Who to visit in Sonoma who makes restrained wines?

WINE TALK
1

Dear Berserkers

I have a visit with Ted at Litttorai as my one and only visit so far. i can fit 2 more visits.

Interested in visiting producers with chard and pinot as their specialty and those who make wines in the burgundian spirit and even then practice restraint, elegance and finesse over power.

your suggestions and insider info/lead on how to book a time to visit with them is much appreciated.

thnx in advance

2

Scherrer
Peay

3

Freeman - I was there this past July, and made arrangements through Ed Kurtzman. Their Pinots and Chard fit the description of what you are looking for.

4

Inman
Scherrer
Littorai

5

+1

6

Copain - beautiful tasting room as well.

+1 on Scherrer and Littorai. Never gotten all the way up to Cloverdale for Peay, but like their wines.

7

Halleck

8

Copain

9

I think most folks would agree that Porter Creek would also fit your bill.

10

if you can get in ceritas I would highly recommend them as well as copain

11

Copain
Arnot-Roberts
Wind Gap
Ceritas
Scherrer
Littorai
Did I mention Copain?

12

Littorai

13

I’d second these, where I stop regularly:

Copain
Unti (an interesting array of Italian and Rhone grapes, including primitivo, barbera, montepulciano, sangiovese, grenache and syrah)
Porter Creek

Also, Ridge has its Lytton Springs Road tasting room, which might not occur to you. I’d highly recommend that as they have a lot of odd-ball wines that are only sold through their ATP (mailing list) program, including older vintages.

14

and Copain [wink.gif]

15

Joseph Swan!

16

I don’t know how easy it is to arrange a Ceritas tasting, but another option for trying wines made by John Raytek is LIOCO, they do tastings by appt at Punchdown in Santa Rosa (the same crush facility Ceritas uses).

17

I agree with some of the previous recommendations such as Lioco, Joseph Swan, Ridge and Scherrer. I think you may need to have an appointment to taste at Scherrer (usually open only for a few open house dates a year.)

18

Scherrer’s Fall open house is Nov 15-17 in case that matches with your timing.

19

Kathleen Inman, definitely. You will enjoy the tasting, but I am glad I bought some bottles because they were even better than they were during the tasting experience. And Mike Sai, who sometimes posts here, works with Kathleen. Diane Kessler and I posted notes from our Russian River tastings here on Wine Talk last spring - perhaps you can dig them up.

Dehlinger?

And I can’t believe no one has recommended Copain!

20

Yeah, what a bunch of slackers! [snort.gif]