I left the Nineteenth Annual tasting of the
Family Winemakers of California with stained fingers, purple teeth, and the overwhelming feeling that I had only scratched the surface of the more than 300 producers had to offer. I spit everything except when there was no bucket within range or the wine was too precious to expel. And still there was no way to give more than 100 or so wines the time to be evaluated.
The tasting book didn't help the situation either for those of us taking notes. There was no room to write and no listing of the wines that were being poured so lots of time is wasted just getting the names down correctly. I think most people would pay an extra few dollars to get a tasting book that is close enough to a listing of the actual wines being tasted and ample room for notes. This is a pretty serious tasting with very little of the public drunkenness that plague other huge tastings. I didn't see enough people spitting, but I saw lots of note taking.
Since the book and website were divided up by varietal I have decided to do the same with my recommendations. These are the wines that were clearly standouts among the wines I tasted, the caveat being that I was only able to get in just over a hundred before I ran out of time.
Here are the stand-outs. I really loved all these wines and they are in no particular order. All should be considered recommended.
Cabernet Sauvignon2006
Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2005
Spring Mountain Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
2005
Macauley Vineyard To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Macauley Vineyard To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon
2006
Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Chardonnay2006
Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Chardonnay
2007
ZD Wines Reserve Chardonnay
2006
Derbès Wines, Russian River Chardonnay
2007
Littorai Charles Heintz Vineyard, Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
2006
Pahlmeyer Chardonnay
2007
Patz & Hall Zio Tony Ranch Russian River Chardonnay
2007
Truchard Chardonnay
2006
Mt. Eden Vineyards Estates Chardonnay
2007
Varner Bee Block Chardonnay
Pinot Noir2007
Melville Estate Pinot Noir Carrie's
2007
Littorai Mays Canyon, Russian River Pinot Noir
2006
Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard Bliss Block Pinot Noir
2007
Pisoni Pinot Noir Gary's Vineyard
2007
Siduri Keefer Ranch
2005
Thorne Estate Pinot Noir Rio Vista
2007
Patz & Hall Hyde Vineyard
Viognier2008
Melville Verna's (sold out)
Merlot2006
Pride Mountain VineyardsMerlot
Cabernet Franc2007
Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Franc
2006
Acorn Cabernet Franc
2006
Titus Cabernet Franc
Sangiovese
2006
BenessereSyrah
2006
Big Basin Rattlesnake Rock Syrah
Top Value producer
FoxgloveRed Blends
2004
Spring Mountain Vineyards Elivette
2006
Tablas Creek Espirit de Beaucastel