Robert Sinskey Vineyards - Elegant, Organically Grown Wines for Food Lovers

The Experience: This is a Napa winery experience that’s suitable for everyone.  Robert Sinskey Vineyards, boasts a recently remodeled modern winery, caves and tasting room off the Silverado trail off Oak Knoll Road, beautiful culinary gardens and orchards, a coi pond, and an extensive culinary program and team that prepares a custom tasting menu daily from the Vineyard Kitchen. The team here cares a lot about hospitality and there is a tasting experience t suit every preference whether it’s a relaxed tasting at the communal table, a tour through the gardens and caves, or a food and wine pairing out on the sun-speckled terrace.  RSV features over thirty varieties of wine to suit every palette so plan on lingering here while you embark on your own tasting adventure.  Sinskey is also one of Napa’s first organic and biodynamic wineries, certified C.C.O.F., and you’ll also notice the orchards, organic gardens, owl boxes and animals that round out the RSV ecosystem and contribute to the terroir-driven wines.

The Credo: At RSV, winegrowing begins with the land and embraces the “whole farm” philosophy of interrelationships and biodiversity of nature, embracing natural processes to grow healthy grapes that become vibrant, living wines.  Robert Sinskey and team believe that wine is best complemented by food and meant to be shared communally which is why every tasting is accompanied by a culinary pairing cooked fresh from locally sourced or farmed ingredients, many from the RSV organic gardens.  Their guiding principle when it comes to the craft of winemaking is that “wine is not an athletic event”, where elegance over brawn is the house style, resulting in balanced wines with great acidity that pair really really well with foods.  An anomaly in the Napa Valley, RSV doesn’t even submit their wine for review by score-centric critics because they don’t believe that wine should be tasted and judged in a competitive atmosphere, devoid of food on the table.

Unique Offering: There has been many occasion in Napa when one faces the dilemma of when to squeeze in time to eat between an afternoon of wine tasting.  If you’re planning to visit Robert Sinskey, the one thing you don’t have to plan is where to stop for lunch; every guest who visits RSV will be treated to delicious food pairings to complement the wines, so don’t fret if you arrive with an empty stomach.  We toured the winery and grounds with our guide, JB, before settling outside on the terrace and while we weren’t expecting such a robust offering, to our surprise (and delight), one of the most beautiful cheese and charcuterie boards was presented to us.

Home-made gougeres, fresh and dried fruits from the organic gardens, honey from the bee hives, and local cheese and charcuterie, paired beautifully with the Abraxas wine (a blend of riesling, pinot gris, pinot blanc and gewurztraminer).  To follow, we snacked on an appetizer of roasted chicken with mushroom stuffing, cooked in the wood-fired oven.  The earthy mushroom notes and smoky chicken paired beautifully with the Capa pinot noir.  To finish, we were treated to a display of sinful house-made petit desserts served with the late harvest pinot gris. Robert Sinskey’s pairing notes booklet even comes with beautifully photographed recipes from the Vineyard Kitchen so you can whip up delicacies like the wild mushroom and cheese souffle at home.  

The Team: Robert Sinskey is a native Californian who received his BA in Fine Arts from Parson’s School of Design and didn’t fall into winemaking until later in life when a six-month assignment helping his father turned into a twenty-five year career making “wines of character that pair well with cuisine”.  

Jeff Virnig, RSV’s winemaker, found his calling to the wine industry significantly younger than Robert He became one of the youngest winemakers in Napa working for RSV in 1991 after getting a BS in agriculture business management from Cal Poly and working at Mayacamas winery and at RSV as assistant winemaker.  Jeff has been instrumental in helping develop RSV’s vineyards as well as wines, emphasizing the importance of improving wine quality through sustainable farming, and helping vines achieve natural balance while growing.

Rob and Jeff both hold the philosophy that artisanal winemaking begins with the care of the land and have farmed their vineyards organically since 1991, honing the biodynamic process and attempting to leave a minimal footprint on the land.  75% of the energy used at the winery is sourced through solar power and they use bio-diesel, made from used restaurant oil to power their trucks and tractors. Robert and Jeff’s conscientious business practices have helped to define the RSV brand as a pioneer of sustainable winemaking in the industry.

The Wines: While there is an extensive array of varietals to try at RSV, there is a consistency in style that ties the portfolio of wines together. They are all made with a higher acidity and elegance that makes them excellent food wines - so think about picking up a few bottles to bring to your next dinner party!  The RSV website does a beautiful job of categorizing the wines by color, varietal, and special release making it both easy to navigate when searching for just the wine you have in mind, and also fun to explore.  The tasting experience is similar. Rather than sticking to a pairing that has been pre-planned and standardized for all guests, at RSV, you can tell your wine guide what you’d like to taste, or let them learn your style and make recommendations as you move from one wine to the next.  

NOTABLE: Check out the POV collection, a wine that is impressive to drink and also to bring to dinner as each bottle features a stunning black and white photo taken by Robert Sinskey himself.

Visit Details:  While reservations are highly recommended, RSV has the hospitality credo of welcoming everyone to the winery. Your options below:

• “A Perfect Circle” gives guests the opportunity to explore the caves and gardens, tour the cellar and indulge in a 3-course tasting of seasonal dishes from the Vineyard Kitchen accompanied by a flight of RSV wines. By appointment at 11am and 1pm
• “The Communal Table” allows guests to enjoy a flight of wines seated in the Great Hall, Terrace or Fig Garden with a communal group of up to 8 people.  An RSV Wine Informant will guide you through a flight of RSV wines accompanied by tastes from the Vineyard Kitchen. By appointment
• “Unscheduled Flight” for those who prefer spontaneity, this is the first come, first served option for guests to belly up to the tasting bar and enjoy seasonal tastes from the kitchen paired with a flight of RSV wines. No appointment necessary, though there may be a wait for this option during peak times

Tasting Notes:  It’s hard to select which wines to feature here, but here’s a diverse array of the RSV offering and some of my favorites.

Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Los Carneros 2013

This wine is fun in so many ways. From the bottle (which looks like an oversized riesling bottle) to the blend of grapes (riesling, pinot gris, pinot blanc and gewurztraminer), it’s a great wine to sip on it’s own on a hot day, but pairs beautifully with so many foods, from spicy foods to vegetable dishes to seafood, it’s a great wine to pair with foods that can be otherwise tricky to balance with wine.  The wine has aromas of pear and almond and lychee, with an old world style, but bright, minerality.  It mas a medium body and long finish with tasting notes of peach, lime and even melon or grapefruit rind.

Vin Gris of Pinot Noir, Los Carneros 2015

I first tasted this wine at a blind tasting and have never forgotten it’s subtle elegance and the color, the palest peach hue, is just lovely. It’s a stunning wine with aromas of peach and apricot, strawberries and citrus notes of grapefruit and lime.  The wine is vibrant with fruit and also has some savory herbaceous qualities which makes it the ideal wine to pair with virtually everything.  

Pinot Noir, Capa Vineyard, Los Carneros 2012

This pinot noir is surprisingly full bodied and bursting with ripe, red berry notes. It has generous, bold fruit flavors, like ripe cherries, but also savory qualities with touches of dried rose, tea and tobacco.  This wine beautifully bridges old world with new world styles, and is perfect to drink now or set down to age gracefully for years to come.

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Round Pond - Your best destination for dusty Cabs, crisp Sauv Blancs, and fresh pressed Olive Oil

Sometimes you’re on a mission to find the best Cabernet in Napa.  Other times you’re looking for a cult winery that’s ultra exclusive and off the beaten path.  You may want something as specific as a deep dive into winemaking or just purely a winery to romance your date.  When you’re looking for a winery experience that’s guaranteed to appeal to everyone in your group, high tail it  to Round Pond.  Located in the heart of Rutherford, you’ll encounter a long, palm-tree lined driveway leading towards the beautiful Estate Winery ensconced in gardens and olive groves.  In addition to being the perfect home for their small-lot winemaking, Round Pond provides the perfect setting for groups to share the excellent wines in a comfortable and aesthetically soothing environment. With a lovely second story tasting lounge and a covered terrace offering panoramic views of the vineyards and the Mayacamas Mountains, this winery makes an ideal destination for a leisurely afternoon tasting experience.  You can even stop by Round Pond after a day of touring Napa and enjoy their sunset tastings offered on the terrace from 6pm - 8pm.

Round Pond is also known for their fresh-pressed olive oil and organic gardens that guests can enjoy on property.  There are several options to chose from - the Il Pranzo Lunch, which offers guests a chance to tour the gardens and then savor local artisan cheeses, meats, breads and other delectable accoutrement, as well as the garden’s freshest fruits and vegetables on the terrace overlooking the valley.  Topped off with dessert prepared by the in-house winery chef, this may just be the ideal Napa Valley picnic to keep your energy up between a packed Napa wine tasting trip.  For those visitors who are not partial to winetasting, the Olive Mill or Garden Tour is the quintessential non-traditional tasting experience fit for foodies, offering  a sensory exploration of Round Pond’s handcrafted olive oils and red wine vinegars. You’ll learn everything you never knew about olive cultivation and production at their estate mill before immersing yourself in a guided tasting of the estate’s fresh oils and red wine vinegar blends. A delightful selection of gourmet bread, cheese and fresh organic produce accompanies this tasting - what’s not to love?

Round Pond’s wine making modus operandi is simply to “remain true to time-honored traditions and strive to bring you the best wines the Napa Valley has to offer”.  Round Pond makes 3 labels of wines: the Reserve Wines, the Estate Wines, and the Napa Valley Wines.  The Reserve Wines are named in honor of Jannine Bovet (current owners, Ryan and Miles’ mother) and her grandfather, Louis Bovet, and these wines were inspired by an old wooden stamp marked “Chateau Bovet” for the wine Louis made in his home in the 1920’s. Louis' vineyard, and the Chateau Bovet wines, mark the beginning of The Mac Donnell family’s growing and winemaking history in California.  We tasted the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet and they really showcase how expressive certain blocks in the Round Pond vineyard can be.  Made from the best lots of the winery, these wines are complex and layered and have wonderful finesse and balance.  My tasting notes follow.

The Estate Wines were released in 2005 and the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon received much praise. These terroir-inspired wines embody the essence of the soil that they are grown in -my favorite of the wines we tasted was the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, a rich, seductive Cabernet reflects its Rutherford origins displaying dusty baked earth notes (Rutherford dust), sweet spices, layered with bright red cherry and plum sauce.  These lots are hand-harvested in the cool early morning, then hand-sorted in the vineyard before a second hand-sorting at the winery. Individual lots from specific vineyard blocks are fermented and aged separately to allow for the broadest range of flavors at blending.  State-of-the-art insulated fermenters ensure consistent temperatures and the 2005 Cab was aged 20 months in 90 percent new French oak, prior to receiving extended aging time in the bottle.  This wine is a beautiful embodiment of great structure, a solid acid backbone and refined tannins.

The Napa Valley Wines have a different label (a rustic vintage tractor which I love) and are made from fruit outside the estate.  The wines include some of the Rutherford home vineyard wine lots, with the addition of carefully selected wines from neighboring appellations.  This label’s Cabernet reflects multiple characteristics of Napa Valley’s famous appellations with fruit focused wine that are approachable in youth (and a more affordable price tag as well).

The experience at Round Pond is high touch and personalized yet approachable for groups and all levels of wine drinkers. As we arrived at the winery, a concierge noted our reservation and walked us upstairs to the terrace where we were introduced to a personal guide and given a selection of comfortable seating vignettes overlooking the winery.  Our guide walked us through our tasting at a leisurely pace - it felt personal and comfortable and he was warm and open to answering all of my questions, both technical and sentimental.  (i.e. where the name Round Pond came from).  We chatted with him while sampling perfectly paired appetizers cooked for us to accompany the wine selection by the on-site chef, and I was overcome by the beauty of the surrounding mountains, palm trees and acres and acres of vineyards that surrounded us.  There are not may tasting rooms or terraces in Napa that offer you an open-air 360 degree view of endless vineyards and it really is spectacular.  I adore this winery because it embodies the love that the Mac Donnell family has for this special appellation, Rutherford, which I too fell in love with and will always hold dear to my heart having been married at Auberge, Rutherford the previous year. Round Pond is a place that truly cares about the land is cultivates. It celebrates the land while creating an environment that is approachable for guests yet rarefied in its simple elegance and natural beauty.  And for the record, here’s the story behind the winery name. As a child, founder Bob MacDonnell spent many summers relaxing and camping by the water near Lake Frederick in West Point, New York, named Round Pond.  This source of his happy youthful memories became the inspiration for the MacDonnell family’s Napa Valley home. which they envisioned as a natural and serene retreat and even built a man-made Round Pond for their children. Clearly, this is a family that cherishes tradition and they have done a beautiful job of lovingly cultivating the land using sustainable methods to ensure its integrity for generations to come.

My tasting notes below:

2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: $95.00 per bottle
The aromatics on the 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon are a perfect representation of the vintage, with a heady perfume of black forest cake, tobacco leaf and prosciutto as well as accents of cedar and allspice. Complex and layered, big, chewy and dense, the dark fruit profile of this wine has surprising finesse and balanced acidity. The palate displays flavors of Bakers chocolate, espresso and candied cherries complimented by just a touch of vanilla.

2009 Estate Cabernet: $70 per bottle
This bright, balanced wine has vibrant red fruit notes of bing cherry, tart plum and dried cranberry while displaying it’s origins with Rutherford dust notes of baked earth and hints of baking spice and vanilla.  This wine has an appealing balance and smooth tannins that make it easy to drink now or cellar for a few more years.

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon: $30 per bottle
This wine is ideal for weekday meals, notes of cherry cola and baked dark fruit complemented by savory yet subtle sage, cloves, and dried lavender. The bouquet prepares the palate for a complex marriage of fruits, warm herbs and spices, and plush velvety tannins, while maintaining nice balance and acidity.

2011 Sauvignon Blanc: $42 per bottle
This aromatic white has notes of fresh white peach with hints of lemon and honeydew adding depth to the bouquet. Top notes of toasted coconut and cut herbs give it depth and body while a refreshing amount of acid allowing the wine to finish in a zesty fashion. The reserve wine is fermented in 100% French oak and is aged sur lie for ten months, enabling the wine to show best when at cellar temperature rather than over-chilled.

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Raymond is Napa's Must-Visit Experiential Winery

I met Jean Charles Boisset at a holiday party at the San Francisco Wine Center in 2010 where he was jovially pouring beautifully balanced wine from the French Boisset Family collection while unintentionally being the life of the party.  Though he invited me to come visit any of the wineries in his family’s California portfolio (which includes Buena Vista, Raymond, and DeLoach), it took me almost two years and about a dozen  recommendations to realize I had to go find out what all the buzz about Raymond was all about.  It turns out, Raymond far surpassed my expectations in its experiential and marketing genius and the quality of the wines themselves.  Raymond Vineyards now tops my list of favorites wineries to recommend to friends from out of town and local wine snobs alike - offering a unique and rarefied, yet down to earth experience that nobody who  visits Napa should miss.

To give just a glimmer of history, Raymond Vineyards was founded in 1970 by Roy Raymond with his two sons and is now under the helm of Jean-Charles Boisset, the proprietor of Boisset Family Estates, Director of Winemaking Stephanie Putnam, Assistant Winemaker Kathy George, and Vineyard Manager Eric Pooler.  Raymond has become known for its elegantly powerful yet balanced wines which are made from 301 acres of vineyards spanning the Napa Valley including 210 from their Jameson Canyon Vineyards, 81 from their Rutherford Estate and 10 from their St. Helena Estate. Raymond’s fame is its red wine especially its Cabernet Sauvignon, although the Merlot is best in class as well. Raymond also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Meritage blends in red and white.

What makes this particular winery so extraordinary is that it goes beyond the traditional wine tasting route which involves didactic instruction on what you are drinking, suggests a wine club membership and sends you on your way.  Raymond gives visitors an interactive experience that’s rarefied yet playful and completely unforgettable.  The first thing you’d notice when you walk on their grounds is the 1.5 acre “Theater of Nature”, which was created with the concept to educate visitors on the importance of sustainable, Biodynamic and organic farming.  This self-guided area gives guests an opportunity toexplore at their own pace or use their smartphones to download an audio guided tour.  I was enthralled by the variety of vegetables, flowers and fruit trees and learned that there must be 500 different species on a property for it to be Demeter certified as Biodynamic.  The property also includes farm animals like goats, sheep, peacocks and chickens, owl perches and bee hives.  

Next to the Theater of Nature is a tribute to Frenchie, the French Bulldog Jean Charles brought home to his wife, Gina, to keep her company while he was travelling since “he always wants her to be in the care and company of a French gentleman”.  The Chateau Frenchie pathway leads guests to Frenchie Winery – a stable-like structure that holds five luxurious stalls complete with specially designed wine barrel dog beds, “Barkarrat’ chandeliers and exquisite artwork showcasing the label designs of Frenchie’s own wine label. This is where your dogs can rest while you savor wines in the tasting room. A doggie-cam is installed in Chateau Frenchie so you can keep an eye on your pooch while you sip in the main tasting room.

I wanted to stay outside and play, but Bill Farmer, our genial guide for the day, convinced me that a visit inside Raymond would be just as enthralling.  We skipped the usual tour of the crush pad and entered the “blending room”, which sort of resembles a mix between a science lab and Studio 54. The rock star room is decorated with a disco ball, white walls, velvet curtains, and ice blue neon lighting and provides guests with an array of futuristic looking silver lamé lab coats. This blending experience of a lifetime is “70 percent fun and 30% education” and involves blending the Raymond current release wines and bottling them with custom labels that are custom designed by guests in advance with Raymond’s expert guidance.  I thought the experience couldn’t get any better, and definitely started dreaming up a number of fun and fabulous fetes I could host there, until Bill led us into the Crystal Cellar.

The Crystal Cellar has a sultry, club-like atmosphere, is flanked by working stainless steel vats that second as walls, mirrored bar and the luxury crystal Baccarat chandeliers for which it’s named.  The room is a marketing/partnership work of genius as it features some of Baccarat’s beautiful crystal jewelry, decanters, glassware and figurines for guests to purchase as keepsakes. In this particular room, they have a special flight of four different vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon which guests can taste - but we had other plans.

We continued to walk through the sexy laborinth of Raymond’s interior through several tasting rooms which can be used for private wine tasting and educational classes like the Barrel Room, Blending Room, and the Rutherford Room. The Barrel Room is surrounded by oak barrels on all sides and illuminated by candlelight; an intimate area to sample their wines as a group.  The Rutherford Room is an educational room created by one of Napa Valley’s preeminent American wine author of The Wine Bible, Karen MacNeil. This room displays samples of various areas of Napa Valley’s soil in large glass jars and a map of Napa with its own appelations to distinguish how these differences of terroir affects the wines you drink from a certain region.

One of my favorite passageways was the brilliantly conceived “Corridor of Senses” created to enhance or a wine taster’s vocabulary for taste, smell and color of wines. Visitors can touch different patches of fabric to compare what wine’s like on the palate (velvet, satin, silk, bubbly). The aroma wall features vile-like atomizers that one can squeeze to smell a certain scent like chocolate, blackberries, truffle, that you might smell in a glass of wine.

The final room we visited prior to tasting was The Red Room, an exclusive room for Raymond’s members. This very red room is masculine, dark and handsomely decorated to resemble a French inspired speakeasy with plush velvety furniture, games like pool, chess, and poker, two private bars, and more gorgeous Baccarat chandeliers.  We concluded our tour in the Library room - an exclusive room that offers vertical wine tastings of some of Raymond’s older vintages dating back to 1974. After sipping through a flight of beautiful red wines, we were relaxed and enamored and ended up chatting with Bill for over an hour before bidding him farewell and taking a few final shots outside with the whimsical picture frames that offer guests one last playful experience before they part.  My tasting notes below:

2011 Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay: 89 Points, Wine Spectator
Aluring aromas of orange blossom and honeysuckle and displaying flavors of pear, apple and lemon before ending with a long, rich finish.

2008 Rutherford Merlot: 87 Points, Wine Spectator
The wine has aromas of tea, blackberry pie and kalamata olive with hints of blood orange, wet stone and lavender. On the palate, bold flavors of mixed red and black berries are layered with the earthiness of clay and stone, with smooth tannins for a long, toasty finish.

2008 S. Helena Cab: 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of dark red fruit, tobacco, orange tea and sandalwood permeate the glass.  Flavors of black cherry and dark chocolate lead to a long, velvety, elegant finish.

2008 Rutherford Cab: 92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Luscious aromas of decadent dark chocolate, plum, framboise and brown sugar lift from the glass while luscious notes of black licorice and cola complete the rich bouquet. This classic Rutherford Cabernet is big and chewy with structured tannins and flavors of cedar, espresso beans and mulling spices.

2008 Generations Cab: 94 Points, Wine Enthusiast
The wine displays elegant aromas of cardamon, baking spice and slight hints of dried cherries and vanilla.  A full, supple mouthfeel is complemented by flavors of black cherry, star anise, and rich dark chocolate.

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Ramsgate: Sonoma's best wine destination migh be closer than you think.

Ram’s Gate Winery gets its name from “Carneros” - Spanish for "Ram", and is also the gateway to Sonoma’s wine country- just 40 minutes away from San Francisco.  While speed-obsessed Infineon Racetrack is within view, the mission of the winery’s founders, is “ In a world obsessed with making things faster, where speed is valued above all else, Ram’s Gate is our way of pressing pause. It began with a dream to create a different kind of place, where the things we love most are savored and enjoyed.”  This stunning winery estate captures the essence of California Wine Country at it’s best. The Howard Backen and Orlando Diaz-Azcuy designed winery is a stunning blend of luxury, modern sophistication, and rustic farmstead design.  Ram’s Gate also provides unprecedented hospitality, starting with the concierge waiting at the open-air entrance for your arrival who greets you by name and welcomes you into the elegant yet relaxed environment.  Various tasting rooms are scattered throughout the property - try the open-air courtyard with multiple fireplaces where even your dog is welcome, the double sided marble tasting bar where the gracious winery owners often pop by to serve guests, the spaces surrounding the patio, with 30-foot tall ceilings and enclosed by floor to ceiling glass. Inside spaces provide an eclectic mix of country chic and high style with a neutral palette, luxe seating (think creamy ostrich leather chairs imported from France) and dramatic lighting from custom designed 12-foot tall chandeliers.  

Ram’s Gate offers a full experience complete with food offerings that can be enjoyed in many forms - from a group experience at the chef’s table overlooking the exhibition kitchen, to a freshly packed picnic basket complete with two wine glasses, a bottle of Ram’s Gate wine and a picnic blanket all of which you can carry down to the pond on the property to enjoy.  The untraditional credo behind the food program that Chef Taylr Behnam creates is that menus are created around the wine. Chef utilizes fresh ingredients from the on-property organic garden and lets the wine take center stage. While wine is the priority here, food clearly serves as an important accompaniment to complete the experience at Ram's Gate. On a tour of the winery, the genial director of hospitality, Marc Hartenfels, paused in front of a vintage meat slicer, calling it “the Ferrari of meat slicers”.    We later sampled the charcuterie and pickles plate and were impressed with the array of delectable cured meats - from duck terrine and paper thin prosciutto to pork salumi with roasted pistachios and golden raisins - a perfect pairing with the Ramsgate portfoilio of wines.  

The philosophy behind Ram’s Gate wine is to create the finest possible wines that only Sonoma climate and terroir can produce.  Jeff O’Neill, a third generation vintner, developed the vision for Ram’s Gate alongside good friends, Michael John, Peter Mullin and Paul Violich when they found the enchanting property right at the gateway to Sonoma and Napa wine country. They knew they’d found the perfect location to develop special wines and experiences and made it their mission to build a place for people to come and enjoy them in a special environment accompanied by friendly hosts and delicious, locally sourced foods.  Their passion for food, wine, design and hospitality shines at this well-thought out property and experience that will delight any demographic.  

Membership at Ram’s Gate doesn’t include discounts on wine, but rather adds luxury such as complimentary concierge service, and free access to any of the member’s only spaces, including the library, the cave dining room, and a private terrace with it's own outdoor fireplace.  “Members will often come up from San Francisco, bring their laptop and work a few hours in the library, then enjoy a wine tasting and food pairing in this office away from home” says Hartenfels.  The Winery offers numerous experiences such as “match making” food and wine pairings with Chef Taylr, “up close and personal” hands-on barrel tasting experience with wine maker Jesse Fox, and even partners with Infineon Racetrack for events - the property's design ensures a full size car can fit through any of the doorways. Ram's Gate feels like a home away from home, filled with friendly people, fantastic food and fabulous views. Whether you are looking for a leisurely afternoon just across the Golden Gate, or a breathtaking venue for a special celebration, Ram's Gate Winery is both passionate and playful, and it is truly, a little slice of heaven.  

It’s hard to believe that a place this beautiful and close to San Francisco could also deliver top-notch wine, but the wine making efforts are top notch, already earning high ratings from Wine Spectator.  Tasting notes of my favorites below:

NV Sonoma County Sparkling Brut - $30 per bottle
This refreshingly, crisp brut dazzles with notes of fresh honeysuckle, green apple and toasted brioche.  It gives a strong introduction of bright crisp citrus – like an ice cold lemon that develops into a creamy meringue tart. It cleanses your mouth with a brush of well balanced acidity and minerality.


2008 Sonoma County Red Label Chardonnay - $30 per bottle
This wine smells like tropical coconut with lightly floral character, mineral notes, and a complexity of ripe stone fruit and pineapple upside down cake. Fulfilling the promise of sun-bright fruit, this wine is alive, delicious and captivating. The elegant acidity and subtle oak toastiness makes this Chardonnay hard to resist.

2009 Durell Vineyard White Label Chardonnay - $74 per bottle
This wine is a great food-pairing wine with a salinity reminiscent of oysters, fresh citrus notes and a lovely wet-stone minerality. Made in 100% oak barrels and it has some hints of toast and slightly amplified lemon curd, pot de creme character.
2010 Red Label Pinot Noir - $40 per bottle - 93 points Wine Spectator
A textbook example of Pinot Noir laden with ripe cherry, sarsaparilla & juicy raspberry fruit flavors with subtle stony earth, forest floor and musk characters. The wines mouth-feel is driven by an abundance of velour-like tannins and richness of alcohol.  Backed by forest floor, mushrooms, cedar and earth

2009 Cabernet - $72 per bottle
Deep and intense, this Bordeaux style Cab delivers a medley of deep, complex and subtle spices balanced by rosemary and cedar. Big, powerful and complete, with lovely flavors of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, cocoa powder and lush tannins.

2008 Parmelee-Hill Vineyards Syrah - $64 per bottle
The color is a deep, rich majestic purple and the wine has uscious notes of dried fig, fresh tobacco and aged tanned leather are ready to jump right out of the glass. This elegant style of Syrah has soft tannins delivering a silky transition into a full, lasting finish with flavors of white pepper, cured meat, tobacco and cola.

2009 Sonoma Valley Late Harvest Zinfandel - $34 per bottle
This Zinfandel is born from rich, structured fruit, thick skinned from the signature wind that pulsates through its vines daily. It’s an explosion of berry ripe fruit – rich currant jam supported by spicy rose pedals and light honey. Inky, purple in color, it is spicy caramelized peppercorn, blackberry marmalade and a smidge of sandlewood.

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