It’s no surprise that I like wine, and that I drink steadily - sometimes all day.
Here is what got me through a three-week road trip from Mendocino to SF and all the way north to the San Juan Islands. A lot of stops, lunchtime sips, roadies, quick winery visits, dinners and dinner parties. And the countless late night bottles (the easiest to remember). It could very well read like a Top 100, except that I don’t rate (just occasionally exclaim with an exclamation point), critique or comparatively taste. It may not be very literary, but here is the list, to whom I (and my pearly liver) I am indebted.
Seriously, I had help from Alexa, Lucas, T-Man, Kelly, Jessa, Cindy and Travis; and all the beautiful souls along the way.
- Von Strasser Diamond Mountain District cabernet sauvignon 2008
- Ridge 3 Valleys Sonoma 2009
- Sean Thackrey Orion 2004, Cassieopia 2010, Pleiadies NV, Sirius 2009
- Ojai Thompson Vineyard Santa Barbara grenache 2007, syrah 2007, Santa Barbara pinot noir 2009
- Moulin St. George St. Emilion Grand Cru 2000 (!!)
- Occhipinti Nero D’Avola Sicily 2011 (12.5% alcohol)
- Bouchaine Gee Vineyard (dry farmed) pinot noir 2005/08, Terraces pinot noir 2010, Sonoma Coast syrah 2010, Estate chardonnay 2011
- Jordan Russian River chardonnay 2010; Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon 2003/08
- Cain Five Spring Mountain Napa 1999
- Beaulieau Vineyards Muscat d’Frontignon Napa Valley (from before I was born)
- Stony Hill Napa riesling 2010
- Raye’s Hill Anderson Valley pinot noir 2007
- Greenwood Ridge Mendocino County zinfandel 2009
- August West Santa Barbara pinot noir 2010 (!)
- Husch Anderson Valley pinot noir 2010
- Panthea Anderson Valley pinot noir 2010 (!)
- Navarro ‘Premiere’ chardonnay 2010; Method Ancienne pinot noir 2007 (!!)
- Amethyst Carneros nebbiolo 2005 (!)
- Domaine De Le Janasse L’Orange merlot/syrah 2006
- Boedecker Willamette Valley pinot noir 2010
- Carlton Hill Yamhill-Carlton ‘Estate’ pinot noir2007/09
- King Estate (Block C, 4d, Blackjack) pinot noir 2009
- King Estate Domaine pinot gris 2006/09/10 and sparkling 2011
- Jaun Gil Honore Vera garnacha Catalyud 2009
- Moshin Russian River Valley pinot noir 2009 (!)
- Rocchioli Russian River Valley pinot noir 2009/10
- Thomas George Estates Cresta Ridge pinot noir 2007/09
- Artesa Riva Gauche Napa 08/Mount Veeder Tambor Vineyard cabernet 2007
- Roederer Estates brut/brut rose/ 03 L’Ermitage
- Domaine de la Cattin Cremant d’Alsace
- Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru 1997 (!!!)
- Cascina degli Ulivi Gavi 2009 (!)
- Produtorri de Barberesco Nebbiolo 2005
- Frescobaldi Tenuta di Castiglioni 2009
- Saintsbury Carneros ‘Unfiltered’ chardonnay 2010
- Mt. Baker Vineyards WA madeline angevine 2007
- Mt. Baker Vineyards WA dolcetto 2009
- Seven Hills Walla Walla Valley malbec 2006
- Feudi de San Gregorio Fiano di Avellino 2010
- Tablas Creek Paso Robles vermentino 2011
- Achaval-Ferrar Mendoza malbec 2007
- Luigi Bosca Lujan de Cuyo ‘Reserve’ malbec2008
- Domaine Carneros brut 08
- Segura Viudas brut 2011
- Toulouse Anderson Valley pinot noir 2009
- Golden Eye Anderson Valley pinot noir 2007/08/09
- Corte Lonardi Rosso della Venezie merlot/corvina 2011
- Evening Lands Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard pinot noir 2010
- Joel Gott ‘Shatter’ grenache France 2010
- E. Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
- Unti Dry Creek Valley grenache 2009; Petit Frère 2009
- Cassanova di Neri Rosso di Casanova Di Neri 2009
- Ludola Nuova Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Reserva 2006
- Hedges Red Mountain WA 2008; ‘CMS’ red blend Columbia Valley 2009
- Aspen family man Keith Webster’s Madison Lynn ‘Archeiri’ Napa red blend 2009
- Vingne Mastrodomenico Likos Anglianico del Vulture 2007
- Turley Lodi ‘Old Vine’ cinsault2008
- Legoe Bay Columbia Valley syrah 2007
- Domaine Des Lauribert Vin du Pays de Vaucluse 2010
- Adami prosecco NV
- Schramsberg brut NV
- Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos 2011
- Nisia ‘Old Vines’ Verdejo 2011
- Lava Vine Napa Valley petite sirah 2009
- Michel Schlumberger Dry Creek Valley merlot 09
- Cascinetta Vietti Moscato D’Asti 2012
Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Mont 2006
Wow, am I parched. Happy New Year. Cheers! Remember, wine reveals truth.
Drew Stofflet lives in Carbondale. Correspond with him at drew.stofflet@gmail.com.