Kistler Vineyards is a family-owned California winery located in Northern California's wine producing region of Sonoma County. According to Food and Wine Magazine , their "biannual release of Chardonnay is one of the most sought after by wine enthusiasts" [1] and Food and Wine Magazine's Wine Guide considers their Chardonnays the "Best of the Best" among "Star Producers" [2]
Kistler was founded in 1978, and continues to be family owned and operated today. Until 2017 Kistler's winemaking was supervised by Steve Kistler, who studied creative writing at Stanford University. Kistler also oversaw the vineyard work. Mark Bixler, who has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley ran the business and sales side of the winery as well as helping in the lab.
In 2008, Kistler sold his majority stake in the company to the owner of Durell Vineyard, Bill Price. At that time they brought the Vineyard Manager from Hudson Vineyards in Carneros, Jason Kesner, as Steve's assistant winemaker, with the intention of a long transitional period. That plan came to fruition at the end of 2017 with Jason now overseeing all production, farming, and day-to-day business.
In 2014, Kistler opened its very first tasting facility at its Trenton Roadhouse property - a 60 acre vineyard that features a 100+ year old renovated farmhouse and barn. It has been lauded as, "the best wine tasting experience in Sonoma/Napa".
In addition to Chardonnay, Kistler Vineyards also produces different bottlings of Pinot noir from different vineyards, like the nearby Occidental Station and Bodega Headlands and in prior vintages Terra de Promissio. Like the Chardonnay, the Pinot noir is modeled after the wines of the Burgundy region of France.
Mayacamas Vineyards is a California wine producer located in the Mt. Veeder AVA in the Mayacamas Mountains within the Napa Valley AVA, bordering the Sonoma Valley AVA. The estate is known for producing wine of a more traditional style than the Napa trends of recent years that emphasizes power, weight, high levels of alcohol and extravagance.
B.R. Cohn Winery is a winery in Sonoma Valley, California in the United States.
Sonoma County wine is wine made in Sonoma County, California, in the United States.
Los Carneros AVA is an American Viticultural Area which includes parts of both Sonoma and Napa counties in California, U.S.A. It is located north of San Pablo Bay. The proximity to the cool fog and breezes from the bay makes the climate in Los Carneros cooler and more moderate than the wine regions farther north in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley. The cooler climate has made Los Carneros attractive for the cultivation of cooler climate varietals like Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Many of the grapes grown in Los Carneros are used for sparkling wine production. Receiving its AVA status in 1983, the Carneros area was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries.
The Russian River Valley AVA is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Sonoma County, California. Centered on the Russian River, the Russian River Valley AVA accounts for about one-sixth of the total planted vineyard acreage in Sonoma County. The appellation was granted AVA status in 1983 and enlarged in 2005. The area generally lies between Sebastopol and Santa Rosa in the south, and Forestville and Healdsburg in the north. The Russian River Valley has a characteristically cool climate, heavily affected by fog generated by the valley's proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The area is known for its success with cool climate varietals, notably Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
Oak Knoll Winery is a privately held winery located in the Tualatin Valley near Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. Established in 1970, it is the oldest winery in Washington County, and produces Pinot noir, Pinot gris, and Chardonnay. The winery also known for producing Frambosia, a red raspberry wine.
California wine production has a rich viticulture history since 1680 when Spanish Jesuit missionaries planted Vitis vinifera vines native to the Mediterranean region in their established missions to produce wine for religious services. In the 1770s, Spanish missionaries continued the practice under the direction of the Father Junípero Serra who planted California's first vineyard at Mission San Juan Capistrano.
Marimar Estate is a Californian winery located in Sonoma County, owned by Marimar Torres, the sister of Miguel A. Torres, President of Bodegas Torres.
Foris Vineyards Winery is an American winery located near Cave Junction, Oregon in the Illinois Valley region of the Rogue Valley AVA of Southern Oregon. As one of Oregon's pioneering grape growers, Ted Gerber planted his first vineyard in 1974. For 15 years, Gerber provided fruit to other winemakers, until 1986 when the winery was founded by Ted and Meri Gerber and the Foris label was launched.
Benovia Winery is a family-owned producer of Pinot noir, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel wines in Santa Rosa, California. Founded in 2005 by Joe Anderson and Mary Dewane, Benovia Winery farms three estate vineyards which total 71.67 acres (290,000 m2) and are located in the Russian River Valley AVA and Sonoma Coast AVA in Sonoma County. To supplement the fruit it harvests each year, Benovia purchases additional grapes from two sites farmed by the Martinelli family. Benovia's winemaker, Mike Sullivan, is also co-owner of the winery. Benovia wines are produced and bottled at the winery's winemaking facilities at the Martaella Estate Vineyard in the Russian River Valley AVA. Annual production is approximately 6,000 cases. Benovia wines are sold direct to customers, as well as distributed to restaurants and other retailers for resale.
Freeman Vineyard & Winery is a California winery based in the Southern Russian River Valley AVA just outside Sebastopol in Sonoma County. The winery was founded in 2001 by Ken and Akiko Freeman. They are recognized for producing cool-climate Pinot noir and Chardonnay in a Burgundian style.
Gary Farrell is a California winemaker, specializing in the production of Pinot noir and Chardonnay from Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley. Until 2013 he was producing his luxury line of wines under the Alysian (ah-liss-ee-uhn) brand, which he co-founded in 2007 with investment banker Bill Hambrecht and Denise Sanders.
Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is a winery in Sonoma County, California that specializes in sparkling wines, as well as Pinot noir and Chardonnay wine. It was the first sparkling wine producer in Carneros. It was also the first to plant Champagne grape clones in the region.
Acacia Winery, also known as Acacia Vineyard or simply Acacia, is a winery in the Carneros Valley appellation in Napa County, California, United States. Acacia Winery was founded in 1979 by co-founder Michael Richmond and others on Las Amigas Road. The winery primarily produced pinot noir and Chardonnay wines including the following lines: Reserve, SVS Wines, Carneros Blend, A, From Acacia, and Estate Pinot (2001-2002). The winery was acquired by Chalone in July, 1986.
Terra de Promissio is a family owned and operated vineyard that grows Sonoma Coast pinot noir grapes. The vineyard is located in the Sonoma Coast AVA, outside Petaluma, California in Sonoma County.
Sokol Blosser Winery is a vineyard, tasting room and winery facility located northeast of Dayton, Oregon in the Red Hills of Dundee in Yamhill County. It was founded by Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol Blosser in 1971 in what is now known as the Dundee Hills AVA. Sokol Blosser Winery is family owned and operated by second-generation co-presidents, siblings Alex and Alison Sokol Blosser, and is the 6th largest wine producer in Oregon. Sokol Blosser is considered to be “synonymous with sustainability,” and produces Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, proprietary blends Evolution White and Evolution Red, a range of other Evolution wines, and small quantities of single block Pinot Noirs, Rosé of Pinot Noir, White Riesling dessert wine, and sparkling wine.
Benjamin Cane is an Australian winemaker who currently owns Duke's Vineyard in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. He has made award-winning wines of different varietals across three continents, with pinot noir standing out as a true source of passion and inspiration.
Testarossa is a winery and tasting room in Los Gatos, California. Testarossa makes multiple varietals and is known primarily for making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.
Jackson Family Wines is a wine company headquartered in Santa Rosa, California. At 6 million cases sold per year, it is the ninth-largest wine producer in the United States. Jackson Family Wines includes 40 brands, sourced from vineyards and wineries in California, Oregon, the Bordeaux region in France, Tuscany in Italy, Australia, Chile and South Africa. It controls 50,000 acres (20,000 ha) in the United States and is the largest owner of coastal vineyards in California and Oregon. The family-owned company is known for the brand Kendall-Jackson.
Talley Vineyards is a family-owned and operated California wine estate producing primarily Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. The winery is located in Arroyo Grande Valley, near the town of Arroyo Grande in the southern corner of San Luis Obispo County. Talley farms 174 acres of wine grapes in six unique vineyards located in the Arroyo Grande Valley and Edna Valley AVAs. Talley Vineyards produces 30,000 cases annually.
Coordinates: 38°27′36″N122°51′37″W / 38.46000°N 122.86028°W