NAPA VALLEY, CA—If you have a memory like an elephant, my last post left off as I was moving south on Silverado Trail making my way home before the assault of heavy rain. I had just visited Rutherford Hill Winery and Mumm Napa when I came upon the bold entrance to ZD Wines. It is marked by a two-ton boulder, extracted from one of ZD’s mountain vineyards and is adorned by the winery’s gold logo.

This winery is a true family affair dating back to 1969 when founder Norman deLeuze and his original partner Gino Zepponi purchased their first Pinot Noir grapes from the Winery Lake Vineyard in Carneros in southern Sonoma County and produced their first wine—the first ever labeled with the Carneros appellation. Soon after, the winery started making Chardonnay, which continues to be ZD’s flagship wine. Of course, their Pinot Noir is also pretty amazing.

The deLeuze family have owned and operated the winery for more than four decades. Founder Norman’s three kids, who grew up in the business, are currently at the helm.

My own son visited there with his girlfriend last year, on my recommendation, and bought a bottle of Pinot Noir for a dinner party. “Dad,” he said afterwards, “You told me that they made good wine but I didn’t realized that it was THAT good!” Needless to say, ZD is now one of his favorites. Sometimes kids just don’t take their parents opinions very seriously. In my case, I think that has started to change. ;-)

The ZD tasting room was pretty crowded that day. Through the rest of November (and maybe a little beyond) they are featuring a “Retrospective Chardonnay Tasting”. $15 for a one ounce sample of each of these gold medal-winning wines:

2006 Chardonnay, California (Originally Released Nov. 2007; Library Selection)
2007 Chardonnay, California (Originally Released Nov. 2008; Library Selection)
2008 Chardonnay, California (Originally Released Nov. 2009; Library Selection)

Also, being presented through November are these “Premiere Wines”.  $15 for a one ounce sample of each of the following:

2009 Rosa Lee Barbera (Originally Released April 2011; Only available at the winery)
2010 Founder’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Cerneros (Originally Released Sept. 2011)
2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Originally Released Oct. 2011)

These “Current” releases are, of course, also being poured. $10 for a one ounce sample of these:

2010 Rosa Lee Pinot Grigio (Originally Released July 2011) 
2010 Chardonnay, California (Originally Released Nov. 2011) (ZD says: “pair this one with grilled shrimp. They’ll provide a family recipe.”
2009 Pinot Noir, Carneros (Originally Released Dec. 2010) 
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley (Originally Released Feb. 2011)

If you can go for the “Retrospective Chardonnay” before they change the line-up, I think you’ll really be pleased. It’s fun to compare these different vintages.

As you bid farewell to ZD you can’t miss this beautiful fountain. It’s been at the tasting room entrance for as long as I remember. Soothing!

If you go, I hope you enjoy their wines as much as I do. Great wines; nice people!

Next up, I was back on Silverado Trail and then turned right onto Oakville Cross Road toward Hwy. 29 and Oakville. About half way up the road, on your left, you’ll see the stately entrance to Silver Oak Cellars and, on your right, an unassuming country lane called Money Road. Take a right on it and in a few short moments you’ll come to what, at first, might look more like a friend’s country bungalow made of concrete blocks. This is the home of Saddleback Cellars. Owner/winemaker Nils Venge parks his 1940s-era Ford tractor near the front and he often can be seen riding high among the vines of his fifteen-acre vineyard.

This “by appointment only” winery is low key. You’ll quickly realize that, here, it’s all about the wine. Venge makes wine using his estate Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc, as well as fruit sourced from select Northern California vineyards. He also owns Envy Wines, with partner Mark Carter, in nearby Calistoga, and Cougar’s Leap, in Lake County to the north, and he consults for several others.

Inside the barrel room, which doubles as a tasting room, the environment has a cowboy flavor. Venge grew up in Southern California where he mastered cowboy skills at an early age and even rode his horse in the Pasadena Rosa Parade. As a youth, he worked in his father’s wholesale wine business, then earned degrees in viticulture and enology at U.C. Davis.

Many visitors to Napa Valley don’t realized just how much variety can be found within this narrow, scenic valley. A visit to Saddleback Cellars is a most satisfying contrast to the many high visibility, national brands.

Here are the Saddleback Cellars wines currently being offered at the tasting room:
(6 for $20; tasting fee waived with a case purchase)

2009 Viognier, Clarksburg
2009 Chardonnay, Napa Valley
2007 Old Vines Zinfandel, Napa Valley
2006 Merlot, Napa Valley
2008 Syrah, Los Carneros
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville 

On warm, sunny days visitors to Saddleback Cellars are invited to taste at the outdoor picnic tables on the edge of the vineyard. What could be more memorable!!!

Though I was very tempted to stop by Silver Oak Cellars, just 3 minutes away, I decided to head for home to beat what was forecast to be a substantial storm. It wasn’t. Besides, I would be sipping their wine soon enough as I had recently pulled a cellared bottle of 2005 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cab to serve at our Thanksgiving feast. I’ll be sure to report on the outcome soon.