Low Gap
Ameztoi
Rubentis Getariako Txakolina Hondarrabi Beltza Hondarrabi Zuri Rosé Blend
Yum! Cranberry-rhubarb-rose water mid-summer glory. Low ABV, enough acidity to scrub a couple layers of enamel off your teeth. Perfection with fresh heirlooms, BBQ chicken, and cold spicy peanut noodles….I love basque Tzakolina with its vivacious light pink personality. Note to self: purchase a boatload before it’s gone. — 4 years ago
Arianna Occhipinti
SP68 Terre Siciliane Nero d'Avola Frappato 2023
After tasting next to other organic/low intervention wines, the structure and finesse of this wine becomes more evident. Smooth red and dark fruit on the palate with good but no overwhelming acidity. Drinks like a wine from a colder climate. — 3 months ago
Wind Gap Wines
Luna Matta & Glen Rose Vineyards Nebbiolo 2006
My last bottle from the defunct yet memorable winery.
Smells so delicious, like a fruit yogurt
This drinks like it is fresh, with blackberry bramble, subtle and unique red fruits tucked behind the leather ones.
Tannins are still very gripping, and the acidity tames it back. A touch of heat and its off to the races! — 3 years ago
Wind Gap Wines
Sonoma Coast Syrah
Just an incredible 14 year old #syrah from Wind Gap that’s just screaming Crozes-Hermitage or Cornas in the glass. Cured meat, bacon fat, black olive followed by a deep well of brooding black fruit aromas. Palate is fresh with salivating acidity, aged fruit, coffee, dark chocolate and ethereal tannins on a long finish. Beautiful wine, especially for $53 for 6 bottles at WineBid (before shipping.)
— 4 years ago
Belle Glos
Dairyman Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2023
Dairyman Vineyard sits in the southern alluvial plains of the Russian River Valley near the ocean, a region where cooling fog comes in through the Petaluma Gap in the morning and once again in the evening. Medium Ruby color, with aromas of berries, tea and spices. On the palate flavors of raspberry and tart black cherry with herb, cedar and cinnamon. Fine tannins, medium+ finish with lively acidity, good structure, ending with fruit and cedar spice. — 5 months ago
Wind Gap Wines
Nellessen Vineyard Syrah 2016
Outrageously loud nose. Green peppercorn, spicy beef jerky, powdered rock dust, tangy red berries behind all that. Balanced and full of flavor, there’s nice acidity lifting flavors of crushed rocky minerals. There is something like dried red berries - almost Christmas-spiced- that turn savory as the finish progresses. Tannins almost fully resolved and soft. Fascinating. — 4 years ago
Austin Hope
Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
WOW, what a pleasant surprise! We received this wine as a gift, so we did not expect much. We were wrong, wonderful wine. Thick long lasting legs. Deep dense color. Wonderful nose, rich with plum, prune oaks and very fruit forward. Lots of flavor. The plum/prune notes were wonderful. Very smooth with lite oak notes on the finish. Very low tannins. Loved it! — 4 years ago
Freddy R. Troya
Chappellet — Grower Collection “Five Blocks” Calesa Vineyard Chardonnay 2020
Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California, USA 🇺🇸
Overview:
A very limited-production Chardonnay sourced from the Calesa Vineyard in the Petaluma Gap AVA. Built from cool-climate tension and precision, this 2020 vintage elevates the profile of the wine with greater depth, layered complexity, and remarkable balance while preserving the vibrant tropical-citrus core characteristic of the site.
Aromas & Flavors:
Intense yet refined aromas of lemon curd, tropical citrus, baked guava, white peach, and subtle lychee, intertwined with delicate white spices and hints of mandarin zest. The palate unfolds in layers with vibrant citrus energy, savory mineral nuances, and beautifully integrated oak.
Mouthfeel:
Exceptionally balanced and textured. Fresh acidity drives the wine from start to finish, while a striking tension on the back palate gives the wine precision and lift. Creamy without heaviness, polished without excess, finishing long, energetic, and remarkably composed.
Food Pairings:
Butter-poached lobster, scallops, roast chicken with herbs, creamy seafood pasta, miso-glazed cod, or aged Comté.
Verdict:
A serious and highly expressive Chardonnay that showcases how powerful and refined California Chardonnay can become in the right cool-climate hands. The 2020 clearly steps above the 2022 in complexity, texture, and overall precision while still maintaining the vibrant tropical freshness that defines the vineyard.
🍷 Did You Know?
The Petaluma Gap’s cold Pacific winds naturally slow ripening and thicken grape skins, helping Chardonnays develop both concentrated flavor intensity and the kind of acidity-driven tension more commonly associated with top cool-climate regions. Cheers! — 18 days ago