Red Wines You Can Ferment

Cab/Shiraz (Austraila) - A rich, hearty wine that mixes the fruity and chocolate Shiraz flavors.  It’s wonderful with beef dishes like steak and roasts, and matches perfectly with spare ribs and lamb ... or game dishes such as pheasant and venison, and firm cheeses in the line of cheddar, parmigiano and romano.

Malbec (Argentina) - This premium dinner companion comes to you from Argentina.  The grape shows off very deep color, ample tannins, and a noticeably plum-like hint of flavor … which adds to its complexity.  The Malbec’s characteristics fall somewhere between a Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  And it pairs wonderfully with dishes of lamb, pork, and beef.  Truly a meat-lover’s wine -- it’s not recommended for pasta dishes with red sauces.  (This also might be enjoyed more coming out of our oak barrels).

Merlot (Chile) - This wine supplies ample amounts of fruit and spice flavors.  Pairs well with lamb, red meat, flavorful tomato-sauced pastas, filet mignon, lasagna or even herb roasted chicken.

Merlot (Italy) - This is a full-bodied Merlot grape.  The tannins, however, are very soft.  It’s an excellent grape for wine blending, but also stands up very nicely on its own too … and pairs very well with meats and foods with red sauces, such as Italian.

Montepulciano (Italy) - The Italians love this red wine so much they only export a little bit of it.  In other words … they like to keep it for themselves.  It’s that special.  But I’ve reserved a limited quantity of this exquisite, popular Italian grape for your enjoyment.  Its pronounced herbal notes and mouth-filling fruit make this drink a great meat wine …  This vintage goes well with roasts and/or rich sauces.  (I highly recommend you set this wine down in oak to tame the intense fruit it exhibits).

Old Vine Zinfandel (CA) - This wine is deep, rich and bold.  Contains low tannins, with a full, well-rounded profile.  Great with heavy pasta dishes or spicy barbecue ribs, or even your own favorite beef dish.

Valpolicella (Italy) - Three kinds of grapes to into this wine: Corvina, Monlinara and Rondinella.  It’s the most popular of Italian reds. The finished product is a delicate, nutty-scented wine.  With a wonderfully crisp finish.  This one’s the “go to” wine for Italian dishes.

Barbera - Full of zesty acidity, that accents layers of plum and cherry.  This makes it an especially good complement to rich sauces and grilled meats… pork loin and lamb come to mind.   Not to mention plates such as duck, Italian olive risotto, and eggplant parmesan.

White Wines You Can Ferment

Chardonnay (CA) - This Chardonnay is known for its slight citrus undertones.  It tastes very clean and crisp when it’s young.  A classic “sipping” wine due to its low acidity and viscous mouth-feel.  It’s an excellent pairing with appetizers (for any meal) and light fish dishes.  For example …try this with salmon in lemon dill sauce … or a saffron risotto dish.

Chardonnay (France) - This wine boasts a dry crisp flavor.  The finished product is light golden in color … with a hint of green in its youth.  And subtle “citrus tones” are carried all throughout.  This Chardonnay is totally unlike Californians, which have sort of a “buttery” taste.  (You’ll hardly believe it when you taste the difference).  This wine goes extremely well with all kinds of Fish, Shellfish, White Meats in Creamy Sauces (including Poultry) and Sweetbreads.

Pino Grigio (Italy) - Lots of “up-front” taste.  Bright, crisp, and fresh fragrant with a clean finish.  Also lighter in alcohol … making it a great sipping wine before dinner.  And it matches very well with salads, most appetizers, and even shellfish.  Try it with olive oil over pasta … or with tomato, basil and mozzarella salad and see for yourself.

Riesling (Germany) - This one’s considered one of the noblest varieties in all of Germany.  (Possibly the finest white grape variety in the world).  Germanic Rieslings are more tart … almost “grape-fruity”.  Rieslings go very well with oriental dishes.  But it’s also perfect with seafood of all types.  (Note: for you dessert lovers.  This is one of the few wines that go well with chocolate … but it’s also great on its own).  Serve it chilled at 45°F.  

Sauvignon Blanc (Italy) - In contrast to our California Sauvignon, this one is much more “citrusy” and crisp.  In the style of a Bordeaux-white.  It makes an excellent paring with plates such as Halibut and Rosemary Potatoes.  Or even Chicken Cordon Bleu.

Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) - The “Kiwis” (the affectionate nickname given to New Zealanders) have produced a world-renowned white wine grape that features hints of fruits and herbs at every turn.  From grassy and apple flavors … to hints of olive at times.  (You’ll be amazed).  This variety is crisp and acidic, helping the finished wine cut through heavy foods.  Thus, it goes well with thick sauces and stews.  And you’ll enjoy it chilled to around 52° for that first evening sip too.

Viognier (CA) - The intense fruitiness of this wine suggests rich sweetness, but it shows a surprisingly dry, aromatic finish.  It bursts out of the glass with apricot, peach and spice aromas.  As it matures it can also display hints of jasmine, honeysuckle and kiwi.  This is the perfect wine for spicy Asian foods and light shellfish dishes.  Just sample it with Indian curry over rice … or scallops in red-hot pepper sauce over pasta to see what I’m talking about.

Reserve-Class Wines You Can Ferment

Cabernet Sauvignon (Dry Creek, CA) - So why offer this 3rd Cabernet from California?  Well, the sugars are very rich inside these grapes … creating a wine of great intensity.  There’ll be more body than the other 2 Cabs we’ve discussed already.   Its character is sort of between the fruit-forward one from Mendocino and more earthy Cab from the Rosso’s farm near Napa.

Cabernet Sauvignon, organic (Mendicino, CA) - This organic wine fully displays the kind of flavor California Cabs are famous for.  It’s genuinely “fruit-forward” in character (as opposed to the “earthy” Cab we discussed earlier).  The color is dark ruby, with a purple to red edge.  It displays bright aromas of black cherries and dark chocolate.  And the palate is a robust, full-bodied wine with a long finish of savory ripe fruit.

Cabernet Sauvignon (Suisun Valley, CA) - This is going to be a very earthy-styled wine (as opposed to the traditional “fruity” Cabernets that generally come from California).  So it very much resembles high-end French-European Cabs.  Our Vintages clientele raved over this one last year … which is why I just had to order it again this year.  It matches perfectly with steaks, pork or other fatty meats. 

Carignane 100-yr-old Vine (CA) - You can ferment this juice and relish it all on its own.  While it blends very well with other grapes such as Cabernet and Malbec, it stands by itself as a very lush red wine.  While the flavors are intense … the tannins are very velvety, meaning soft.  Its acidity is very low, which makes Carignane a fabulous wine to drink right away -- when young.  Thus, this highbrow red is very easy on your palate and makes a great sipping wine.  You don’t need to pair it with any food whatsoever.  Though you certainly can marry Carignane with food, its rich, round flavor lets it stand by itself.

Merlot, organic (Mendicino, CA) - This is a full-bodied Merlot grape.  The tannins, however, are very soft.  It’s an excellent grape for wine blending, but also stands up very nicely on its own too … and pairs very well with meats and foods with red sauces, such as Italian.

Pinot Grigio (Verona, Italy) - Fresh, fragrant and lively, its flavors include an up-front citrus display and certain flintiness, with a hint of minerality and light earthy tones.  Goes well with any hearty meal of chicken and fish that are well seasoned with butter and garlic.  Excellent with grilled vegetables as well!  This wine will cleanse the palate!

Petit Verdot – This one is very special because it’s often used as a blending grape in elite Bordeaux wines. It’s very intense in both color and character.  It looks almost black-red by itself.  And contains lots of bitter tannins.  A few Vintages customers are going to love this by itself.  But most will probably love this grape as part of a wine-blend … being mixed with a grape like the reserve-class Cabernet Sauvignon or reserve-class Merlot.

Specialty Wines You Can Ferment

Chocolate Raspberry Port - If you want to give yourself a treat then please come in and sample this.  This fortified wine begins with very sweet, late-harvest Zinfandel grapes.  The juice is then slightly oxidized -- giving it a nutty, creamy finish.  And after this -- something extra-special.  The batch of grape juice is infused with chocolate-raspberry puree … and finished off with 750 milliliters of brandy.  More than a few of our Vintages clientele refer to this as "Dessert in a bottle."

Ice Wine (Canada) - Very sweet desert wine has a beautiful golden color, use in place of dessert! 

Peach/Apricot Chardonnay (CA) - A blend light in alcohol of the Chardonnay grape along with a Peach/Apricot wine.  Should be enjoyed young, a good summer wine.  Will age to one year.

Port (CA) - This Zinfandel Port has a deep red color and slight carmely finish.  Made Ruby Style, it is fruitier and sweeter than it's more popular cousin, Tawny Style.  

Rose (CA) - Famous blush wine.  We make this one sweet and tart. 

Sherry (CA) - The carmel flavor of this Cream Sherry-Style Wine is great on it's own, but pairs well with fruits and salty cheeses.

Seasonal Wines You Can Ferment

Amarone Della Valipolicella (Italy) - This impressive wine is produced from the three Valpolicella varieties:  Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. According to the traditional method of the production of Amarone, only the best bunches of grapes with an optimal ripeness are chosen for these vintage bound wines. This wine will offer a very sensuous experience for anyone’s palate.  Amarone is still a well-kept secret in America.

Pinot Noir (Italy) - Pinot Noir is styled like a true burgundy.  But this one’s a delicate version of Pinot Noir.  It displays light cherry colors, with clean fruit flavors.  There are hints of blueberry … with an added flavor-dimension of toasted almonds.

Sangiovese (Italy) - This one is considered Italy's most noble red grape.  It holds a fresh black cherry aroma … with scents of wood smoke, tar and wild herbs mixed in.  It perfectly matches with full, rich pasta sauces.  And also goes great with Pork or Veal dishes.  (Hint: Try this one out before dinner too … with Italian bread, or sharp cheeses like Parmigiano and Cheddar.

Soave (Italy) - This wine comes from the Garganega grape.  It displays a medium body, soft fruit and lower acidity.  It’s an easy drinking wine -- good for lighter dishes like fish and chicken.  Soave also matches well with Shellfish, Salads and most appetizers.  Just try it with Shellfish and Olive Oil over Pasta.  Or Tomato Basil and Mozzarella Salad.

Gewurztraminer (Germany) - This grape ferments into a perfumed, spicy, exotic wine.  Gewurztraminer presents a moderate alcohol level, which allows the fruit to flow through to the palate in a very distinctive manner.