Like most passionate wine enthusiasts, a great epiphany led Joe Davis to his calling as a winemaker…
While in college on an athletic scholarship, Davis, the son of a Monterey California fishing family, took a job in a wine shop. One Christmas, a good customer brought Joe a gift of a 1978 Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, Domaine Dujac. One sip and he was completely taken with the flavor and sheer deliciousness of the wine, “To have winemaking as a life pursuit and to make wine like this,” he thought, “would be the most wonderful thing in the world.” And so his quest began.

Arcadian Winery
Lompoc, California

Visit: www.arcadianwinery.com home page of Arcadian Winery

2005 Chardonnay

After earning a degree in Silviculture at the University of California, Berkeley in 1974, Lloyd made a career of nurturing and sustaining the timberlands of Washington State. In 2002 he followed his passion for fine wine and began studying Enology and Viticulture at UC Davis and at Chemeketa College in Salem, Oregon. Today, he continues to be a seeker of elegance and finesse in his winemaking style.

Walter Dacon Wines
Shelton, Washington

Visit: www.walterdaconwines.com home page of Walter Dacon Wines

Tasting Room Visit by KENTONRP

11/29/2009- at 00:38:56-

Ron Bunnell graduated from the University of California, Davis Viticulture and Enology Masters Program in 1983. He went to work in the Napa Valley for Charles Krug and afterward Beringer Vineyards. When Beringer bought Chateau Souverain, Ron relocated to Sonoma County as Assistant Winemaker. There he met his future wife, Susan. After seven years with the Beringer organization, Ron spent four years as a consulting winemaker for a number of start-up wineries. He joined Kendall-Jackson in 1996 where he worked in Monterey, Sonoma County and Santa Barbara. In 1999, Ron and Susan moved to Washington so that Ron could take the position of Head Red Winemaker for Chateau Ste. Michelle and Winemaker for the Col Solare project with Pierro Antinori. Five years later, the couple founded The Bunnell Family Cellar.

Bunnell Family Cellar
Prosser, Washington

Visit: www.RiverAerie.com home page of Bunnell Family Cellar

11/26/2009- at 00:02:03-

Christian Roguenant was born to wine. A native of the Burgundy region of France who grew up among the vineyards, he decided early on to become a winemaker. His studies at the University of Dijon focused on enology and winemaking and included graduate coursework in wine marketing. This education served him well as he traveled the world to make wine on five continents. Included in his experience were fifteen years with Champagne Deutz, one of the premier Champagne houses in France and service as a consultant to wineries around the world. His travels brought him to wineries in Argentina, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Korea (where he made sparkling wine for the 1988 Olympics) and finally to the Central Coast of California.

Alma Rosa Winery
Buellton, California

Visit: www.almarosawinery.com home page of Alma Rosa Winery

Visit the Winery with KentonRP

11/25/2009- at 00:00:04-

“Kaz”, has been making wine since 1985. Winemaking was little more than a hobby for a decade before he became bonded as a winery in 1994. The transition from a professional commercial photographer to a winemaker was natural for Kaz. His graphic and marketing sense was perfect for making his labels pop and his word spread. The Kaz way of making wine would earn him recognition, acclaim and admiration as his organic wines scored well with sippers.

Kaz Vineyard
Kenwood, California

Visit: www.kazwinery.com home page of Kaz Vineyard

11/24/2009- at 17:25:19-

Through the fifteen years that he has been making wines in Washington State, Mike Scott has doggedly sourced the finest fruit from the Yakima and Columbia Valleys. At Lone Canary he continues his quest to procure grapes which best express the characteristics of fragrance and flavor which only Yakima Valley and Columbia Valley fruit can show.

Lone Canary Winery
Spokane, Washington

Visit: www.lonecanary.com home page of Lone Canary Winery

11/23/2009- at 00:00:06-

In fall 2002, Tim embarked on what was to become a two-year ‘vinternship’ with Cadence Winery. From the beginning, Ben welcomed Tim’s involvement in every aspect of winemaking—from making trips to the vineyards to inspect vines and sample the fruit, to running analytical tests on juice and wine samples, crushing, pressing, racking, bottling, and all the other attendant activities of winemaking.
For as long as he has been enjoying wine, Tim has had a tremendous appreciation for its artistic and cultural aspects. He is especially intrigued, though, by its science. Since completing the Davis course, Tim has amassed a significant collection of texts and other references on viticulture, enology, and the world of wine—which he continues to actively study. And as time allows, he attends professional seminars, conferences and trade shows to stay abreast of the very latest in the industry.

Fall Line Winery
Seattle, Washington

Visit: www.FallLineWinery.com home page of Fall Line Winery

11/22/2009- at 00:24:58-

Erik Olsen came to Clos du Bois with a truly remarkable resume. He earned a BS in Fermentation Science from UC Davis, an MS in Food Science from Cornell University and an MBA from the University of Washington, giving him that rare background of both technical and business training. And for almost two decades — with time out for a graduate research position at Cornell — he has crafted wine at some of the most prominent wineries in California and Washington, including Robert Mondavi, Simi and Chateau Ste Michelle. But even more impressive than his resume are his results. In the last ten years alone Erik has overseen an extraordinary array of extraordinary wines — including more than 30 that scored 90 or better from Wine Spectator. At Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle, where he served as head winemaker, his 2000 Single Berry Select Riesling scored an amazing 98 points, while his 1999 earned a 97. A 1999 Meritage rated 92. Erik also produced the highest ranked white wine in Wine Spectator’s “2001 Top 100 Wines of the World. Erik joined us in June 2003, and quickly made his mark on our day-to-day winemaking activities, overseeing the winemaking, enology and quality control departments. Erik’s first wines from “vine to bottle” were the 2003 vintage releases. “It’s terrific to be back in Sonoma County,” says Erik, “and I’m elated to be working with the first-class resources of one of America’s great wineries.”

Clos du Bois Winery
Geyserville, California

Visit: www.closdubois.com/ home page of Clos du Bois Winery

11/21/2009- at 00:00:12-

Managing partner of vineyards and winemaking operations; Jeff is a former attorney who has become a very hands-on grower and subsequent winemaker. Jeff’s enthusiasm for winegrape growing and winemaking is unsurpassed. Along with his wife Beryl, he owns a small Napa Valley vineyard, and has 41 acres under cultivation in adjacent Suisun Valley. Because Jeff is growing Petite Sirah in Suisun Valley, Jeff joined PS I Love You, in order to stay informed about the growing of this up-and-coming cultivar.

RDJ Artisan Wine
Napa, California

Visit: www.artisanfamilyofwines.com home page of RDJ Artisan Wine

11/20/2009- at 20:54:41-

As the winemaker my goal is to create a truly personalized ultra-premium wine. My philosophy of winemaking stems from experiences working and mentoring with some of the most highly regarded winemakers in Sonoma County including the late Andre Tchelistcheff.
I believe the best wines exhibit the characteristics of the grape. Having balanced vineyards and a blending of winemaking techniques help to achieve that goal. Frank assists the growers and me to oversee the vineyards to achieve the best that the grapes can bring to the wines.

Corl Mustang Wines
Hopland, California

Visit: www.coralnmustang.com home page of Coral Mustang Wines

2005 Yista Creek Tempranillo