Winery Information, Wines & Vintages
United States: California: Napa
Napa Valley
Benessere Winery
Established in 1994 by John and Ellen Benish, this 42 acre estate is located in the heart of the St. Helena district. 
Italian for well-being or prosperity, "Benessere” pays homage to the Italian heritage in Napa as well as to the Tuscan climate and clay-loam soils that ideally cultivate the Italian varietal Sangiovese. Today the vineyards are planted with Sangiovese, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. In 1995, John and Ellen hired Chris Dearden, a graduate of UC Davis and former winemaker for Inglenook and Beaulieu Vineyards, as their winemaker and general manager.
Winemaker: Chris Dearden
Wines:
Pinot Grigio 2007
ITEM # BPG07
Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Sourced from two vineyards on the Napa side of Carneros, the grapes were hand-selected. Fruit was whole-cluster pressed, fermented and then moved to be aged in small neutral French oak barrels for 4 months in order to acquire mouthfeel without tasting oaky.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Sangiovese 2005
ITEM # BSAN05
Varietal: 100% Estate Sangiovese
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: This wine is a blend of twelve different clones of Sangiovese. The vines were thinned to one cluster per shoot to increase fruit concentration. The wine was made on premise in open top fermenters à la Brunello, barrel aged and then bottled unfiltered and unfined. 1477 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Phenomenon 2004
Varietal: 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Sangiovese, 14% Merlot, and 6% Syrah
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The blend is made from 100% estate grown fruit. This Super-Napan is only released in the best vintages of each of varietals in this blend. This is the third release since 1996 and the first release to the East Coast. The wine is barrel aged for 13 months in oak. Yields: 2.3 tons/acre. 527 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Costa del Sol 2005
Varietal: Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Merlot
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Each varietal within this blend is from a specific vineyard lot. The wine is barrel aged in a combination of small French and American oak for 18 months.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
B.K. Collins Old Vines Zinfandel 2005
ITEM #BBKZIN05
Varietal: 100% Zinfandel
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: This is a single vineyard designate wine from neighbors Bill and Cathy Collins. The vineyard was planted in 1922 by Chinese immigrants and produces only tiny lots of zinfandel. The wine is barrel aged for 19 months in 30% new oak. Very limited production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Gridley Family Cellar
Gridley Family Cellars produces Cabernet Franc from California's Napa Valley. One day, Andy came home from work and said he wanted to start making wine. Susan said fine, but it had to be 
Cabernet Franc. Three weeks later a college friend of Andy's offered to split his share of a vineyard on the border of Calistoga and St. Helena. And so they began our adventure making wine.
Winemaker: Susan Durbrow
Wines:
Cabernet Franc 2004
ITEM # GFCCF04
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Alluvial fan soils. With focus on the fruit and minimizing tannins, the wine is deep ruby with perfumes of black berries, currant, dark cherry and a touch of cedar, white pepper and rosemary. Sultry and slinky on the palate. Aged in 30% new and 70% used French oak for 18 months. 281 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
V Madrone
Nestled in the gorgeous Napa Valley just north of St Helena, V Madrone was established in 2001 by Chris and Pauline Tilley. The 
Tilleys lovingly planted their distinguished 3.25 acre vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon in 2002.
Featuring red, volcanic gravelly loam soils, the wines of V Madrone exude pedigree, silky textures, structure and elegance.
Winemaker: Chris Dearden
Wines:
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
ITEM # VMADCS05
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The wine is barrel-aged in 88% small French oak and 12% American oak for 22 months. 562 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Gustavo Thrace
Established in 1996 by Gustavo Brambila and Thrace Bromberger, this boutique winery produces 3800 cases per year. 
With a degree in Fermentation Sciences from UC-Davis, Gustavo began his wine career at Chateau Montelena before moving to Grgich Hills 
where he was the winemaker for 23 years. Meanwhile, Thrace moved to Napa in 1984 after receiving her Masters in business followed by a Law degree. And in the early ‘90s Gustavo and Thrace decided to try making wine together. 11 years later and Gustavo Thrace is now a nationally distributed brand.
Winemaker: Gustavo Brambila
Wines:
Third Bottle White NV
ITEM # GTTHRDW
Varietal: 80% Chardonnay and 20% Chenin Blanc
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The 3rd Bottle line was created as an easy to drink everyday wine when you just want one more glass! Barrel aged for two and a half years in American oak. 600 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Sauvignon Blanc 2006
ITEM # GTSB06
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Fruit is sourced from Lodi’s Mohr-Fry Ranch. Fermented and aged in stainless steel, this is the fourth release. 600 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Third Bottle Red NV
ITEM # GTTHRDR
Varietal: 100% Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The 3rd Bottle line was created as an easy to drink everyday wine when you just want one more glass! Barrel aged for two and a half years in American oak. 1000 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
ITEM # GTCAB04
Varietal: 100% Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Fruit is sourced from both sides of the valley floor. Grapes were fermented with French yeasts, undergoing extended maceration for 15 days before being barrel aged for two years in French oak and bottles aged another 15 months. 285 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Signature Blend Zinfandel 2002
ITEM # GTSIGZ02
Varietal: 100% Zinfandel
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Old vine fruit sourced from Nichelini Ranch. The hillside vineyard is located in Chiles Valley a region famous for its dramatic temperature changes that stress the vines resulting in rich intense wines. Barrel aged in French oak. 300 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Chanticleer
Located in Yountville at the base of the Mayacamas Mountains, the Morningside Vineyard property was bought in 1994 by George and Caddy Grodahl. The couple had originally intended to sell 
their grapes to winemakers who would blend them into their premium wines, but aspirations to create a fine Super Tuscan style of wine and an introduction to talented winemaker Chris Dearden lead Chanticleer down a different path. Chris and George became partners and began producing a wine called Chanticleer from Morningside Vineyard. The hillside vineyards featuring 
well-drained, rocky soils are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon (5 acres) and Sangiovese (2.5 acres). With meticulous care and attention yields are kept low and grapes are hand-selected at harvest having been carefully monitored to ensure optimum maturity.
Winemaker: Chris Dearden
Wines:
Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
ITEM # CHANTCAB05
Varietal: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Sangiovese
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Grapes hand-picked and destemmed before undergoing fermentation in small, open-top tanks. Juice underwent 27-day long maceration with pumpover and punch-down, lightly pressed and barrel aged in 75% new and 25% once-used French oak for 22 months. Bottle aged for 8 months without fining or filtration. 408 cs production.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Lieff Wines
Robert Lieff began a long affair with Napa Valley in 1960 when he spent a summer during law school picking cherries. Over the 
next three decades, he would return as an attorney for the sale of the lands that would later become Robert Modavi Winery, as the
managing director of a vineyard in Sonoma learning the business side of wine making, as the Managing Partner of Far Niente Vineyard, and later as founding partner in Oakville’s Vichon Winery.
After traveling through Europe’s wine producing regions and coming to the conclusion that terroir was the most important element in the production of cabernet, Robert decided to settle down in Napa Valley’s Rutherford. Lieff Vineyard was established in 1997 on 22 acres across from the renowned Auberge du Soleil.
Wines:
Rutherford Crossroad Sauvignon Blanc 2008
ITEM #LIEFFSB08
Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Grapes were whole berry pressed and then slowly fermented with carefully selected yeasts cultured for Sauvignon Blanc. The wine was aged in stainless steel and lees-stirred for several months. 300 cs production.
Auberge Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
ITEM # LIEFFCS05
Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Rocky volcanic soils compose the 3 blocks set on the steep eastern slopes. Each block differs slightly in geological elements, the lower, planted in 1999, runs across from Auberge De Soleil, while the two upper blocks, planted in 2001, are on Auberge Road. Grapes underwent warm fermentation followed by 15-day extended maceration before pressing. Barrel-aged for two years in new and 1 year old Chateau Ferre french oak. 292 cs production. Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
TrainWreck Cellars
The talented Chris Dearden produces this stunning wine from cabernet sauvignon fruit sourced from two fabled vineyards in the Napa Valley and add to it just a bit of Merlot and Petite Verdot to give it more body and character resulting in a special medium bodied blend that will pair with anything from a bad day to Beef Wellington and beyond.
Winemaker: Chris Dearden
Wines:
Red 2005
ITEM # TWR05
Varietal: 88% Cabernet, 9% Merlot and 3% Petite Verdot
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The wine is macerated on the skins for 24 days before being barrel aged for 18 months in new and used French and American oak.
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Mount Veeder
Godspeed Vineyard
Located in the heart of the Mount Veeder AVA and 1,500 feet
above the Napa Valley floor, Godspeed is considered to be one of the steepest and most remote vineyards in the area.
Established by renowned architect Larry Stricker, the intensive hands-on approach to farming 
and grape growing at Godspeed is what sets this boutique winery apart. The estate's 22 acres of steep vineyards are at altitudes that expose the vines to warm sunlight during the day and cooler temperatures in the evening, diurnal changes that allow the fruit a longer hang-time and a longer period in which to fully develop rich flavors and aromatics.
Winemaker: Larry Stricker
Wines:
Chardonnay 2007
Varietal: 100% estate grown Chardonnay
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Sourced from vines planted in 1987, the fruit was hand harvested, whole cluster crushed, and barrel fermented with no malolactic fermentation. The Burgundian-style wine was barrel aged in a maximum of 25% new French oak (Vosges, Dargaud/Jaegle) for 9 months. 460 cs production.
Formats Available:
750ml: ITEM # GSCH07
375ml: ITEM # GSCH37507
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Varietal: 100% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Rich Kunde Clone 8)
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Fruit sourced from vines planted in 1987. Fermented open skins and barrel aged for 2 years in French oak (Vosges, Dargaud/Jaegle). 530 cs production.
Formats Available:
750ml: ITEM # GSCB01
375ml: ITEM # GSCB01375
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Trinity Half Bottle 2005
ITEM # GST05-375
Varietal: 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, and 25% Malbec.
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: The must spent three weeks on the skins in open top fermenters. Wine was barrel aged in French oak(Vosges, Dargaud/Jaegle) for 18 months
Tasting Notes, Reviews & Ratings
Diamond Mountain
Reverie
One of Napa’s smallest wineries, Reverie Vineyard is located in a unique valley on Diamond Mountain. Managed by Norman and Evelyn Kiken, 
this 40 acre south-facing mountainside property features steeply sloped vineyards that were planted in 1989 with St. George rootstock. The volcanic soil, infertile and very rocky, is optimum for Bordeaux varietals and therefore the property grows primarily cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc with tiny plots of Petite Verdot, Malbec, Barbera, Tempranillo, Grenache, and Rousanne. Winemaker: Norman Kiken, Wine Consultant: Ted Lemon
Wine:
Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum 2005
ITEM # RVSR05M
Varietal: 93% estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot
Viticulture & Vinification Notes: Barrel aged for 12 months
in predominantly new French oak. Less than 500 cs production.
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