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You are here: Home / Archives for Russian River Valley

Ultimate Russian River Wine Experience: Benovia – Gary Farrell – Dutton-Goldfield

April 7, 2015 by Joe Becerra

This is a guest post by Stephanie Friedman, the direct-to-consumer manager at Gary Farrell.  I heard through the grapevine about this very interesting wine tour at these three Russian River Valley wineries. Stephanie agreed to give readers of Wine Country Getaways the lowdown on the Ultimate Russian River Wine Experience.

Ultimate Russian River Wine Experience: Benovia – Gary Farrell – Dutton-Goldfield

In the heart of Sonoma County, down the main stretch of highway and along the windy backroads of the renowned Russian River Valley, you can discover some of the most beautiful vineyards producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Vineyards so breathtaking in landscape, you can’t help but slow your car down well below the speed limit to snap a quick pic, and wonder where you can find the wines produced from these incredible sites. Well, wonder no longer … The Ultimate Russian River Wine Experience will lead you to them.

Three esteemed wineries have teamed up to offer the ultimate Russian River Valley tour and tasting experience: Benovia, Gary Farrell and Dutton-Goldfield. Three names are known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, each a gem in their own right, yet even better when combined as a day-long, best of the Russian River Valley itinerary.

Benovia house

Benovia House

The day begins with a morning tasting at Benovia Winery, at a rustic ranch house nestled in the midst of their estate vineyards. With the home-style feel comes impeccable hospitality, and of course, exceptional wine. This small winery was built by a family of people who eat, drink and breathe a passion for making something special, and it’s felt throughout the entire tasting of co-owner/winemaker Mike Sullivan’s handcrafted single-vineyard selections, which are known for their exquisite balance and purity of flavor.

gary farrell winery

The terrace at Gary Farrell Winery

After working up an appetite, guests head west to Gary Farrell Winery, a Russian River Valley pioneer perched high on a hillside with a million dollar view overlooking the foggy riverbank. Here, a behind-the-scenes winery tour awaits, highlighting Gary Farrell’s incredible 30+ year history and hallmark winemaking style, one of beautiful balance, elegance and sense of place … a legacy that winemaker Theresa Heredia is both respecting and evolving with her own outstanding thumbprint. After the tour, guests are seated in the winery’s new private salon to savor a tasting of highly-acclaimed single vineyard wines accompanied by an artisan box lunch.

Dutton goldfield Pinot Noir

“Beast & Pinot” at Dutton Goldfield

The afternoon warms up out toward Sebastopol, where Dutton-Goldfield offers guests the option of two fabulous wine and food pairings, crafted by certified Sommelier Nicole Kosta. For charcuterie lovers, the winery’s signature “Beast & Pinot” pairing is the highlight, featuring exquisite Pinot Noirs paired with artisan meat selections. Or, a more traditional option of single vineyard wines and local artisan cheeses is offered. No matter what the choice, the incredibly knowledgeable staff makes the experience both educational and fun.

One day, three wineries, lunch and “beast” pairings … the Ultimate Russian River Wine Experience lives up to its name! Reservations can be made by contacting any one of the wineries – $125 per person, and transportation is offered additionally with 15% savings from Beau Wine Tours for URRWE guests.

Benovia | [email protected] | 707-921-1040
Gary Farrell| [email protected] | 707-473-2909
Dutton-Goldfield | [email protected] | 707-827-3600

Filed Under: Russian River Valley Tagged With: Benovia, Dutton Goldfield, Gary Farrell, Russian River Valley wine tour

Ketcham Estate

August 22, 2014 by Joe Becerra

Ketcham Estate winery

Mark Ketcham and his Pinot Noir wines

About Ketcham Estate

This is one winery I had never heard until one of our wine friends arranged for us to meet Mark Ketcham and taste his Ketcham Estate wines. Our friend Pat bid on this special wine tasting with Mark Ketcham at a school fundraiser. We are happy she had the winning bid and even happier she asked us to tag along. The tasting took place in Mark’s fabulous house in the Russian River area near the town of Healdsburg. Mark is one of many successful business owners we find today in the world of wine who, once retired from their successful businesses, decide to start a winery.  As the old saying goes, “To make a small fortune in the wine business, one must start with a large fortune!” Mark Ketcham has long been a wine aficionado, especially of Burgundy wines. When he sold his computer company, he set out to find the perfect spot for growing Pinot Noir grapes. As we sip his Pinot Noir wines, he tells us that he evaluated over 100 properties using a Harvard Business School evaluation method.  His home and his estate vineyard are located at the northern end of the Russian River Valley.  His vineyard is a stone’s throw from J Vineyard and Rodney Strong. But Ketcham has one thing not found at either one of those wineries, and that is water. There is a creek that runs along his property and provides a substantial water table. The clones of Pinot Noir Mark is using grow in a lateral direction. He chose those Pinot Noir clones so they would have some struggles in finding the necessary nutrients, instead of growing strait down into the water table. Mark has hired a full-time vineyard manager and has provided a home for him and his family on the property. Kudos to Mark on providing for his employee.

Mark admits that although he knows much about wine, he would never attempt to make wine. That, he leaves up the specialist. It is rather curious that Mark has had three or four winemakers since the first vintage of 2002. He began with winemaker Mike Browne of Kosta-Browne fame, and we got the vague notion that Mark must be quite demanding in what he expects in his wine. Mark recently hired a new winemaker, Mark Topel. Mark and his wife Donnis own the Topel Winery and have a tasting room in downtown Healdburg. The Topels’ winery is located in Hopland, about 35 miles north of Healdsburg. Mark and Donnis purchase grapes from Mark Ketcham, and I am assuming that is what led to the  Ketcham winemaking stint for Mark Topel. It was very fun to try the three Ketcham Pinot Noirs, different vintages and from different vineyard plots. The Pinot Noirs are well made and very delicious, and I think priced correctly compared to other Pinot Noir wines in the Russian River Valley.

Ketcham Pinot Noir

The bookcase is a secret passageway to Mark Ketcham’s wine cellar.

What we most enjoyed about our visit was when Mark took us downstairs and into his “man cave.” He walks towards a bookcase and reaches behind a book and viola! The bookcase is a doorway that swings open into a fabulous and well- stocked wine cellar. I spotted Burgundys, Bordeaux’s, Napa cult cabs, and even an Nebuchandnezzar bottle of Veuve Cliquot. A Nebuchandnezzar holds 20 regular bottles of wine. Holy smokes!

This was a special tasting for the school fund raiser. Normally all the tastings at Ketcham Estate are by appointment and done in the vineyards. Check the Ketcham Estate Website for additional information.  Should you want to visit other wineries in the area, check our Old Redwood Highway Wine Trail.

Filed Under: Russian River Valley, Russian River Wine Country - Sonoma Cty., Winemakers Tagged With: Ketcham Estate, Pinot Noir russian river valley, Topel

Acorn Winery – Field Blend

July 4, 2014 by Joe Becerra

acorn winery betsy bill

Acorn owners Betsy and Bill Nachbaur

About Acorn Winery

This is a revised article that I posted in 2008 about Betsy and Bill Nachbaur and their Acorn Winery and Alegria Vineyards. This past week Acorn Winery made Daily Meal’s Top 101 Wineries in America. Acorn Winery is number 22. That is quite an honor considering this winery is very small and not much known to most of the media titans like the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. Congratulations to this small winery on Old Redwood Road near Healdsburg.

At Acorn Winery, Betsy and Bill Nachbaur do things a little differently than most wineries and vineyard farmers. Their winery is located on prime acreage in the Russian River Valley and most of their vines are very old, including a Zinfandel block that is over 100 years old.

The Nachbaurs purchased the property, Alegria Vineyards, in 1990. They farmed the grapes and sold them off to various wineries. When winery after winery starting winning awards for their Alegri­a Vineyard wines, Bill decided it was time to try his hand at making wine, and in 1996 established Acorn Winery. The Nachbaurs still sell their grapes but keep 20% of their crop to produce 3000 cases of wine per year.

So what about field blends? Few wineries practice this tradition today. The Alegri­a Vineyard contains blocks of various field blends in which the grape varieties are interplanted. They are harvested together and fermented together. So, for example, take the old vine Zinfandel block. Interspersed among the Zin vines are a few vines of Petite Sirah, Alicante Boushcet, and a few other varietals. The vines are all harvested and fermented together. The blending is thus done in the field and not in the barrel.

alegria vineyards

Old Vine Zinfandel – Alegria Vineyards

Acorn Winery is open by appointment only, and the tasting takes place in a rustic room that serves as both an office and a tasting room. Betsy also gives visitors a quick tour of their interesting vineyard blocks. The tasting is currenlty $10 per person but waived if a wine purchase is made. If you are looking for wines that are unique and pair well with food, try the Acorn Winery.

There are several other wineries in the area including J Vineyards, Rodney Strong, and Foppiano. Check out our Old Redwood Wine Trail that includes these wineries and others. If you are staying in Healdsburg, see our list of recommended Healdsburg restaurants.

Filed Under: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Tagged With: Acorn Vineyards, Alegria Vineyards, Field blend

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