBreeders bring back the birds p.63

Try These Holiday Cocktails Bartenders share their best drinks p.55

Occidental RevealedThe bohemian rhapsody p.85

Tasting Notes, Dream-On Wines, Know Your Vintages, and more p.96

WINE TASTING is no di&erent than mov-ie watching. Neither is based on science, but rather on individual taste, perception

and emotion.She enjoys romance flicks, he prefers action films.

She likes Pinot Noirs with firm structure and earthi-ness, he goes for ripe, juicy, richly flavored Pinots. There’s no right or wrong, just personal preference. Roger Ebert could love the same film that Gene Siskel trashed. It works that way with wine, too.

So by default, our selections for the Top 100 Wines of 2015 are subjective and experiential, yet also well-informed. We worked very hard to come up with 100 bottles that we stand behind for quality, price range and availability that will please most palates. Sure,

tasting wine is fun and convivial, but evaluating wine to be recommended to Sonoma magazine read-ers is serious stu&.

Don’t see your favorite wine on the list? Then look for it on on our coverage of world-class wines that have very limited — or no — availability. Which winemakers might you not know about, but should? They’re here. Looking for a great vintage? Check.

Science might one day be able to tell consumers precisely what wine they will love before they taste it. Until then, we have humans with distinctly in-dividual senses of smell, taste and vision, to do the work for us. One of wine’s finest qualities is that it stimulates conversation. Our Top 100 Wines of 2015 list will likely do that. Let us know what you think.

BY LINDA MURPHY WITH VIRGINIE BOONE

SONOMA CAN GROW JUST ABOUT ANY WINE GRAPE — AND DOES.

WITH ITS INCOMPARABLE RANGE OF WINE TYPES AND STYLES,

THERE'S NO REASON TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR A GREAT BOTTLE.

HERE ARE OUR FAVORITES FROM 2015, EACH ONE SONOMA-GROWN.

97NOV/DEC 2015 sonomamag.com

WITH MORE THAN 400 Sonoma

wineries producing thousands

of di5erent bottlings each year,

how did we settle on 2015’s best? It took lots

of tasting, and retasting, and assistance from

the judges at The Press Democrat 2015 North

Coast Wine Challenge, to come up with 100

great wines sure to please all palates and pock-

etbooks.

Sonoma magazine managing editor Linda

Murphy and magazine contributor Virginie

Boone worked together to select the Top 100,

taking into account their own tastings and

high-scoring wines from the North Coast Wine

Challenge competition, held in April.

In addition to writing for Sonoma magazine

and The Press Democrat, Boone is a contribut-

ing editor for New York-based Wine Enthusiast

magazine, reviewing thousands of wines each

year from Sonoma and Napa. Murphy, a two-

time James Beard Award winner when she

was the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle’s

wine section, tastes as many wines, with her

comments appearing in Decanter magazine

and WineReviewOnline.com, among other

publications.

Their mission was to spotlight 100 out-

standing wines produced in Sonoma, from

Sonoma-grown grapes, with a broad diversity

in price, style, growing region and producer.

Wines scoring 94 points and higher at the 2015

North Coast Wine Challenge were given strong

consideration. All recommended wines were

released in 2015.– LM

MethodologyIt ’s a tough job. Really.

Top 100 Wines

Crista Jeremiason sonomamag.com NOV/DEC 201598

ChardonnayDELOACH VINEYARDS

2012 Ritchie Vineyard Middle Reach Russian River Valley Chardonnay $50

This wine from one of Russian River Valley’s star sites is rich and decadently creamy in vanilla and apple-crisp character, balanced by refreshing acidity and bright citrus and apple fruit. Oak plays a supporting role, adding depth and mouthfeel. (VB)

DUTTON-GOLDFIELD WINERY

2012 Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard Green Valley of Russian River Valley Chardonnay $55

Warren Dutton planted the Rued Vineyard in 1969, to a clone that has tiny berries and intense flavors. His son, Steve, and winemaker Dan Goldfield, produce this sumptuous, layered wine from this vineyard. It has caramel aromas, mouth-filling citrus, poached pear, stone fruit and guava flavors, and a bracing mineral finish. (LM)

FLOWERS VINEYARD & WINERY

2012 Camp Meeting Ridge Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $70

It’s delicate and ethereal, with great verve. Meyer lemon, lemon curd, oyster shell and pleasant salinity express the growing condi-tions in a mouthwatering way. Vines planted just 2 miles from the Pacific impart a distinct sea-air salinity. (LM)

KELLER ESTATE

2012 La Cruz Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay $33

This vineyard-designated, estate-grown wine from the Petaluma Gap opens with a bouquet of floral jasmine. It’s very fresh and inviting. The palate oPers elegant minerality and succulence, with a hint of dried herbs. It’s medium-bodied and mouth-filling, but never overbearing. (VB)

LONGBOARD VINEYARDS

2013 Rochioli Vineyard Russian River Valley Chardonnay $54

From a stellar vineyard comes this well-in-tegrated wine that’s medium-bodied and beautifully textured, with minerality, rich Gravenstein apple and honey flavors, bright acidity and complexity that suggests long-term cellar aging. (VB)

MACROSTIE WINERY & VINEYARDS

2013 Sangiacomo Vineyard Carneros Chardonnay $44

Winemaker Steve MacRostie has worked with Sangiacomo grapes since 1987 and can be counted on to produce elegant, nuanced Chardonnays from there. The lush, juicy 2013 has notes of Meyer lemon, green apple, baked bread and oak spice, with a slightly creamy texture and bright acidity. (LM)

MCILROY CELLARS

2013 Russian River Valley Chardonnay $20

Chardonnay prices have soared recently, so bravo to McIlroy for not following suit with this bottling. Produced in a bold, oaky style, its toast and caramel character complements the vibrant apple, pear and citrus fruit. (LM)

PATZ & HALL 2013

Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley Chardonnay $44

Floral, round and decadent, this wine is made from some of the appellation’s oldest plantings of Chardonnay, and the vine age lends a subtle complexity and depth. Fresh peach and melon flavors are supported by vanilla and anise notes. (VB)

PAUL HOBBS

2013 Richard Dinner Vineyard Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay $70

Super-rich, dense and intense, with honey, crème brûlée and vanillin character framing the ripe yellow stone fruit and citrus flavors. Mouthwatering acidity keeps this substantial, full-flavored wine fresh and refreshing. (LM)

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Anaba Wines, 60 Bonneau Road,

Sonoma, 707-996-4188, anabawines.

com. This Rhone-variety specialist o2ers a fair amount of fun and edu-cational experiences, including a “Be-yond the Label” look at how its wines are made, changing it up every week, Friday through Monday ($10, reser-vations required). The Salon Tasting is another option, Tuesday through Thursday, a seated tasting of several wines ($30, reservations required). Syrah and Petite Sirah are favorites this time of year.

Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental

Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455,

ballettovineyards.com. Balletto is a longtime farming family with vine-yards planted in the heart of Russian River Valley. It o2ers a diverse range of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay bot-tlings, many of them vineyard des-ignates, as well as a crisp Pinot Gris from its Burnside Road Vineyard and a lovely Pinot Noir rosé.

Bouchaine Vineyards, 1075 Buchli

Station Road, Napa, 707-252-9065,

bouchaine.com. In Napa Carneros, Bouchaine has been a longtime pro-ducer of fine Pinot Noir and Char-donnay, o2ering compelling views of the surrounding countryside. New winemaker and general manager Chris Kajani, formerly of Saintsbury, is poised to continue great things. Tours are available by appointment.

Dry Creek Vineyard, 3770 Lambert

Bridge Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-

1000, drycreekvineyard.com. Come for the cozy environs, stay for the dry Chenin Blanc and heritage Zinfandel, just two of the well-crafted options on hand at this family-run winery, among the first in Dry Creek after Prohibi-tion. Meritage blending seminars are

also a possibility on weekends, by appointment ($50).

Dutton-Goldfield Winery, 3100

Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol,

707-823-3887, duttongold<eld.com. A producer of cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, and lesser amounts of Riesling, Gewürztramin-er, Pinot Blanc and Zinfandel, Dutton-Goldfield o2ers leisurely daily tastings and opportunities for more specific tastings: Wine & Cheese ($30), Beast & Pinot ($40) and a popular choice, Bright Whites & Sushi ($35). For these, book online in advance.

Ehlers Estate, 3222 Ehlers Lane, St.

Helena, 707-963-5972, ehlersestate.

com. This quiet, estate-driven Napa Valley property has a “Start Your Day”

tasting ($35) for those who like to get up and go early. Beginning at 9:30 a.m., it includes a walk around the property, barrel sampling and fresh croissants from Bouchon Bakery in Yountville. Late risers might prefer the Estate Tasting ($35), available dai-ly from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The winery focuses on Bordeaux-style reds and Sauvignon Blanc.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, 300

Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-

1471, francisfordcoppolawinery.com. With its pool closed for the winter, Coppola focuses on food and wine — two things of which Francis very much approves. Start with the So-nomabulistic tasting and tour, o2ered Sundays at 2 p.m., an exploration of Sonoma’s many appellations, then linger over a hearty Italian late-after-noon lunch or dinner at Rustic, where many of the famous director’s favorite dishes are served.

Gracianna, 6914 Westside Road,

Healdsburg, 707-486-3771, gracian-

na.com. Open daily by appointment, Gracianna produces Pinot Noir from

its estate Mercedes Riverblock Vine-yard, as well as from nearby Westside Road neighbors such as Bacigalupi. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Zin-fandel and a sparkling brut rosé are also popular choices.

Gundlach Bundschu, 2000 Denmark

St., Sonoma, 707-938-5277, gunbun.

com. This historic winery has myriad wines on hand to sample, and in win-ter, it’s a good place to hunker down in the wine cave for a tasting. The Sonoma Coast Gewürztraminer is a particularly fun wine to drink; Cab-ernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempra-nillo are also mainstays.

Hamel Family Wines, 15401 Sonoma

Highway, Sonoma, 707-996-5800,

hamelfamilywines.com. A relatively new player in Sonoma Valley, Hamel is doing everything right, from the layout of its 124 acres of gorgeous grounds and tasting room, to its selec-tion of well-made wines. Sauvignon Blanc and Grenache are the best places to begin, before delving more deeply into its estate Zinfandels and a proprietary red blend called Isthmus.

Late fall through winter is quiet and contemplative in Sonoma, as the vines hunker

down into dormancy and the fresh, new wines rest in the cellar. Harvest craziness

has died down, leaving the countryside starkly beautiful, dark golden and gray,

with nary a grape leaf in sight. It’s a "ne time to visit wineries, which tend to be

less busy. Wine writer VIRGINIE BOONE recommends these tasting rooms for

end-of-year exploration. They are open to the public, typically from 11 a.m. to

4 p.m. Contact individual tasting rooms to con"rm.

tastingwinery tasting rooms to visit

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Visits are by appointment only, with the Estate Experience, a private tast-ing of four estate wines, o:ered daily at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. ($40).

Iron Horse Vineyards, 9786 Ross

Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-

1507, ironhorsevineyards.com. This family-run sparkling wine producer also makes standout still wines, all from estate-grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. A flight of five wines ($20) is a good way to start, with tours possible by appointment ($25), which also include a tasting. Book ahead for a private truck tour through the vineyards and private tasting with winemaker David Munksgard, Mon-days at 10 a.m. ($50).

Jordan Winery, 1474 Alexander Val-

ley Road, Healdsburg, 707-431-5250,

jordanwinery.com. Jordan’s vast es-tate is beautiful all times of year, es-pecially when the gardens are in full bloom. But in wintertime, it’s a cozy place for a gourmet tasting with food pairing in the winery’s private library, a by-appointment, seated experience with Jordan’s Chardonnay and Cab-ernet Sauvignon. In-house executive chef Todd Knoll prepares the dishes. Lasting one hour, tastings are avail-able Monday through Sunday, at 10

a.m. and 2 p.m., by appointment ($30).

Kokomo Winery, 4791 Dry Creek

Road at Timber Crest Farms,

Healdsburg, 707-433-0200, koko-

mowines.com. A producer of small-lot wines, Kokomo is open daily for $10 tastings at the bar, a casual look at its Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. For white-wine seekers, try the Chardonnay, Muscat Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and the late-harvest Muscat Blanc. Many of its fans, however, come for the award-winning Grenache rosé.

Laurel Glen Vineyard, 969 Carquinez

Ave., Glen Ellen, 707-933-9877, laurel-

glen.com. This producer of iconic Cabernet Sauvignon on Sonoma Mountain o:ers two tastings, inside and on the patio. The Library Wine and Chocolate tasting delves into the winery’s rich cellar of past vintages and matches them with tru]es in-fused with the likes of rosemary and lavender from nearby Wine Country Chocolates ($30, reservations re-quired). Join the Laureate club for an invitation to visit the 1,000-foot-ele-vation vineyard and its crazy old vines planted in the 1880s. Dog friendly.

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards,

4605 Westside Road, Healdsburg,

707-473-9303, macrostiewinery.com. Relatively new to Westside Road, the MacRostie Estate House is an elegant place to enjoy elegant wines, including vineyard-designated Char-donnays and Pinot Noirs, from Rus-sian River Valley, Carneros and the Sonoma Coast. Daily tastings are held on one of three patios or indoors, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with reserva-tions recommended ($15 to $25).

Madrone Vineyards Estate, 777

Madrone Road, Glen Ellen, 707-

939-4500, madronevineyardsestate.

com. Established in 1863, the winery (formerly Valley of the Moon) has been revived by new ownership, a contemporary tasting room, culinary

program and estate wines. The patio next to the stone barrel cellar built in 1887 is surrounded by 100-year-old Zinfandel vines. Seasonal small bites prepared by chef Stephanie Gagne are paired with wines (tastings and pair-ings $9-$35). There is also a creekside bocce court.

Martinelli Winery, 3360 River Road,

Windsor, 800-346-1627, martinelli-

winery.com. Once the site of an apple stand, Martinelli remains a place to procure divine Russian River Val-ley apples, but more importantly, to taste and buy exquisite Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel. Stop by and you’re likely to run into one of several Martinelli family members at this multigenerational operation o:ering private tastings and tours, and more casual tastings in the old red hop barn.

Paradise Ridge, 4545 Thomas Lake

Harris Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-

9463, prwinery.com. Tucked away on Fountaingrove, Paradise Ridge o:ers a range of wines to enjoy along with unparalleled views across the greater Santa Rosa Plain and beyond. Stroll through the impressive outdoor sculpture garden, Marijke’s Grove, and partake in a wine and artisan cheese tasting ($25). The winery welcomes picnickers who purchase a bottle of wine for every two people.

The stylish tasting room at Madrone Vineyards Estate in Glen Ellen is designed for lingering.

photos (top) by Robert Holmes Photography and (le!) courtesy Madrone Vineyards Estate

Patz & Hall serves up single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in its classy Sonoma House tasting room in Sonoma.

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Patz & Hall Sonoma House, 21200

Eighth Street E., Sonoma, 877-265-

6700, patzhall.com. In a well-ap-pointed house in the Carneros region, this chic tasting spot highlights all the delights of Patz & Hall, a specialist in single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Taste four wines for $30, or go for the sit-down Salon Experi-ence, a discussion and tasting of six wines with meticulously prepared mini-meals ($60). Chances are the tasting will begin with a glass of bub-bly to freshen the palate.

Pellegrini Wine Co., 4055 W. Olivet

Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-8680,

pellegrinisonoma.com. A longstand-ing, multigenerational family vine-yard and winery in the heart of the Russian River Valley, Pellegrini oper-ates an outdoor tasting bar and farm-to-table garden at its beautiful, vine-yard-surrounded outpost, featuring Pinot Noir and Chardonnay produced from estate-grown grapes. Tastings and tours are by appointment Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Quivira Vineyard & Winery, 4900

West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg,

707-431-8333, quivirawine.com. A wonderland of natural beauty in all seasons, Quivira is always alive and open for tours of its Zinfandel vine-yards, beehives and biodynamic gar-dens, where chickens roam free ($20). Be sure to try the winery’s sumptuous Sauvignon Blancs, balanced Zinfan-dels and juicy Grenache.

Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455

Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg,

707-431-1533, rodneystrong.com. One of Sonoma’s most diverse and sustainably minded producers, Rod-ney Strong makes a long list of wines, from Bordeaux varieties to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Zinfandel. The best way to get a snapshot of the winery’s expertise is through the Food & Wine Pairing Experience ($55), a serving of five bites made by the estate’s chef that is thoughtfully paired with five wines. Reservations are recommended.

Schramsberg Vineyards, 1400 Sch-

ramsberg Road, Calistoga, 707-942-

4558, schramsberg.com. Celebrating its 50th year in Napa Valley, Schrams-berg remains family-owned and one of the premier producers of sparkling wine in America. It is also growing in

reputation for its still Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Open for tasting by appointment only, it’s a fascinating place to go underground, with its wine caves a testament to the hard labor of the wine industry’s early days. Tours take place six times a day.

Seghesio Family Vineyards, 700

Grove St., Healdsburg, 707-433-

3579, seghesio.com. Within walking distance of the Healdsburg Plaza, Seghesio is open daily for walk-in tastings. But when time allows, it’s a must-visit place to enjoy its Founder’s Flight ($30), available on weekends by appointment, a seated tasting of sev-eral wines served with artisan cheeses and house-cured salumi. Through weekends in November, it continues its Family Table ($75), a brief tour and sampling of salumi that moves into the Founder’s Room for a seated, mul-ticourse lunch with exclusive, hard-to-find wines.

Sequoia Grove Winery, 8338 St.

Helena Highway, Rutherford, 707-

944-2945, sequoiagrove.com. This Cabernet Sauvignon specialist o_ers a “Taste for Cabernet” ($50), a private, hosted and by-reservation exploration of the winery’s many vineyard-desig-nated Cabernets, allowing tasters to learn about soils, topography and mi-croclimates while sipping the wines. Educator Dean Busquaert leads the tasting. Reserve with him by phone, 707-494-0905.

Spring Mountain Vineyard, 2805

Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena,

707-967-4188, springmountainvine-

yard.com. This beautiful and o_-the-beaten-track property is open by ap-pointment only, yet well worth the e_ort to book a tasting. Cabernet Sau-vignon and a highly touted Bordeaux-style red blend, Elivette, are the stars. The entry-level tasting ($40) lasts about an hour and includes Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir (or Syrah), Caber-net Sauvignon and Elivette. Estate tastings ($75) include five wines; a library vertical ($100) o_ers tastes of six wines of the 2006 vintage or older. Fans of Elivette can explore that wine specifically ($200), tasting five vin-tages from 2006 or earlier.

Three Sticks Wines, 143 W. Spain

St., Sonoma, 707-996-3328, three-

stickswines.com. The winery has completely renovated Sonoma’s 1842 Vallejo-Casteñada Adobe, one of the very few buildings left from the time of Mexican governorship of Califor-nia. Its new digs, known as The Adobe, are open for tastings by appointment. The wines include single-vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, a crisp Pinot Blanc and Bordeaux-inspired red blends.

Trentadue Winery, 19170 Geyserville

Ave., Geyserville, 707-433-3104,

trentadue.com. A family-run opera-tion credited as being one of the first to plant vines in Sonoma County post-Prohibition, Trentadue began mak-ing Carignane and continues to have some of the oldest plantings of the variety in the U.S. Sangiovese has also been important to the winery’s histo-ry, and its La Storia Cuvée 32 reflects that; it’s a a reserve-level, Tuscan-style combination of Sangiovese, Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Montep-

ulciano. Book a time in the La Storia Room for a reserve tasting of La Storia wines with small bites ($25), and re-lax by the fireplace.

Vine Cli) Winery, 699 St. Helena

Highway, St. Helena, 707-967-9820,

vinecli5.com. With a tasting room near Dean & DeLuca in southern St. Helena, Vine Cli] is an easy stop for tasters to enjoy a relaxed, wintertime tasting by the fireplace, with the wines paired with cheese and char-cuterie ($35). The winery produces two Chardonnays from its Carneros estate vineyard and three Cabernet Sauvignons, the centerpiece one made from its Oakville estate.

The Estate House at MacRostie Winery & Vineyards in Healdsburg is an elegant place to enjoy elegant wines from the Russian River Valley, Carneros and Sonoma Coast.

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