red-blends
2024 Wood Family Vineyards “The Takeoff” – A Wine Name With Two Meanings
Background
Photo from Rhonda Wood
This is the second year of the red blend wine called “The Takeoff”. Since Rhonda Wood was a pilot and still likes to fly, I had always thought it was about her previous life as a former airline pilot for (US Airways). In a recent conversation with Rhonda, she declared this “Bordeaux style blend” with the majority being Cabernet Franc varietal, is about how Cabernet Franc is taking off in Livermore Valley as one of their two exceptional wines grown in the area. The other being Sauvignon Blanc.
Rhonda’s Cabernet Franc wines are truly taking off with various blends and two single varietal Cabernet Franc wines. At the 7th International Cabernet Franc Competition, her 2023 Cabernet Franc received Gold Medals from both sets of judges (Professional & People’s Choice) in the $41-$50 Category. Their 2023 Culmination Cabernet Franc also received a Gold Medal from the Professional Judges in the $71-$80 Category.
So yes her Cabernet Franc wines are indeed “taking off”!
The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
This year the blend changed to incorporate four varieties of red grapes being 65% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. It was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels. The alcohol percentage came in at 13.7%. It will be released in August 22nd 2026 at their release party for $50/bottle.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Anticipated opening this second vintage of this wine as it combined four wines, three of which have made my Annual Best Wines previously. Also, this combination made a delicious Bordeaux style blend. On the eyes a medium dark crimson coloring with medium-heavy viscosity. On the nose the four varietals coalesced to provide a range of aromas of blackberry, cherry and dark plum fruits along with violet and rose scents. On the palate, the Merlot seemed to have throttled back the “zip” of the Cabernet Franc. The smokiness, mellow pipe tobacco and leather components of the Cabernet Sauvignon were present. The smooth finish provided exceptionally rounded tannins with a hint of vanilla. An extremely structured, integrated smooth wine to be enjoyed with food.
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
This evening’s meal was filet mignon steak, seasoned and seared on the BBQ at 1500 degrees and then cooked to medium rare. Plated with freshly made compote of Blue cheese, butter and chives. Accompanied by sauteed asparagus and roasted & seasoned baby red potatoes. An excellent meal and this wine was hands down one of our favorites. Another wine to make the Best Wines Tasted in 2026!
The Winery
Photo L is Ronda and R is Harrison from Wood Family Vineyards
I wrote this comparison last year and thought it still interesting to state again. To draw a few comparisons between the winemaker and key traits of captaining a commercial plane:
Attention to details: The Captain knowing all aspects of flight planning, aircraft operation, documenting aircraft performance & maintenance, operational compliance, adhering to government standards & regulations, managing emergencies, coordination with mechanics, ground crew and air traffic control. Rhonda Wood: knowing the vineyards for pruning, shoot thinning, cluster thinning, water strategy & compliance, cover crop management, details to county, AVA and government regulations.
Awareness: The Captain understanding optimal aircraft performance and ability for various aircraft being flown. Rhonda Wood: Knowing when and what to do in the vineyard(s) from Brix checks, ordering supplies for the winery (yeast, So2, etc.), scheduling harvest with vineyard manager, soil nutrition, timing on picking, pressing, sending juice panels to ETS, punch down timing & frequency, selecting yeasts and additives (if necessary), tank temperatures. All of these functions for each and every varietal and winery blend.
Documentation: The Captain recording all aspects of aircraft operations, fuel, temperature, oil pressure, hydraulics, weather, turbulence, aircraft avoidance and airspace incidents, noting functions outside of prescribed government regulations, flight plans, etc. Rhonda Wood: pre-ordering bottles, labels and corks for upcoming harvest and bottling, testing during fermentation, compliance and documentation for ABC laws, tasting room notes, pairing & technical sheets, shipment compliancy, etc.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The above only scratches the surface of the broad characteristics of being a commercial airline captain and winemaker/owner. This may indeed be the reason she wins so many awards for her wines! In addition, self-confidence, humility, clear communication skills, desire to learn and most importantly, the ability to remain calm under pressure especially during “Take Off”!
Rhonda continues to fly about the western states in a private plane. She and husband Michael (with their two sons), have a winery in eastern Livermore. Rhonda started making wine in 1996. Besides sourcing wine grapes on their property, they have 17 specific vineyards which are manicured to their specifications throughout Livermore’s ideal climate.
Sláinte,
Michael Kelly
2019 Cuda Ridge Wines Mélange d’ Amis Revisited Last Week
The Winery
Photo ©Michael Kelly
There is a lot to be said about Cuda Ridge Wines in Livermore, California with Larry Dino as the winemaker and his wife Margie as chief wine taster. They produce Bordeaux style wines. The Cuda Ridge Wines tasting room is located at 2400 Arroyo Road in Livermore, California. Cuda Ridge Wines current production is approximately 2100 cases. They produce the following Bordeaux varietals: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and most recently their addition of Carménère. Always experimenting, Larry Dino also has produced non-Bordeaux style wines which are designated under their Black label, these wines include Sangiovese, New-World style Cabernet Sauvignon and others. Each varietal produced are small lots ranging from 100 – 450 cases. Cuda Ridge does extensive blending of the varietals and strives for lower alcohol wines with intense complexity and character, traditional of the Bordeaux style wines
The Wine 2019 Mélange d’ Amis – “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
The name translates as “blended by friends”. Larry set out to make a Saint-Émilion style blend with enjoyable drinking characteristics. Without a lot of background on Saint-Émilion it was the first vineyard to be named on the World Heritage List for having over two thousand years of vineyards and wine production. The “terroir” is vast with a complex geology (sands, clay, limestone…) and a microclimate that is perfectly suited for winemaking in the Bordeaux region. Larry has captured the essence of the area in this wine.
The blend consists of 64% White Cat Vineyard Cabernet Franc, 30% One Oak Vineyard Merlot and 6% Smith Ranch Petit Verdot. On the eyes a deep lush red and purple entices the eyes and medium viscosity. On the nose, bright and lively red and dark fruits waft into the senses. However, on the palate is where this wine shines and reflects its heritage from France. A bold and hearty wine, but smooth like a recently paved highway with defined velvety tannins. Blackberry and cherry flavors caress the mouth and delight in providing such a carefully crafted wine. The finish was medium long with freshness and providing a clean ending.
This wine has deservedly won the following awards:
*Gold Medal – 2022 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
*Gold Medal – 2021 Orange County Fair
*Best of Show & Double Gold Medal – 2023 International Cabernet Franc Competition (Blend Division)
On their website, the 2019 wine is listed $61/bottle and is 13.9 % alcohol. The current vintage is 2021 and is listed at $65/bottle.
Even Saint-Émilion, whom the town is named after, living the life of a religious hermit, accomplishing a few miracles in and around the area, would have considered this worthy of his praise in the tradition of his miracles! This wine made my annual “Best Wines Tasted in the year” for 2023 and will again this year for 2024 (published in December).
Sláinte,
Michael