Your favorite Cali Wineries... that are gone now?

[Dan_Kravitz]

I just recalled one I bought a lot of back in the early 90s. I searched for the brand, Cinnabar (Santa Cruz Mountains) and saw they are still around though no longer making ‘Fox Hollow Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon. Polished, earthy and must have been cheap! There were some delicious 1987 California Cabernet available then, wines that may be still around as brands but significantly less interesting. Anyone remember Clos du Bois Marlstone, or William Hill Gold Label from that era?

The vineyards that belonged to Cinnabar are now the source for Domain Eden wines. I consume these in significant quantities.

Dan Kravitz

[Dan_Kravitz]

I thought I would be the only one who would mention Gemello.

In 2001, I did a 25 year anniversary of Steven Spurrier’s tasting. The French had always complained that Spurrier had chosen either mediocre estates or vintages or both. I chose the best from both regions from the 1970s, wines such as Petrus 1970, La Mission 1975, Heitz Martha’s 1974 and Phelps Eisele 1975. As I was boxing the wines in my cellar, I broke a bottle of 1974 Mondavi Reserve. The only other bottle that fitted the criteria was Gemello 1970. I had liked the wine and decided it would be interesting to see how it would fare against the other wines.

The tasting was held at Eleven Madison. A word about the judges. They were divided equally among professionals and gifted amateurs. Two winemakers from Bordeaux chateaux plus a Bordeaux negotiant flew in specially for the event. Eric Asimov and John Gilman were also there. The wines were served single blind in flights of four.

The results were astonishing. California wines took the first three places, with fifteen out of sixteen judges giving the Gemello first place. John Gilman is still convinced that the sommelier mixed the wine up with the La Mission 1975. I brought a bottle to one of our yearly over the top lunches, where it showed equally well.

To give you some idea of how good that wine was, I started calling Santa Cruz, to try and locate the vineyard. It was the only time in my life that I ever thought about becoming a winemaker. I am chronically lazy but this wine convinced me that I could make something where all the hard work might be worthwhile. Sadly it was subdivided into small lots and bought by internet moguls.

A couple of fun facts. One of the tasters was desperate for a bottle, so I sold him one that night for the same price as the highest priced bottle there, Petrus. $1000.
And, the Gemello was aged in redwood; it said on the label, that it would probably be at its best after five years.

The best California Cabernet I have ever had was 1960 Gemello. Santa Clara Valley Appellation. I bought it at the winery store behind the bowling alley in Mountain View. It was signed “Made by me. Mario Gemello.”

Dan Kravitz

[T_Altmayer]

Really miss Herb Lamb, Jennifer was such a wonderful host and their wines were outstanding.

[loren.grossman]

Speaking of Bates Ranch - Alghren is an easy addition. The Bates Ranch cabs were amazing.

[Mel_Knox]

Clos du Bois was an important winery for me, as one of the founders and his wife were regular customers for me when I was in retail. Then they became one of my biggest barrels customers. When Margaret Davenport made the wine, we traded wine. Many years later I took several of those Marlstones to special dinners at the Bay Wolf and they really blew peoples’ minds. They had developed like classic claret. I suppose that sort of thing was hard to sell. Once a winery gets into ‘supermarket wine’ mode, the expensive stuff is hard to sell.


No idea what Gallo will do with the brand but I have heard the facility has been mothballed.

[Nathan_V]

Speaking of Bates Ranch - Alghren is an easy addition. The Bates Ranch cabs were amazing.

Kenny Likitprakong made Cabernet from the Alghren vines from 2013-2105 (it may have been 2012 but I know 2015 is the last vintage) that is an absolute timne capsule in the best sense. He probably still has some to sell. I think the vines were subsequently uprooted.

[Nathan_V]

Clos du Bois was an important winery for me, as one of the founders and his wife were regular customers for me when I was in retail. Then they became one of my biggest barrels customers. When Margaret Davenport made the wine, we traded wine. Many years later I took several of those Marlstones to special dinners at the Bay Wolf and they really blew peoples’ minds. They had developed like classic claret. I suppose that sort of thing was hard to sell. Once a winery gets into ‘supermarket wine’ mode, the expensive stuff is hard to sell.


No idea what Gallo will do with the brand but I have heard the facility has been mothballed.

I remember those mid-80s Marlstones. My dad would buy them from time to time and they absolutely aged like old claret. I have fond memories.

[Wes_Barton]

Speaking of Bates Ranch - Ahlgren is an easy addition. The Bates Ranch cabs were amazing.

Kenny Likitprakong made Cabernet from the Ahlgren vines from 2013-2105 (it may have been 2012 but I know 2015 is the last vintage) that is an absolute time capsule in the best sense. He probably still has some to sell. I think the vines were subsequently uprooted.

There’s a big section that got replanted. They used the best performing root stock and grafted from the best vines. It looked like a multi-year transition, all in production now.

[Thomas_Keim]

Clos du Bois was an important winery for me, as one of the founders and his wife were regular customers for me when I was in retail. Then they became one of my biggest barrels customers. When Margaret Davenport made the wine, we traded wine. Many years later I took several of those Marlstones to special dinners at the Bay Wolf and they really blew peoples’ minds. They had developed like classic claret. I suppose that sort of thing was hard to sell. Once a winery gets into ‘supermarket wine’ mode, the expensive stuff is hard to sell.


No idea what Gallo will do with the brand but I have heard the facility has been mothballed.

I remember those mid-80s Marlstones. My dad would buy them from time to time and they absolutely aged like old claret. I have fond memories.

Those were great wines, I was also a big fan of their Flintwood Chardonnay

[Mel_Knox]

What has happened to Ravenswood? Constellation paid a lot for it, made Joel P rich, but then they sold it to Gallo, I believe. Hard to keep track of all these things. I believe the winery has been mothballed.

Acacia is just a BTG brand now, but back in the day they made some great wines.


Sebastiani went through many changes. They owned a bunch of brands that made Sebastiani important to wholesalers. Then they sold those brands and the big brand suffered. Now it is part of Foley.

[Al_Osterheld]

Sebastiani had some family drama along the way.

-Al

[Sean_Devaney]

What has happened to Ravenswood?

The new yet-to-open Harrow Cellars winery has purchased Sonoma’s Sojourn Cellars and the two wineries will share the former Ravenswood tasting room, production facility and cellar space on Gehricke Road. The terms of the Sojourn acquisition were not announced.

Harrow Cellars is a new winery run by Angelina Mondavi and owned by Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group (SBHG), the Sonoma-based collective of local businesses run by Karin Rogers. Mondavi and SBHG announced the acquisition of the former Ravenswood property in January 2020.

Harrow Cellars And Sojourn Cellars To Share Former Ravenswood Property -...

Full article Harrow Cellars and Sojourn Cellars to share former Ravenswood property - The Sonoma Index-Tribune

[Howard_Cooper]

Inglenook Cask and BV Private Reserve - THE legends of California wines, now only around in name only.

Also, Sterling.

[Mel_Knox]

Thanks,Sean. I need to read the trades more often.

[Ken_Zinns]

Should I add Harrington to the list?

[Al_Osterheld]

Should I add Harrington to the list?

Heck, Harrington is a legend now disappearing into the mists of time.

-Al

[Andy_Steinman]

Chaine d’Or Cabernet - never saw much commercial success but had a few great bottles in the mid 2000’s.

[Wes_Barton]

Chaine d’Or Cabernet - never saw much commercial success but had a few great bottles in the mid 2000’s.

It still exists. When they decided to retire, they invited up-and-coming Stefania Wine to make their wine at their place. They only wanted enough wine under the Chaine d’Or label to go to their existing accounts and customers, with the rest of the exact same wine under the Stefania label. They were there 2007-2014. When Stefania moved out, Nicola Vonderhayden moved in, I think with the same arrangement. (I heard some rumor he’s leaving the area, so we’ll see what’s next.)

Robert’s Market in Woodside carries their wine. Their website has a mailing list sign-up, so I’d guess there’s an annual offer.

For those who don’t know, that’s a high elevation cool site in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with Cabernet Sauvignon (some Merlot and Cab Franc) and Chardonnay.

[MikeV]

Summers and Lava Vine in Calistoga. Lava vine was a unique atmosphere out there.

[dougwilder]

Reverie…

Nigel uses this fruit for Kinsman-Eades. It is a great site. I think I bought the first cases of Norm Kiken’s Daydream for the shop I worked at in San Francisco.