Year: 2025
2023 Starfield Vineyards Miner’s Inch Blend – A Surprisingly Great Find
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Starfield Vineyards sent out a bottle of their 2023 Miner’s Inch for an upcoming Zoom call with Tom and Rob Stinton, owners and winemaker for Starfield Vineyards. This was held on the winter solstice concluding the shortest sunlight day to the longest, with daylight expanding ending in the summer solstice. It was a metaphor for planning and renewal for the coming year.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I was intrigued by the 2023 Miner’s Inch (named for a local mine in the Sierra foothills from the Gold Rush days) as it was either a “hodgepodge of varieties left over or creative genius”! The wine consisted of 30% Grenache, 17% Aglianico, 14% Tempranillo, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Mourvedre, 9% Cinsault, 4% Roussanne all from El Dorado AVA. As I have previously expressed, I am not a big fan of “blends” yet have experienced some delish ones, this seems from reading the mix, a bit “far out”. Turns out it was wonderfully delicious.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes an iridescent red/maroon coloring that was beyond eye catching! I held a white paper towel behind it that only showed a portion of the color. Spice and floral notes on the nose combined with their Sierra Spice scents. On the palate is where this wine exploded with flavors coming primarily from Grenache, Aglianico, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah each being distinctly noted with each sip. Black and red berries, savory spices, smokiness, black pepper swirled happily in the mouth. The finish provided a bright acidity with checked tannins with a hint of a semi-sweet conclusion.
Only 208 cases produced and is sold for $38/bottle. SRP $38. They aged the wine for 18 months using 23% new French oak barrels and the balance being neutral barrels. This wine will make my annual list of Best Wines tasted for 2026 (Dec 16th, 2025, to Dec 15th, 2026). The conclusion is simply creative genius!
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With such an all-inclusive blend, it was a bit of a shot in the dark which food to pair with the wine. Went with our chicken Pad Thai with a more spice than normal. The ingredients were fresh Udon noodles, virgin olive oil, minced garlic, cooked chicken, eggs, bean sprouts, sliced red bell pepper, green onions, peanuts and lime juice. The Pad Thai sauce included fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, siracha and creamy peanut butter!
Limes were plated to squeeze the juice over the top of the dish as well as ground peanuts and green onion slices. Accompanying the meal was a fresh garden salad. The meal was packed with a punch of flavor and warmth! The 2023 Miner’s Inch was a godsend. The wine was refreshing and quenched the palate from the heat of the meal. Every flavor in the dish found a partner in the wine blend!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics.
The Winery
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The winery was founded in 2012 by Tom and Rob Sinton with plantings of 31 acres on the hillsides east of Placerville, California in El Dorado County. They are located at 2759 Jacquier Road.
Map courtesy of https://uscountymaps.com/el-dorado-county-map-california/
The names of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of the region from the Gold Rush with wine names as Miner’s Inch and Rising Hope. These two are for a nearby mine.
The winery produces 17 varieties of wines comprising of mostly Rhone varieties (66%) and Italian (30%) and a few Spanish varieties. The vineyards have been farmed using sustainable and fish-friendly farming since their inception.
The winery name, Starfield, refers to “Star Fields”, sites where in their words “fruit develops the optimal balance of aroma, flavor and texture”. They also consider what they refer to as Sierra Spice, the aroma and taste characteristics that come from the western facing forests surrounding the vineyards. The local trees are Ponderosa Pines, Cedars and Douglas Firs and their oils provide earthy and woodsy forest aromatics from their oils.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Annual List of Best Wines Tasted In 2025
Photo ©Michael Kelly
2025 continued to be a busy year tasting, judging and evaluating wines. Typically, most years I taste or enjoy between 1400 to 1800 wines. This list roughly represents 7% of those wines tasted to be outstanding. I have broken it out by price point, those $50 and under and those $51 and up—-something for everyone! They are listed by varietal to make it easier to search for a specific wine. The picks come from almost all the California AVA’s and sub-AVA’s, Colorado and New Mexico. 2025 was a year in which many wines in the cellar hit their maturity so you will notice a higher percentage of older wines. I believe whole heartily and stand by these picks. There were many other very good and solid wines, but these “stood out” from the crowd with my highest ratings. Most of these wines have been written up and you can do a search for the story on the right-hand side on a PC or laptop on my website (htttps://californiawinesandwineries.com)
| $50 and Less | |||
| Vintage | Winery | Area | Wine |
| 2023 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | “The Runway” (Bordeaux blend) |
| 2023 | Starfield Vineyards | El Dorado | Aglianico |
| 2021 | Cellar 13 | Livermore | Albarino |
| 2022 | J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery | Paso Robles | Blend “Cuvee St E” |
| 2022 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Bourbon Barrel Red Blend |
| 2021 | Dracaena Wines | Paso Robles | Cabernet Fran (Reserve) |
| 2021 | Ancient Peaks | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc |
| 2022 | Creekside Cellars | Evergreen, CO | Cabernet Franc |
| 2023 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2019 | Dracaena Wines | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Dracaena Wines | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc |
| 2020 | Mitchell Katz Winery | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Vivac Winery | New Mexico | Cabernet Franc |
| 2018 | Ancient Peaks | Paso Robles | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2019 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 30) |
| 2020 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Carmenere (Insel) |
| 2023 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Carmenere (Little Dog Vineyard) |
| 2021 | Iron Hub | Amador County | Chardonnay |
| 2021 | Smith-Madrone Vineyards | Spring Mtn | Chardonnay |
| 2023 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Chardonnay |
| 2022 | Hindsight Wines | Calistoga | Chardonnay, Monterey |
| 2024 | Frog’s Tooth | Calveras | Grenache Blanc |
| 2021 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Malbec |
| 2022 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Merlot |
| 2023 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Merlot |
| 2018 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Merlot “One Oak” |
| 2020 | Gossamer Cellas | Calaveras | Negroamora |
| 2021 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Petit Verdot |
| 2023 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Petit Verdot |
| 2018 | Vina Moda | Calaveras | Phoenix (Primitivo + Blend) |
| 2023 | Girasole | Mendocino County | Pinot Blanc |
| 2022 | Balverne | Windsor | Pinot Noir |
| 2023 | Soquel Vineyards | Soquel | Pinot Noir (Beauregard Ranch) |
| 2023 | Soquel Vineyards | Soquel | Pinot Noir (Estate) |
| 2019 | Smith-Madrone Vineyards | Spring Mtn | Riesling |
| 2021 | Smith-Madrone Vineyards | Spring Mtn | Riesling |
| 2018 | Lavender Ridge Vineyard | Calaveras | Roussanne |
| 2022 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | S & M (Sangiovese & Malbec) |
| 2023 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Sauvignon Blanc |
| 2020 | Hindsight Wines | Calistoga | Sauvignon Blanc |
| 2023 | Hindsight Wines | Calistoga | Sauvignon Blanc |
| 2022 | Porch Wines | Coombsville | Sauvignon Blanc |
| 2019 | Trident Winery | Yountville | Sauvignon Blanc |
| 2023 | Silver Trident Winery | Yountville | Sauvignon Blanc “Symphony No. 9” |
| 2024 | Culmination | Livermore | Sauvignon Blanc (Barrel Fermented) |
| 2023 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Syrah |
| 2022 | Jazz Cellars | Calaveras | Syrah (Airola Road Vineyard) |
| 2021 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Zinfandel “Big Wood” |
| 2021 | Iron Hub Winery | Amador County | Zinfandel “Old Vine” |
| 2020 | Spangler Vineyards | Oregon | Cabernet Franc |
| 2019 | Spangler Vineyards | Oregon | Carmenere |
| $51 and More | |||
| Vintage | Winery | Area | Wine |
| 2012 | Lineage | Livermore | Bordeaux Blend |
| 2018 | Blue Rock Winery | Cloverdale | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Cellar 13 | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2014 | Crocker & Starr | St Helena | Cabernet Franc |
| 2015 | Crocker & Starr | St Helena | Cabernet Franc |
| 2023 | Culmination | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2013 | Deerfield Ranch Winery | Kenwood | Cabernet Franc |
| 2018 | Diamond Mountain | Diamond Mtn | Cabernet Franc |
| 2017 | L’Autre Cote | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2018 | L’Autre Cote | Livermore | Cabernet Franc |
| 2016 | Oakville East | Oakville | Cabernet Franc |
| 2018 | Palazzo Wine | Napa Valley | Cabernet Franc |
| 2019 | Palazzo Wine | Napa Valley | Cabernet Franc |
| 2022 | Selin Cellars | Sonoma County | Cabernet Franc |
| 2017 | Shadybrook Estate Winery | Coombsville | Cabernet Franc |
| 2019 | Titus Vineyards | St Helena | Cabernet Franc |
| 2012 | Trespass Vineyard | St Helena | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Vinoce | Mt Veeder | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Yates Family Vineyard | Mt Veeder | Cabernet Franc |
| 2015 | Young Inglewood Vineyards | St Helena | Cabernet Franc |
| 2021 | Ledson Winery | Kenwood | Cabernet Franc “Moon Mtn” |
| 2022 | Hope Family Wines | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc, Cellar Select |
| 2022 | J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc, Home Ranch |
| 2022 | LXV Wines | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc, Meso |
| 2021 | Donati Family Winery | Paso Robles | Cabernet Franc, Reserve |
| 2021 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Cabernet Sauvginon, Reserve |
| 2010 | Entre Nous | Oakville | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2013 | Hoopes Vineyard | Yountville | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2014 | Keenan Winery | Spring Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2010 | Larkmead | St Helena | Cabernet Sauvignon, Solari |
| 2013 | Ledson | Dry Creek | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2013 | Meyers Vineyard | Yountville | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2014 | Meyers Vineyards | Yountville | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2008 | O’Shaughnessy Winery | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2010 | O’Shaughnessy Winery | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2011 | Shadybrook Estate Winery | Coombsville | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2009 | Vineyard 29 | St Helena | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2013 | Shadybrook Estate Winery | Coombsville | Cabernet Sauvignon “Rapp Ranch” |
| 2013 | Outpost Wines | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon “True Vineyard” |
| 2014 | Outpost Wines | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon “True Vineyard” |
| 2013 | Beaulieu Vineyards | Rutherford | Cabernet Sauvignon (Georges DeLa Tour) |
| 2008 | O’Shaughnessy Winery | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon (Mt Veeder) |
| 2021 | Gracianna Winery | Healdsburg | Cabernet Sauvignon (Stagecoach Vineyard) |
| 2021 | Wood Family Vineyards | Livermore | Cabernet Sauvignon, Clone 30 |
| 2009 | O’Shaughnessy Winery | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt Veeder |
| 2013 | Robert Craig Winery | Howell Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon, Mt Veeder |
| 2010 | Robert Mondavi Winery | Oakville | Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve |
| 2018 | Duckhorn | St Helena | Cabernet Sauvingon, Zimaro Vineyard |
| 2019 | Crocker & Starr | St Helena | Casali 12 (blend Malbec & Cab Sauv) |
| 2015 | Crocker & Starr | St Helena | Casili 8 (Malbec +Cab Sauvignon) |
| 2015 | Peter Michael Winery | Knights Valley | Chardonnay (La Carrierre) |
| 2021 | VJB Cellars | Kenwood | Dante (blend) |
| 2021 | Copia Vineyard | Paso Robles | GSM “The Cure” |
| 2021 | Justin Vineyards & Winery | Paso Robles | Isosceles |
| 2020 | Justin Vineyards & Winery | Paso Robles | Isosceles Reserve |
| 2010 | Larkmead | St Helena | LMV Salon (blend) |
| 2022 | Wellington | Glen Ellen | Malbec |
| 2018 | Ledson Winery | Kenwood | Malbec “October Moon” |
| 2021 | Cuda Ridge Wines | Livermore | Melange d’ Amis (Cab Franc +blend) |
| 2020 | Ehret Family Vineyard | Knight’s Valley | Merlot |
| 2018 | VJB Cellars | Kenwood | Montepulciano |
| 2021 | Donati Family Winery | Paso Robles | Petite Sirah |
| 2013 | Fortell Wines | Napa Valley | Pinot Noir |
| 2015 | Gracianna Winery | Healdsburg | Pinot Noir |
| 2009 | Viader Vineyards & Winery | Deer Park | Properitary Blend |
| 2018 | Crocker & Starr | St Helena | Red Blend (Cab Sauv, Cab Franc,+) |
| 2014 | Young Inglewood Vineyards | St Helena | Right Bank Blend (Cab Franc +) |
| 2022 | Ehret Family Vineyard | Knight’s Valley | Zinfandel |
| 2022 | Culmination | Livermore | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| 2022 | Smith-Madrone Vineyards | Spring Mtn | Cabernet Sauvignon |
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
Christmas Cheer Dinner Party and a Few Selected Wines!
photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
Held our annual Christmas party with neighborhood friends joining. We provided appetizers and main dish with each couple bringing a wide range and assortment of delicious foods. Each couple also brought a bottle of wine, and I had pulled a few in advance to enjoy.
Château de Bligny Grand Reserve Brut Champagne
photo ©Michael Kelly
Château de Bligny is a historic estate in the Aube region of Champagne, France, famous as the only grower-producer château in the Champagne appellation, producing its own unique Champagnes from its vineyards. Established in the 15th century with later additions, it boasts a rich winemaking heritage, including still wines and sparkling varieties (Blanc de Blancs, Rosé) from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, known for their freshness, fruitiness, and minerality. In a recent lecture on Champagne, the speaker mentioned it is much more difficult to produce a non-vintage Champagne as opposed to a vintage one. This Brut Grand Reserve has been our go to Champagne for years now! The price is very reasonably set at around $40-48/bottle. This wine routinely makes my annual list of Best Wines Tasted in the year for the under $50/bottle category. Here is a link to previous story on the wine: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/04/25/chateau-de-bligny-grand-reserve-brut-champagne/
2009 Viader (Proprietary Blend)
photo ©Michael Kelly
Made from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc (my idea of a solid blend), it makes the apex of a Napa Valley Bordeaux. Smooth, dry and complex in tannins, and as stated in their notes “balancing acidity and an incredible array of flavors, including blackberry, black currant, cherry, chocolate, dried herb, smoky oak and spice amounting to an important and hard to define quality of sophistication.
The current vintage is the 2021 with ratings ranging from 95 to 98 points. It is 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Cabernet Franc and goes for $195/bottle at the winery. Any year I open a bottle of this wine, it makes my list of Best Wines Tasted in the over $51/bottle. Here is link to a previous story written on Viader: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2018/09/24/viader-vineyards-winery-walk-in-my-steps-but-leave-your-own-footprint/
2008 O’Shaughnessy Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
photo ©Michael Kelly
Having had a bottle of this wine in November of 2025, I decided to bring another bottle out this evening. First on the eyes striking combination of inky purple and dark crimson coloring. Viscosity was medium-heavy. Once the cork was popped it took a while for the flavors to “open up” and express their pedigree after so many years of hibernation. Once opened, fresh blackberries and smooth blueberries filled the olfactory senses. On the palate, the dark fruits combined to make a robust compote of pure fruit. Full bodied possessing strong enjoyable tannins without any pointiness. The finish concluded being opulent and richly rewarding.
Parker also mentioned it will age 25+ years! Rated 98 points by Robert Parker and has been aging in the cellar for 14 years! Searching on the internet average price today appears to be $149/bottle. Today’s current vintage at the winery is their 2021 and is allocated at $160/bottle. This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted Listing for 2025 (list comes out December for each year).
Here is link to the O’Shaughnessy story recently written: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/11/24/2008-oshaughnessy-estate-winery-mount-veeder-cabernet-sauvignon-a-special-wine/
Notice the corks on both the Viader and O’Shaughnessy wines! They are pristine and sealed snuggly and sealed for years, due to being stored correctly. BTW, those two wines were open seven hours before the meal, filtered twice and decanted twice before serving.
photo ©Michael Kelly
We enjoy many other wines this evening from locations beyond France and Napa Valley such as Livermore Valley, Lodi, Paso Robles and Calaveras County.
Sláinte and Merry Christmas,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
https://champagnechateaudebligny.com/en/homepage
https://oshaughnessywinery.com/
https://woodfamilyvineyards.com
https://www.younginglewood.com
2022 Culmination Clone 30 Cabernet Sauvignon – Special Treatment For a Special Wine
photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
photo ©Michael Kelly
The word culmination is defined by the “end point or final stage of something you’ve been working toward or something that’s been building up”. Synonyms are apex, climax, peak, pinnacle, summit or zenith. Wood Family Vineyards, having made dozens upon dozens of award-winning wines, decided to launch a second label. The second label is the culmination of intense understanding of the vineyard management, grape harvesting, production techniques, barrel choices and wines their customers desired. Simply stated the culmination of decades of intense knowledge and experience was more than appropriate to call the new label CULMINATION!
photo ©Michael Kelly
So why this new label? Often a second label is the function of selecting grapes from a particular row in the vineyard, special barrels, pricing profiling or aging considerations. From conversations with Harrison Wood VP and Rhonda Wood the winemaker, the second label is much more than augmenting their current production. The CULMINATION label is reserved for completely different selections and techniques producing some of the same varieties they produce at Wood Family Vineyards. Their intention is to introduce an elevated experience beyond their current offering and tasting room enjoyment. The CULMINATION wines will be targeted at wine connoisseurs and those wanting a more intimate experience with possible food pairings. Many new and exciting announcements will be forthcoming over the next few months including a CULMINATION EXPERIENCE.
The five wines in their CULMINATION portfolio are: Cabernet Franc, Proprietary Red Blend, Sauvignon Blanc, “Hot Lips” Blanc de Blanc and Clone 30 Cabernet Sauvignon.
This story is about their new label CULMINATION 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 30.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2022 Culmination “Clone 30” Cabernet Sauvignon is a very limited offering of only 92 cases. The grapes were from their estate One Oak Vineyard. The grapes/wine went through a special handling, 76% were fermented in small open top bins and 24% were fermented in new French oak barrels. They took the heads off the barrels to do punch downs. After pressing, the “open top bin” grapes, now juice, was put back in a tank for 48 hours to settle and then placed in oak barrels. The 24% was put back in the previously new French oak barrels and the 76% was placed in new oak barrels for 18 months. They then blended the two separate batches and put them in oak for another 12 months.
The result of this special handling was to produce as Rhonda Wood stated, “bold tannins, smoother integration and mouthfeel plus retained acidity and color”.
photo ©Michael Kelly
When first opened, this wine’s coloring was a dark red and royal purple with medium heavy viscosity. The color was a bit mesmerizing with clarity and distinction. On the nose violets waft into the senses along with enticing dark fruit. Once on the palate, surprisingly, blueberries were the dominant fruit producing an elegant and smooth wine. Tannins were very present, yet not jagged or edgy but more caressing in the mouth. The finish provided a textual feel with layers of enjoyment with a vanilla note concluding each sip.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
photo ©Michael Kelly
Even on a cold foggy day and evening, the BBQ was fired up for filet mignon steaks this evening. Seasoned with applewood smoked salt, wood fried garlic seasoning, mesquite seasoning and Flatiron BBQ Rub pounded in the steak on both sides. This rub contains chipotle, ancho, habanero, thyme, toasted onion, smoke ghost peppers, roasted garlic and paprika!
photo ©Michael Kelly
Seared on the BBQ at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Plated with Blue cheese crumbles and accompanied by a small Russet potato and a fresh garden salad with Blue cheese, fresh bacon, onion and cherry tomatoes.
A delicious meal and perfectly matched food and wine pairing!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2020 Lavender Ridge Vineyard Syrah and Mongolian Beef
The Winery
Picture from Lavender Ridge Vineyard Facebook
Lavender Ridge Vineyard tasting room is in the town of Murphys in the lower Sierra Nevada foothills. Lavender Ridge specializes in Rhone varietal wines. They include Cotes du Calaveras Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne, Rolle, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rose, Grenache, Cotes du Calaveras, Mourvedre, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Vin Doux and Anniversaire Blanc. They also feature an artisan cheese selection that is unique and has something for just about everyone.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
To read more about Lavender Ridge, see three previous articles:
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I purchased this wine two years ago and laid it down in the cellar. Knowing the meal, I thought this would go well with it. Sierra foothills Syrah tend to be intense with bold flavors from granite-based soils and a warm climate. This met and exceeded those expectations with dark fruits of blackberry, plum and spicy notes of pepper and clove. Earthy notes of smoke and minerality were exceptional. On the nose, floral violet aromas and the finish being full-bodied and soft caressing tannins.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with another wintertime comfort food, Mongolian Beef. A delicious recipe taking flank steak, canola oil, dry sherry wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, water, baking soda, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, scallions and Flatiron Pepper Company’s Dark & Smoky peppers. They included Chipotle, Ancho and Habanero peppers. This provided a tasty sweet and spicy dish. Accompanied by brown rice.
This recipe is now both of our favorite with the texture and flavors.
The wine was perfectly suited for the meal with its dryness and fruit providing a beautiful backdrop to each morsel.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2024 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay – A Cornucopia of Luscious Fruit
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
There is simply no simple explanation on how Rhonda Wood makes consistently great Chardonnay wine except that she is a perfectionist! She has for seven to eight years made Chardonnay wines that have been one of my favorites and annually makes the yearly listing of Best Wines Tasted in the year. So it is once again for her 2024 vintage for the Best Wines Tasted in 2025.
This wine comes from two different vineyards in Livermore, one on the valley floor and the other in the hills. The wine is barrel fermented in 100% French oak barrels with 35% new for 10 months. The stirring of the lees was every two weeks.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First in the glass a slightly darker golden color that shimmers in daylight with brightness. A heavier than usual Chardonnay. On the nose a cornucopia of fruits rise to meet the imbiber with green apples and pears being dominant. Once on the palate the fruits of green apple and ripe pear swirl about merrily in the mouth. Additionally stone fruits of apricot and peach provide a secondary flavor and slightly shy quality, but welcoming. On the finish a brioche quality of “heaviness” provides a beautiful conclusion to each sip. Less sweet than the previous vintage with more fruits allowed to come into play.
This release for 2024 Chardonnay is targeted for mid-August. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol and list price is $36/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a new recipe called Grilled Chicken Kabobs. The chicken breast was cut into sizes to fit into a barbeque basket with fresh vegetables. The baskets were cooked for a total of eight minutes, rotating each basket after two minutes on each side.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The chicken pieces and vegetables were marinated for eight hours with olive oil, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, zucchini slices, red onion and chopped parsley.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Served with long and short grain rice and fresh garden salad. The garden salad included pepita seeds, green onions, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini with Champagne dressing.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on Rhonda’s background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2
Recently at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (largest in North America), Wood Family Vineyards won the following awards and not all are listed:
2019 Cabernet Franc – Double Gold
2021 Malbec – Double Gold
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 30” – Double Gold
2021 El Loco Rojo Red Blend – Double Gold
2021 The Captain Red Blend – Double Gold
The list of awards is extensive featuring all their wines on their website.
Sláinte,
Michael
Two Dracaena Wines Cabernet Franc’s – 2019 Classic and 2021 Reserve, Both Are Winners!
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background
It is often stated that “success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently”. No truer words sum up what Dracaena Cabernet Franc has done over the last ten years! Seven years ago, at the first International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition, Dracaena won Best of Show (overall) with the Professional Judges. They have consistently won awards every year since and we are now beginning the 7th Annual event. In addition, they have won Gold, Double Gold at SF Chronicle, 93 points by Decanter, won top 30 picks of wines from Paso Robles and too many others to list here.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Michael & Lori Budd were the force behind getting December 4th on the calendar as International Cabernet Franc Day. Lori, besides having a food science background and a graduate degree from UC Davis in the winemaking program, is a published author, award winning blog writer and podcast producer/host for Exploring the Wine Glass.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2019 Classic wine came from the Plummer Vineyard in San Luis Obispo County. and it is described as filled with “aromas described as spice and plum. The long finish is framed by structure tannins”. A key point not to be lost is that this wine winning awards at the International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition comes from judges all from the northern California region. It shows the quality of their product and the impartiality of the judges. Ditto for the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition with judges from various regions. Competitions are blind tastings so truly their wines stand out!
The wine possessed a beautiful dark chocolate on the finish and solid defined tannins. The 2019 Classic had eight percent Petit Verdot providing both great coloring and body to the wine. The current Classic vintage is 2023 and goes for $42/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The 2021 Reserve is 100% Cabernet Franc from the Plummer Vineyard. This wine fills the olfactory senses with dark fruits from the first smell. What follows are black cherry and dark chocolate. The finish is softer and mellower than the Classic but providing enormous mouth filling enjoyment. The current vintage is the 2023 Metz Vineyard Reserve and is priced at $55/bottle.
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with seasoned and seared ribeye steak. Seasoned with applewood salt, mesquite seasoning, Woodfired garlic seasoning and Flatiron Pepper Company Hatch Valley Green (Hatch Green Chile, Jalapeno and Habanero peppers). Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by fresh sauteed green beans and short and long brown rice (not shown).
A beautiful food and wine pairing. The 2019 Classic Dracaena Cabernet Franc with its stronger tannins interacted with the meat to soften the fat for a smooth flavor. The fruit of 2019 also helped in surrounding some of the heat from the spices.
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Dracaena Wines is in Paso Robles with a tasting room located at 1244 Pine Street Suite 101B, in downtown Paso Robles. This is a dog friendly and comfortable setting to sip and interact with Lori and/or Mike on their wines. They currently produce, besides their two Cabernet Franc wines, Chenin Blanc, Rosé, Picpoul, Blanc de Franc and Cinnabari (a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot). I have tasted all but the Picpoul and each of the wines are delicious and solid representation of the varietal or blend.
A portion of their tasting room in Paso Robles Photo ©Michael Kelly
Previously I wrote a story comparing Dracaena Wines as a David verses Goliath story as a small winery making a big mark in the industry.
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/01/14/dracaena-wines-a-david-verses-goliath-story/
This small boutique winery is definitely getting noticed besides their Cabernet Franc awards, they have also won at the 2022 Los Angeles Invitational Wine and Spirits Challenge a Gold Medal and Best of Show for their Chenin Blanc.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2024 Starfield Vineyards Marsanne – Light and Refreshing
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Background on Marsanne
In the final 2024 Grape Crush Report for California by the USDA, it shows over one third of the total white wine grapes crushed being Chardonnay. Marsanne coming in at .00088% of the white wine grapes crushed by tonnage at 1,234 tons. The largest harvest for Marsanne, with almost 70%, came from Madera, Fresno and surrounding central valley counties. These grapes from the Sierra foothill counties were very small.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine as seen in the picture is a very light and clear color wine with a medium viscosity. On the nose faint hints of stone fruits and floral notes of honeysuckle. On the palate a delicate vanilla and almond flavors bounced side to side in the mouth. The finish was a bit abbreviated with a slight sweet and savory note mixed with minerality.
The wine is made with 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussane coming in at 12.9% alcohol. Only 72 cases were produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The other note on the finish was the “Sierra Spice” which Starfield Vineyards describes as being its sense of place amongst the trees on the property of “Ponderosa Pine, Cedar, Douglas Fir and combined with the mountain air of resin, bark and needles” from the trees. They sent me a test tube to inhale the aromatics:
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Paired this evening with a special swordfish at Verona18 Restaurant with swordfish being in season. It was marinated overnight in a Mediterranean rub of fresh oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil and olive oil.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The dessert was a fabulous cheesecake with a black and blue berry compote!
Note: this wine was so light and delicate the food pairing must be very well thought out in advance. While the swordfish was a good choice and another at the table had a chicken entrée that was good, it was limited to those two dishes this evening.
The Winery
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The winery was founded in 2012 by Tom and Rob Sinton with plantings of 31 acres on the hillsides east of Placerville, California in El Dorado County. They are located at 2759 Jacquier Road.
Map courtesy of https://uscountymaps.com/el-dorado-county-map-california/
The names of the wines, especially their new labels starting with the 2023 vintages, highlight the history of the region from the Gold Rush with wine names as Miner’s Inch and Rising Hope. These two are for a nearby mine.
The winery produces 17 varieties of wines comprising of mostly Rhone varieties (66%) and Italian (30%) and a few Spanish varieties. The vineyards have been farmed using sustainable and fish-friendly farming since their inception.
Photo from Starfield Vineyards
The wineries name Starfield refers to “Star Fields”, sites where in their words “fruit develops the optimal balance of aroma, flavor and texture”. They also consider what they refer to as Sierra Spice, the aroma and taste characteristics that come from the western facing forests surrounding the vineyards. The local trees are Ponderosa Pines, Cedars and Douglas Firs and their oils provide earthy and woodsy forest aromatics from their oils.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
2008 O’Shaughnessy Estate Winery, Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon – A Special Wine
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Irish eyes are smiling brightly when you taste this aged to perfection Cabernet Sauvignon from Mount Veeder AVA by O’Shaughnessy Winery.
The Wine – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This wine came up in “my to drink list” for 2025. After tasting it last evening this could easily go another five years. Parker also mentioned it will age 25+ years! Rated 98 points by Robert Parker and has been aging in the cellar for 14 years! Searching on the internet average price today appears to be $149/bottle. Today’s current vintage at the winery is their 2021 and is allocated at $160/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
First on the eyes striking combination of inky purple and dark crimson coloring. Viscosity was medium-heavy. Once the cork was popped it took a while for the flavors to “open up” and express their pedigree after so many years of hibernation. Once opened, fresh blackberries and smooth blueberries filled the olfactory senses. On the palate, the dark fruits combined to make a robust compote of pure fruit. Full bodied possessing strong enjoyable tannins without any pointiness. The finish concluded being opulent and richly rewarding.
This wine will make my annual Best Wines Tasted Listing for 2025 (list comes out December for each year).
The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
With a break in the weather, the BBQ was fired up for filet mignon steaks this evening. Seasoned with applewood smoke salt and Flatiron BBQ Rub was pounded in the steak on both sides. This rub contains chipotle, ancho, habanero, thyme, toasted onion, smoke ghost peppers, roasted garlic and paprika!
Seared at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Accompanied by a Russett potato and my favorite salad of iceberg lettuce, fresh bacon pieces, halved cherry tomatoes, green onions and crumbled Point Reyes Blue cheese.
Absolutely a delicious and memorable food and wine pairing this evening!
The Winery
Photo from O’Shaughnessy website
Located on Howell Mountain with acres of vineyards planted on the hillsides. The wine cave is perhaps one of the best in Napa with their infinity loop design. They also have acreage on Mount Veeder and have produced exceptional wines for decades. Currently producing Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and the Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon.
Photo from O’Shaughnessy website
The owners Betty O’Shaughnessy and Paul Woolls have held the highest standard of quality and customer service for years. This was set as the standard hallmark of their entire staff, including Sean Capiaux the winemaker and Alan Pierson, vineyard manager. Initially we all met while being a wine club member for many years.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
https://californiawinesandwineries.com
Posterity Ciderworks – Part II of the Story!
Background
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This is Part II of the visit to Posterity Ciderworks operation in Mokelumne Hill, California. Part I dealt primarily with the apple cider industry, apple cider history, similarities to winemaking and cider’s growth as an alternative alcoholic beverage. The Part One website link with these topics can be found at: https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2025/11/13/posterity-ciderworks-an-extraordinary-education/
Part II incorporates a portion of the three hours I spent with Brendan Barnard, co-owner and cider maker. Having spent this time with Brendan, whom I call “Master Appleman”, this story is more focused on their operation and offering than the industry and history covered in Part I.
The Beginning of Posterity Ciderworks
Brendan and his wife, like many beginnings, apple & apple cider started out as a hobby. They were living on the San Francisco peninsula and working in high tech. They had rented a house and in the backyard were many old apple trees still producing fruit. And as Brendan eloquently stated they could only make so much applesauce for them and their friends. The idea of making fermented apple cider began to take hold. Admittedly Brendan could hardly stomach their first batches, but this led to further his education on the subject. A few years later they purchased property in Calaveras County and took up cider production full-time.
They were drawn to the market for many reasons including the taste, trying something new and exciting, joining an industry that is CAGR of 5%, offering alternative healthier beverages with little or no residual sugars, and generally much lower alcohol levels.
Posterity Today
There are many parallels to winemaking with taking the fruit (apples), squeezing the fruit for juice, fermentation and aging. The differences are the time of fermentation of cider is typically 8-14 months with a few batches taking 22 months. The apples are first ground up to smaller pieces before being pressed as seen in this picture:
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Other similarities include aging in stainless steel barrels, American oak barrels, used wine barrels and even French oak barrels.
One of Posterity Ciderworks key differences are that no sulfites are added, and no refining or filtering is done on the cider. With some 16,350 varieties of apples identified in North America, Brendan spends a lot time finding heirloom orchards throughout the Sierra foothills, some established just after the gold rush. One of the more fascinating portions of our conversation was that many people are hard pressed to name more than a dozen and most local markets only carry 4-6 varieties. As an aside, since this conversation with Brendan, when visiting three supermarkets recently, I have gone to the fruit area and have noticed only 4-6 apples being offered. These are mass produced, can survive shipping/transportation, most cost effective and keep freshest the longest. Not necessarily the best tasting apples.
Here is a bin of Arkansas Black apples waiting to be processed. This is the only single varietal apple cider that Posterity Ciderworks produces. It also happens to be Brendan’s favorite! I was given one to take home and it was delicious and one of the “meatiest” apples I have tasted. Many cider producers do have single varietal ciders especially where they use their own commercial orchards. Posterity Ciderworks had sold out of their last batch, so I was not able to taste it.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On their property several rows of vineyards were there from a previous tenant. With some of their ciders a small portion of grape juice is added to enhance or augment the apple juice.
The first apple cider tasted is called Confidence with fresh acidity made with wild apples with about 30 varieties. Brendan stated he likes to make this the first introduction of fermented apple cider to wine drinkers.
One of my favorites, which I did purchase two bottles was the “Here’s to the Good Ones”. I purchased it for three reasons: having a couple of friends with diabetes, this cider has no residual sugar! Secondly the alcohol levels were a bit higher than their norma 6% range, but still low at 10%, lower than wine and spirits. The third reason for the purchase was the flavor profile being made with 45-50 apple varieties providing a crisp and refreshing mouth feeling like a Vermentino or Sauvignon Blanc (without the citrus qualities).
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Here are a few of the others with a brief description. While we tasted through various ciders and two meads, as a serious wine aficionado, I did find about half to my “wine trained palate” very alluring and tasty.
Marriage Tree – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Aged lovingly on new American oak for 18 months. Bright crisp fruit and smooth rich oak, lightened by delicate bubbles”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Call of the Rainbow Quail – Posterity Ciderworks description: “This sparkling Rosé of apples and dry farmed, spray free Cinsault grapes spent 24 months in barrel and is perfect for a charcuterie board with rich creamy cheeses & butters”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Cherry / Chrysanthemum Sparkling Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Paired with no-spray cherries and foraged apples, this cider is a balanced sparkling medley. Ingredients: apples, cherries, chrysanthemums, yeast. Tasting notes: dried cherries, dark chocolate, cedar, subtle herbs”. This was aged 16 months in Petite Sirah oak barrels.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Aurora Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “This 2024 vintage has a character like a fine dry sherry. The experimental 2021 vintage was exclusively served by the glass in our tasting room; the 2022, and 2023 graced the dining rooms of 1-, 2-, and 3-star Michelin restaurants, and we’re pleased to be able to offer the 2024 vintage to you now! Notes: orange peel, cardamom, saffron, rose hip, hazelnut, dried fig”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Nova Sparkling Cider – Posterity Ciderworks description: “Notes: crème brûlée character of caramelized sugars, vanilla & sweet almond. Crisp yet subtle bubbles bring out gorgeous aromas. Long sweet finish — think demi-sec champagne or Sauternes. Supernovae are rare events in the sky, dramatic explosions of light that are unique and intense. What better name for the bottle you hold in your hands? This single varietal sparkling cider was made with pure crab apples and wild yeast, then allowed to age on lees for a year before bottling. You may never see it again, but for now it’s intense and alluring”.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
One or two mead wines were also sampled. Some quick background that mead is the oldest known fermented drink in existence. It was from when honey combined with rainwater and fermented with airborne yeast. Later spices and scents were also added for flavor and medicinal purposes. It was known as the “nectar of the gods” and featured in myths and rituals from Europe, Africa and China from 10,000 – 20,000 and years ago! A brief history can be found on mead at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mead
I introduced “Here’s to the Good Ones” sparkling cider to our Friday Night Wine & Dine Group with the ten folks voting with thumbs up, neutral or thumbs down at a local restaurant. We also had the Director of Food & Beverage present who also voted. The results for a group of “Baby Boomers with a wine slant” were surprisingly better than expected with five giving a thumbs up, five being neutral and one with a thumbs down.
In conclusion, Brendan and his wife Kris took a hobby/interest and now their Posterity Ciderworks are being served at one-, two- and three-star Michelin restaurants! Posterity Ciderworks is worthwhile in understanding how a small but significant portion of the fermented apple cider is made, offered and tastes like. A part of the puzzle generally not known but intriguing and informative. I know I will return to purchasing fermented apple cider soon!
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly