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Saracina is a 600-acre bio-diverse property encompassing three ranches located in Hopland, California. With 300 acres in vineyards, the property's openness and unspoiled, yet well-tended beauty, are unique in Mendocino County. The main ranch is home to Saracina Vineyards, a small-production, state-of-the-art winery open to wine club members and guests by appointment, and to the first wine caves in Mendocino County, carved out of solid rock over a two-year period. Reminiscent of the rural character of Napa Valley 25 years ago, the ranches are populated with sheep and goats roaming the hillsides, groves of 100-year-old olive trees, pomegranate orchards, bamboo gardens, hiking trails, a wild azalea canyon, organic vegetable gardens, and four ponds that attract herons, Canadian geese and a myriad animal life. The owners are committed to preservation of the land and the rivers, including the Russian River which runs through one of the ranches - rather than clear-cutting every available acre for vineyards. Award-winning architect Michelle Wempe and noted Bay Area landscape designer Roger Warner have created an East-West fusion aesthetic in the architecture, art and landscaping of the property which balances rusticity with stylish modernism. Saracina was named after a centuries-old farmhouse and vineyards in Tuscany where Owners John Fetzer and Patty Rock spent their honeymoon in the late 1990s.
Saracina Ranch is ideal for the style of winegrowing and creative blending they practice. The vineyards are comprised of 21 distinct blocks, at least a dozen different aspects and numerous soil types. The blocks are either CCOF-certified organic or managed sustainably with a soft approach to nutrients and pest control. In both instances, the blocks are hand-tended and observed to maintain the vigor of the plants. They strive to be winegrowers in the European tradition, understanding that great wines are made in the vineyard. Their varietal wines, as well as their proprietary blended wines, are created in these diverse blocks before the grapes even enter the winery.
Their wines are located here: Order Wine.
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Arbios Winery
While surveying the University of California, Davis catalog, Bill noticed a class called “Introduction to American Wine.” Knowing that Davis is one of the best enology schools in the world, he thought that he might as well learn something about wine while trying to figure out what he really wanted to do. Soon after Bill began studying the subject, he fell in love with the creative and complex nature of winemaking. He was thrilled that winemaking encompassed chemistry, biology, physics and bacteriology, all of which were key components of his previous studies in veterinary medicine. As his understanding of winemaking grew, Bill was seduced by the romance of wine and accordingly, he took his vows of poverty and enthusiastically entered into the brotherhood of winemaking.
Their Wines are located here.
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Coturri Winery
Tony Coturri in Sonoma County California makes Natural Wines - Organic and natural yeasts; no sulfites. Tony's goal is to express the natural fruit.
His wines are well acclaimed and Robert Parker always writes highly of him. We met Tony two years ago at the winery in Sonoma. I knew then that these were the type of wines that I want to sell!
Their Wines are located here
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Dark Horse Wine (California)
We're finally saddled up and we're ready to hit the trail. It's been a long time coming but we now have our first wines ready and available. We are in the process of building our web site but wanted to let you all know that we’re up and running and have two new wines ready for release.
2002 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: Rich berry fruit and flavors of cinnamon and cassis float across the palette on a sea of velvety tannins.
2003 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel: Old vine Zinfandel with flavors of chocolate covered cherries and blueberries. Rich and extracted with soft tannins and long finish
The Dark Horse Wines are located here.
Back to our home page.
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Oak Ridge Winery
Oak Ridge Winery in Lodi, California.
Their Wines are located here.
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Praxis
“Praxis makes perfect!” Praxis is from the Greek for practice and was an early 19th Century philosophy relating to the unattainable search for perfection. Like Arbios, all of the Praxis wines are 100% of their varietal – most are from a single vineyard. All of Bill’s wines tend to be more European in style – balanced without excessive alcohol.
Their Wines are located here.
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Taft Street Winery (Sonoma County)
In the 1970s Cal student John Tierney began making wine in the garage of his brother's home on nearby Taft Street. The reputation of the Taft Street Garage wines grew; and family and friends formally opened Taft Street Winery on April Fool's Day, 1982, in the Russian River Valley town of Forestville.
Fame if not fortune has followed. The wines of Taft Street have won innumerable awards throughout the years, and the name Taft Street has long been associated with consistent quality. Today Taft Street focuses on making wines from the neighboring vineyards in the Russian River Valley and Sonoma Coast appellations. Wines are also produced from vineyards in nearby Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley.
The formula has remained the same throughout the years - careful attention to quality grapes. Family and friends have been working and playing together for 30 years now; and though the amount and color of our hair may have changed, we are still having fun. Join us!
The Taft Street Wines are located here.
Back to our home page.