Leonhardt Vineyards: California Wine Blog

Wine Country Cheers on the San Francisco Giants

March 14, 2011, 9:12 pm

Plus, Rusty Staub’s charity auction earns over $1 million, more wineries come to the aid of the Gulf, and two winery foreclosures in Virginia

• It’s been a difficult 2010 for Northern California vintners, who have dealt with one of the coldest vintages on record. But the San Francisco Giants’ remarkable run to the World Series championship has been lifting winemaker spirits across the valleys, and one Napa estate actually got to participate in the team’s festivities. After clinching the National League West division, winning the National League Division Series, N.L. Championship Series and the World Series, the Giants players and coaches celebrated each time with some liberally sprayed and specially labeled Mumm Napa Brut Prestige. “We were delighted to work with the San Francisco Giants to provide our Mumm Napa Brut Prestige as their celebration wine for the World Series,” said Mumm VP of winemaking operations Rob McNeill. “They were very pleased too. We were cheering for the Giants the entire way, and having our wine inside the locker room embellishing their victory celebration made it a little more special.”

Margrit Mondavi kept warm at the Giants game with her grandson and her favorite Buster Posey jersey.

• The cold Northern California October also gave Margrit Mondavi good reason to wear her Giants scarf around the Robert Mondavi Winery pretty much every day, and she took her grandson to Game 1 of the World Series, where she wore her bright orange Buster Posey jersey. (What does the matriarch of a famous wine family order at the ballpark? A beer and a hot dog of course, just like the rest of us.) Elsewhere, former Giants Rich Aurilia and Dave Robertsshowed up in Las Vegas during the World Series, where they chatted baseball with Wine Spectator editor at large Harvey Steiman at the New World Wine Experience. Readers of their blogs will know that Steiman and senior editor James Laube are both avid Giants fans, and Steiman was even able to bring support the Giants’ way from the Pacific Northwest. He and Seattle Mariners fan Hugh Shiels of DuBrul Vineyard and Côte Bonneville chat regularly on the subject of baseball, and when the M’s season ended, Shiels threw his support behind the Giants. “Since Buster came up, every pitch of every inning has significance,” Shiels e-mailed last week. “[Sitting] in the candlelit sunroom with a glass of wine was special for the last couple of innings.” No matter how the 2010 vintage turns out, the wine community will always have the San Francisco Giants’ first World Series to bring them a smile.

• Retired Major League Baseball player and six-time all-star Rusty Staub had his mind on Burgundy rather than baseball this past month. Nowadays Staub focuses his energies on humanitarian pursuits, one of which is his annual wine auction in New York in October, perhaps the most comprehensive charity auction of Burgundy this side of, well, Burgundy. The auction was attended this year by only 80 guests, but still managed to rustle up $1.15 million for emergency food pantries, two-thirds of whose beneficiaries are children. The star lot in this year’s auction was a $120,000 dinner for 12 cooked by Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse and David Bouley, to be enlivened by, among other wines, mature Cristal, Dom Pérignon, and Krug, 1982 Latour, Margaux, Mouton-Rothschild, Haut-Brion and Lafleur, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet, La Tâche (“LA TACHE” happens to be Staub’s license plate), Richebourg and Romanée-St.-Vivant, and a splash of Yquem. “That was the big buzz of the night,” said Staub, who travels to Burgundy every November to meet with some 40 growers and begin arranging lots for the following year’s auction. His charity, the Rusty Staub Foundation, “dominates my life, to be truthful.” But the auction has raised some $15 million over 19 years; last year alone, the proceeds fed 950,000 people. “I think we were so fortunate that we were able to raise the kind of money that we raised,” Staub said, adding, “Everybody wants to raise the kind of money that they used to raise—well, that dog ain’t hunting out there very often.” Nonetheless, Staub expects the 20th anniversary auction next October to be a home run.

• Is water conservation the hottest new trend in wine country? Last month we told Unfiltered readers about theIron Horse Ocean Reserve sparkler that is benefiting the National Geographic Society’s Ocean Initiative andSt. Francis winery’s Whale of a Chardonnay that is supporting the Save Our Gulf foundation. Water rights have even become an issue between Russian River Valley officials and winemakers. Now we’ve learned two more California wineries are getting into the save-the-planet spirit this month. Healdsburg’s Selby winery has started a new label specifically to support Gulf Coast clean-up efforts. For every $15 bottle of winemaker Suzie Selby’s Clean Coast Wines, $4 will be donated to the Greater New Orleans Foundation. The marine-themed labels were designed by Pensacola, Fla., artist Richard Quecke and can be purchased at select wine shops in Louisiana and Mississippi as well as online at www.cleancoastwines.com. Also in the giving spirit, Stanley and Helen Cheng, the owners of Hestan, a solar-powered winery in Napa, are donating $2 for every bottle of their Hestan, Meyer and Stephanie wine brands sold during the month of November to the Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration. We hope this trend holds water! (And that our puns get better.)

• Ending this week’s column on a note of misfortunate, Kluge Estate of Virginia is facing foreclosure this week, the result of a failed attempt to expand into the national and international market in the midst of a recession. Kluge, owned by Patricia Kluge and her husband, William Moses, owes approximately $35 million to Virginia’s Farm Credit Bank for loans made between 2007 and 2009. The bank demanded payment in September, sending Kluge and Moses scrambling unsuccessfully to renegotiate or find other backers as far afield as France, Argentina and China. Farm Credit took over in October and has been dismissing employees while it shuts down the plant, preparatory to a sale of the vineyard, equipment and property Dec. 8. Patricia Kluge, once married to the late communications billionaire John Kluge, has spoken of making Kluge Estate “one of the East Coast’s most prestigious wineries.” She and Moses are charged by Farm Credit with fraudulently transferring land and property to a family trust to shield assets from the bank. At 164 acres, Kluge is the largest vineyard in the Charlottesville area. Also facing the auction block Nov. 18 will be the Sweely Estate Winery in neighboring Madison County. Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, an avid wine enthusiast, is reportedly attempting to interest the Altria Group, which owns both Chateau Ste. Michelle in Washington and Philip Morris tobacco, in a deal with Kluge. Altria has refused to comment.

Source:

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/43964?sms_ss=email&at_xt=4d7ea694d8686efe%2C0

Leonhardt, Dashe and Valdez all Make Best Zinfandels in California list 8.5 to 9.5 highest ratings: Tasting at ZAP

March 3, 2011, 1:56 pm

With a line snaking halfway around the parking lot by 2:00 PM, it might be easy to say that Zinfandel might be one of the more recession proof wines in California. The fact that very good bottles can be had for about $20 certainly means that there's probably a lot more Zinfandel being consumed these days than, say, Meritage blends.

Once inside the annual Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Festival it was clear, however, that far fewer wineries were pouring this year than in the past, though the crowd was no less lively (I didn't stay until 5 PM when people normally are at their sloppiest and most boisterous).

It's a little bit of a shame, however, as the 2007 and 2008 wines on offer were on the whole, quite good. Both vintages seem characterized by good acidity (especially the 2007s which seemed more perfect in terms of ripeness levels) and my favorite producers' wines were quite uniformly excellent.

I tasted about 220 wines this year, focusing on my usual combination of folks I know well and those I don't, with an effort to try a bunch of the newest members of the ZAP association, who were clearly marked in the tasting booklet.

For those willing to spend between $20 and $35 on a bottle of wine, there are some really killer wines on the market (or soon to be) that are all candidates for bringing anyone who doesn't know much or care much for Zinfandel into the fold.

Without further ado:

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9.5
2007 Dashe Cellars "Florence Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32. Click to buy. 
2007 Gamba Vineyards and Winery "Estate Old Vine" Russian River Valley. $43. Click to buy. 
2001 Moss Creek Winery "Estate" Napa Valley.
2008 Outpost Estate Wines. $??. Click to buy. 
2007 Rosenblum Cellars "Maggie's Reserve" Sonoma Valley. $45. Click to buy. 
2008 Sandler Wine Company "Sandler Buck Hill Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $30. Click to buy. 
2007 T-Vine Cellars Napa Valley. $43. Click to buy. 
2007 T-Vine Cellars "Brown Vineyard" Napa Valley. $36. Click to buy. 
2008 Turley Wine Cellars "Hayne Vineyard" Napa Valley. $75. 
2007 Valdez Family Winery "Bottlicelli Rock Pile" Dry Creek Valley. $41. Click to buy. 
2007 Valdez Family Winery "Quinn" Dry Creek Valley. $38. Click to buy.

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 9 AND 9.5
2007 Brown Estate "Chaos Theory Red Wine" Napa Valley. $36 
2007 Chiarello Family Vineyards "Giana" Napa Valley. $35 
2006 D-Cubed Cellars Napa Valley. $27 
2006 D-Cubed Cellars Howell Mountain. $37 
2007 Dashe Cellars "Todd Brothers Ranch Old Vines" Alexander Valley. $32 
2007 Dashe Cellars "Louveau Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Fritz Winery "Reserve" Dry Creek Valley. $40 
2008 Gamba Vineyards and Winery "Moratto Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $43 
2008 Gamba Vineyards and Winery Russian River Valley. $35 
2007 Hartford Family Winery "Russian River" Russian River Valley. $35 
2007 Hartford Family Winery "Hartford Estate" Russian River Valley. $55 
2008 Hartford Family Winery "Highwire Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $55 
2007 Mantra Wines Alexander Valley. $30 
2007 Mantra Wines "Old Vines Reserve" Alexander Valley. $??
2006 Milliaire Winery "Ghiradelli" Calaveras. $28 
2006 Milliaire Winery "Old Vine" Calaveras. $22 
2008 Novy Family Wines Russian River Valley. $20 
2007 Orin Swift Cellars "Saldo" California. $28 
2006 OTTIMINO "Estate" Russian River Valley. $28 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Pagani Ranch" Sonoma Valley. $35 
2008 Robert Biale Vineyards "Varozza Vineyard" St. Helena. $40 
2007 Rosenblum Cellars "Rockile Road" Sonoma. $35 
2007 Saddleback Cellars "Old Vine" Napa Valley. $36 
2008 Sandler Wine Company "The Industrial" Dry Creek Valley. $35 
2007 Scott Harvey Wines "Vineyard 1869" Amador County. $45 
2006 T-Vine Cellars "T Blend" Napa Valley. $40 
2008 Turley Wine Cellars "Old Vines" California. $25 
2007 Valdez Family Winery "Landy" Russian River Valley. $38 
2007 Venge Vineyards "Scout's Honor" Napa Valley. $38 
2007 Wilson Winery & Vineyards "Carl's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Woodenhead Vintners "Martinelli Road Vineyard" Russian River. $??

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 9
2007 Acorn Winery / Alegria Vineyards "Heritage Vines" Alegria Vineyards, Russian River Valley. $35 
2008 Baldwin Vineyards "Rattlesnake Ridge" Sonoma Valley. $50 
2006 Ballentine Vineyards "Old Vine Estate" Napa Valley. $20 
2007 Ballentine Vineyards "Block 9 Reserve Estate" Napa Valley. $27 
2006 Ballentine Vineyards "Block 11 Estate" Napa Valley. $25 
2007 Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves "Two Patch" Alexander Valley. $38 
2006 Bradford Mountain Winery "Grist Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $34 
2008 Brown Estate Napa Valley. $36 
2006 Carol Shelton "Rocky Reserve" Florence Vineyard, Rockpile. $33 
2007 Cedarville Vineyard "Estate "El Dorado. $20 
2007 Cesar Toxqui Cellars Mendocino. $??
2007 DH Gustafson Family Vineyards "Estate" Dry Creek Valley. $36 
2007 Downing Family Vineyards"Fly by Night"Napa Valley. $24 
2006 Easton Wines "Rinaldi Vineyard" Fiddletown. $28 
2007 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley. $37 
2006 Franz Hill Vineyard Napa Valley. $32 
2007 Fritz Winery "Estate" Dry Creek Valley. $25 
2006 Hartford Family Winery "Russian River Valley" Russian River Valley. $35 
2006 Hendry "Block 28" Napa Valley. $30 
2006 Hendry "Block 7 & 22" Napa Valley. $30 
2006 J. Rickards Winery & Vineyards "Ancestors" Alexander Valley. $22 
2007 J. Rickards Winery & Vineyards "Ancestor Selection Block" Alexander Valley. $22 
2007 Klinker Brick Winery "Old Ghost Old Vine" Lodi. $37 
2007 Kokomo Winery "Perotti Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $34 
2005 Ledson Winery & Vineyards"Old Vine"Russian River Valley. $48 
2007 Mauritson Family Vineyard "Rockpile Ridge Vineyard" Rockpile. $35 
2006 Milliaire Winery "Clockspring" Amador. $24 
2005 Miraflores Winery Sierra Foothills. $22 
2007 Miraflores Winery Sierra Foothills. $22 
2006 Papapietro Perry "Elsbree Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $37 
2005 Proulx Winery "Jack Barrett" Paso Robles. $32 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Lytton Springs" Dry Creek Valley. $35 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Ponzo Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $28 
2008 Ridge Vineyards Paso Robles. $30 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Buchignani Ranch" Sonoma. $28 
2008 Robert Biale Vineyards "Napa Ranch Vineyard" Napa Valley. $38 
2007 Rusina Wines Dry Creek Valley. $30 
2007 Rusina Wines Alexander Valley. $28 
2006 Sbragia Family Vineyards "Gino's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $28 
NV Sextant Wines Central Coast. $49 
2006 Storrs Winery "Rusty Ridge" Bay Area. $30 
2007 Storrs Winery Central Coast. $20 
2007 Storybook Mountain Wines "Mayacamas Range Estate" Napa. $34 
2007 Thacher Winery "Triumvurate" Paso Robles. $30 
2007 Truchard Vineyards "Estate" Carneros. $25 
2007 Wilson Winery & Vineyards "Sawyer Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Wilson Winery & Vineyards "Tori's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $44 
2007 Woodenhead Vintners "Guido Venturi Vineyard" Mendocino. $??
2006 Woodenhead Vintners "Martinelli Road Vineyard" Russian River. $??

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8.5 AND 9
2006 Acorn Winery / Alegria Vineyards "Heritage Vines" Alegria Vineyards, Russian River Valley. $35 
2008 Bedrock Wine Company "Lorenzo's Heirloon" Dry Creek Valley. $35 
2007 Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves "Lily Hill" Dry Creek Valley. $38 
2007 Bella Vineyards & Wine Caves "Big River Ranch" Alexander Valley. $38 
2006 Benessere "BK Collins Old Vines" Napa. $40 
2006 Carol Shelton "Wild Thing" Cox Vineyard, Mendocino County. $24 
2007 Carol Shelton "Monga Zin" Lopez Vineyard, Cucamonga Valley. $21 
2006 Carol Shelton "Karma Zin" Sonoma County. $33 
2007 Claudia Springs Winery "John Ricetti" Redwood Valley. $24 
2007 Dancing Lady Wines "Old Vine" Della Costa Family Vineyard, Alexander Valley. $27 
2008 Dashe Cellars Dry Creek Valley. $24 
2007 Deep Purple Winery Lodi. $??
2006 DH Gustafson Family Vineyards "Mountain Cuvee" Dry Creek Valley. $24 
2006 Downing Family Vineyards "Fly by Night" Napa Valley. $24 
2006 Easton Wines "Estate" Shenandoah Valley. $32 
2005 Easton Wines "Old Vines" Shenandoah Valley. $??
2005 Easton Wines "Estate" Shenandoah Valley. $??
2007 GiaDomella Russian River. $26 
2007 Gundlach Bundschu Sonoma Valley. $38 
2007 Harney Lane Winery "Old Vine" Lizzy James Vineyard, Lodi. $33 
2007 Haywood Estates "Morning Sun" Sonoma Valley. $38 
2006 Hendry "Block 7 & 22" Napa Valley. $30 
2005 John Tyler Wines "Bacigalupi Vineyards" Russian River. $36 
2007 Kokomo Winery "Timber Crest Vineyards" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Kokomo Winery "Mounts Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $27 
2007 Lava Cap Winery "Spring House" El Dorado. $24 
2005 Leonhardt Vineyards "Reserve" Dry Creek Valley. $35 
2007 Marr Cellars "Old Vine" Mattern Ranch, Mendocino. $24 
2006 Matrix Winery "Francis" Russian River. $28 
2007 Mauritson Family Vineyard "Rockpile Cemetery Vineyard" Rockpile. $39 
2008 Mauritson Family Vineyard Dry Creek Valley. $27 
2007 Mauritson Family Vineyard Mendocino. $18 
2006 Miraflores Winery Sierra Foothills. $22 
2007 Moss Creek Winery "Over The Top" Wappo Camp. $??
2006 OTTIMINO "Von Weidlich" Russian River Valley. $30 
2007 Papapietro Perr "Timbercrest Farms" Dry Creek Valley. $45 
2007 Peachy Canyon Winery "Especial" Paso Robles. $40 
2007 Pedroncelli Winery "Mother Clone" Dry Creek Valley. $15 
2007 Pellegrini Family Vineyards Russian River. $25 
2007 Proulx Winery "Reserve" Paso Robles. $42 
2007 Puccioni Vineyards "Old Vine" Dry Creek Valley. $28 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "East Bench" Dry Creek Valley. $26 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Geyserville" Sonoma County. $35 
2008 Ridge Vineyards "Carmichael" Sonoma. $28 
2008 Robert Biale Vineyards "Grande Vineyard" Napa Valley. $40 
2007 Rosenblum Cellars "Carla's Reserve" Contra Costa County. $30 
2007 Rosenblum Cellars Contra Costa County. $30 
2007 Rosenblum Cellars Sonoma County. $??
2007 Rusina Wines "Triskelion Red Blend" Dry Creek Valley. $40 
2006 Sbragia Family Vineyards "Italo's Vineyard" Alexander Valley. $28 
2006 Sbragia Family Vineyards "La Promessa" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2006 Scott Harvey Wines "Old Vine" Amador County. $30 
2005 Storrs Winery "Lion Oaks Vineyard" Bay Area. $34 
2006 Thacher Winery Paso Robles. $29 
2007 Thacher Winery Paso Robles. $29 
2006 Tofanelli Family Vineyard "Estate Vineyard" Napa Valley. $36 
2002 Truchard Vineyards "Estate" Carneros. n/a
2007 Vino Noceto Winery and Vineyards "OGP" Amador. $28 
2007 Wilson Winery & Vineyards "Molly's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Wilson Winery & Vineyards "Ellie's Vineyard" Dry Creek Valley. $32 
2007 Woodenhead Vintners "Braccialini Vineyard" Anderson Valley. $??

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8.5
2006 Artezin Wines Dry Creek Valley. $25 
2007 Artezin Wines Dry Creek Valley. $25 
2008 Bedrock Wine Company "Bedrock Heirloom" Sonoma. $35 
2006 Bradford Mountain Winery Dry Creek Valley. $28 
2006 C.G. Di Arie Vineyard & Winery Shenandoah Valley. $25 
2006 Cakebread Cellars "Snow's Lake Vineyard" Red Hills, Lake County. $41 
2005 Calcareous Vineyard "Twisted Sisters "Kate's Vineyard, Paso Robles. $26 
2007 Charter Oak Winery "Monte Rosso" Sonoma. $42 
2008 Easton Wines Amador County. $17 
2008 Fontanella Family Wines Mount Veeder. $36 
2007 Four Vines "Biker" Paso Robles. $25 
2007 HammerSky Vineyards "Estate Reserve" Paso Robles. $39 
2008 Hartford Family Winery "Jolene's Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $55 
2004 John Tyler Wines "Bacigalupi Vineyards" Russian River. $36 
2007 Kenneth Volk Vineyards "Paso Robles" Paso Robles. $28 
2007 Klinker Brick Winery "Old Vine" Lodi. $18 
2007 Leonhardt Vineyards "Reserve" Dry Creek Valley. $48 
2007 Marr Cellars "Old Vine" Mendocino County. $21 
2007 OTTIMINO "Zinfinity" Sonoma County. $17 
2007 Paso Creek Paso Robles. $17 
2007 Rued Winery Dry Creek Valley. $25 
2007 Sextant Wines "Holystone" Paso Robles. $27 
2008 Sextant Wines Central Coast. $15 
2007 SideJob Cellars "C5 Stefani Vineyard" Sonoma County. $30 
2006 Starry Night Winery "Tom Feeney Ranch" Russian River Valley. $28 
2007 Tin Barn Vineyards "Dalraddy Vineyard" Napa Valley. $27 
2007 Tin Barn Vineyards "Gilsson Vineyard" Russian River Valley. $27 
2007 Tofanelli Family Vineyard "Estate Vineyard" Napa Valley. $36

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 8 AND 8.5
2007 Alderbrook Winery "Old Vine" Dry Creek Valley. $19 
2006 Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery "Monte Rosso" Sonoma Valley. $40 
2007 Amapola Creek Vineyards & Winery "Vina Antiquas" Sonoma Valley. $40 
2007 Amphora Winery Dry Creek Valley. $26 
2006 Barnard Griffin Winery Columbia Gorge, Washington. $25 
2007 Bogle Winery "Old Vine "California. $11 
2006 Calcareous Vineyard "Calcareous Vineyard" Kate's Westside Vineyard, Paso Robles. $26 
2007 Claudia Springs Winery "Nate's Vineyard" Redwood Valley. $24 
2007 Dono dal Cielo Vineyard Sierra Foothills. $28 
2007 Hendry "HRW" Napa Valley. $15 
2003 John Tyler Wines "Bacigalupi Vineyards" Russian River. $36 
2007 Lang Wines "Oakmont Vineyards" Amador County. $19 
2006 Martorana Family Winery Dry Creek Valley. $??
2007 Opolo Vineyards "Mountain" Paso Robles. $28 
2006 Peju Winery Napa Valley. $28 
2007 Sextant Wines "Wheelhouse" Paso Robles. $20 
2007 Sextant Wines "Genoa Blend" Central Coast. $79 
2008 SideJob Cellars "C5 Stefani Vineyard" Sonoma County. $30 
2008 SideJob Cellars Sonoma County. $15 
2007 Stephen & Walker Winery Dry Creek Valley. $39

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 8
2008 Artezin Wines California. $18 
2007 Brazin Cellars Dry Creek Valley. $16.99 
2006 Brutocao Cellars "Estate" Hopland Ranches, Mendocino. $22 
2007 Gregory Graham Wines "Crimson Hill" Red Hills, Lake County. $24 
2007 M2 Wines "Soucie Vineyard Old Vine" Lodi. $28 
2008 Macchia Winery "Serious" Old Vine, Lodi. $50 
2007 Mariah Vineyards Mendocino. $??

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7.5 AND 8
2007 Bartholomew Park Winery Sonoma Valley. $38 
2007 Guglielmo Winery "Private Reserve Estate" Santa Clara Valley. $18 
2007 Scott Harvey Wines "InZinerator" California. $18

WINES WITH A SCORE AROUND 7.5
2006 Amphora Winery Sonoma Valley. $40
2007 Rombauer Vineyards Sierra Foothills. $29

WINES SCORING BETWEEN 7 AND 7.5
2007 Amphora Winery, Dry Creek Valley. $40

WINES WITH A SCORE BELOW 7
2008 Peirano Winery "The Immortal" Lodi. $13 Score: 7
2007 Ironstone Vineyards "Rous Vineyard" Amador. $?? Score: 6.75
2007 J Dusi Wines "Dante Dusi Vineyard" Paso Robles. $32 Score: 6.75

Source: http://www.vinography.com

Customer Testimonial

February 17, 2011, 11:06 am

Dear Howard,

Hope all is well. I just wanted to let you know my wife & I opened one of your bottles this weekend.
We did not know what to expect. My wife is a big wine drinker, and loves red zin. I am more of a vodka drinker, so
Normally I would not join her in drinking wine with dinner.

But when we opened your bottle, she said I had to taste this wine.  Not only did I taste it, but I think it might be one of the best bottles of wine I have ever tasted. I put away the vodka, and incredibly enjoyed the bottle with my wife. I wouldn’t even share it with my friends, who we were out to dinner with.  I was being incredibly selfish, but when you find something sooooooo good, ya gotta to what ya gotta do.

Thanks again.

Any more around ?????

Michael Goldsmith
Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Trader Joes Orders 1050 cases of 2007 Zinfandel from Leonhardt Vineyards!

November 25, 2010, 1:32 am

1050 cases of Leonhardt Vineyards Gold Medal Winning 2007 Zinfandel was shipped mid September to 120 Trader Joes stores throughout California.  We are proud to be associated with this top tier food and wine market.  Trader Joes was founded in Pasadena, California in 1967.  It was famous for it's claim that year of offering every single wine produced in California.   

Go to your local Trader Joes and check out our display!

Leonhardt Vineyards is now at $350,000 in sales year to date well on our way towards meeting our goal of reaching $500,000 in sales by 2010 year end.