Fog Crest Vineyard

Take a trip off the beaten path, down Occidental Road in Santa Rosa, and you will find Fog Crest Vineyard. Marked by a sign barely big enough to read, this winery, part of the Russian River Valley AVA, was established in 1998 and practices sustainable farming methods. Fog Crest's rolling hills provide excellent drainage, the south/east exposure allows for full morning sun, and the coastal fog keeps the grapes cool. This creates a "premium wine growing terroir" for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

My tasting started with the 2013 Rosé. The rosé is a light-bodied filled with berry aromas and is dry with moderate spice. I took a bottle home and paired it with salmon ceviché. It was delicious.

The 2011 Estate Chardonnay highlights the vintage notes. 2011 gave us a wet spring followed by a cool summer, resulting in a smaller than normal crop. The low yield led to intense flavors of crème brûlée and pear making this my favorite sip of the day.

2011 was also a great year for Fog Crest's Laguna West Pinot Noir. The smaller than usual crop was able to take advantage of the only sustained ninety degree days of the season in September to accelerate their maturity. The low crop yields led to very concentrated and intense berries. Aromas of plum and currant with hints of spice and a silky finish made this my favorite Pinot of the day.

To find out more or schedule an appointment check out http://www.fogcrestvineyard.com/.

And because I mentioned the salmon ceviche...

J. Rickards Winery

At the Northern End of Alexander Valley, on Chianti Road, lies J. Rickards Winery. I was introduced to this hidden gem during Wineroad’s Wine and Food Affair. I had the pleasure of visiting 7 wineries and J. Rickards Old Vine Zinfandel was my favorite sip of the day.

The vines are 106 years old and the wine is 80% Zinfandel blended with Petit Sirah, Carignane, Mataro, Alicante Bouschet, Muscent de Canelli and Golden Chasselas. All are picked and fermented together. The result is juicy, dark fruit and spice with finely integrated tannins. 

I was equally impressed by the 2013 Sémillon. I was informed that this wine “has some elbows” and it definitely did. The fermentation process is 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral oak which give this wine a full melon and honeysuckle flavor with hints of spice.

Both wines won silver medals at the 2014 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Well worth the trip to taste a J. Rickards wine.

Since the trip happened on the Wine and Food Affair weekend I will also mention DL Catering’s Lamb Shank Cassoulet paired with J. Rickards’ Malbec. While not my favorite pairing of the day, I will mention that in another post, I did enjoy the rich flavors. To find out more about J. Rickards winery visit http://www.jrwinery.com.