2017 SAUVIGNON BLANC
The 2017 vintage marked a return to the wet and wintery conditions we expect in the Mediterranean climate of Northern California, a much-needed reprieve from the drought of the past 4 years. This allowed vines to go fully dormant for an extended period of time- a good long sleep after years of running a marathon. The warm and mild spring provided a steady start to the growing season. From summer into the harvest season, we experienced significant heat spells with high temperatures staying above 100°F for many days on end. These events pushed the speed of maturation and ripening. Harvest arrived as quickly as it wrapped up, but the cool August nights let us pick in ideal conditions. The first bin of Sauvignon Blanc arrived at the winery on August 17 from our Calistoga Estate Vineyard, and the last bin came in on September 21 from our Merino Vineyard on the outskirts of Santa Rosa.
2018 GRENACHE ROSÉ
According to mythology, Neptune plunged his trident into the depths of the sea, pulled out a cetacean and laid it at the entrance to the little gulf of the Mediterranean... The cetacean, a whale with the nose of a dolphin, was instantly petrified upon seeing the god of the sea, thus giving the town of Sète its name.
This rose petal pink-hued wine offers a vivacious nose with notes of redcurrant and thyme. Delicate on the palate, revealing lovely citrus and red berry flavors and boasting a long fresh finish.
2017 CHARDONNAY
Sète was founded in 1666 following the royal decision of Louis XIV and his minister, Colbert. The first stone laid of the Saint Louis jetty marked the spot where the lighthouse, which guided seafarers to one of the first Mediterranean ports, was erected.
This wine is brilliant straw yellow in colour and features a generous nose with notes of nectarine and acacia. Round and balanced on the palate with lovely tropical fruit flavours and a long finish.
2017 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
The anchor is an integral part of Sète’s coat of arms. It symbolizes hope and the stability of the maritime heritage of its port, which is still one of the busiest on the French Mediterranean coast. This wine is deep purplish red in colour and features an intense nose with notes of blueberry and violet. Round and delectable on the palate with lovely flavours of freshly picked black fruit.
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beckstoffer Dr. Crane and Las Piedras vineyards, Oakville Ranch vineyard and Weitz vineyard, aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. Very deep purple-black in color, it reveals stunning scents of crème de cassis, wild blueberries, blackberry compote and dried mulberries with hints of Chinese five spice, spearmint and unsmoked cigars with a waft of cedar chest. Full-bodied, with a rock-solid structure of firm, super ripe tannins plus seamless freshness, it finishes very long with provocative mineral accents. Around 800 cases were made.
2015 Incredible Red Zinfandel
Bright, luscious and fruit-forward, our fan-favorite Incredible Red Zinfandel bursts out of the glass with a rich cherry nose, and develops into red summer fruits on the palate. Balanced acidity and structure and subtle notes of leather finish with spicy oak and mocha in a lingering finish.
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Full-bodied with ripe black fruit like black currant, black cherry, and just a hint of rose petal. The wine is smooth, rich, and juicy with gentle tannins and a full, luscious finish making it an approachable wine with promising aging potential.
2018 Chardonnay Columbia Valley
This wine delights with floral notes of lilies and lemon zest on the nose, and apple and pear on the palate. Accented by hints of vanilla and crème brûlée, this medium-bodied wine is full of flavor, with a lingering finish of vanilla custard and apple crisp.
2017 Merlot Columbia Valley
Offering bright aromas of bing cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate this wine has excellent color and flavor. With a juicy, ripe entry, and intense fruit driven palate the red fruit is pronounced and powerful, yet remains balanced.
2018 Pinot Grigio
Cantaloupe immediately greets the nose with a lingering, subtle waft of wet grass and lemon zest. Bright, focused acidity refreshes the tongue with a crisp midpalate. It finishes clean with glazed tropical fruit.
2018 Riesling Ancient Lakes of the Columbia Valley
This wine opens up with aromas of daffodil, fresh lime, and honeydew melon. Hints of minerality and citrus blossom are complemented by a wonderful acidity, making for a delightfully crisp profile.
2018 Rosé Columbia Valley
Finely balanced with a fruit driven mid-palate, this Syrah dominant Rosé has delicate aromas of dried cranberries, pomegranate, and savory herbs; expressing an excellent ripeness and bright, refreshing acidity.
2016 Brother's Blend
Black cherries, raspberries, plums, and savory dried herbs greet the nose. A dense, broad entry with full chewy tannin in the midpalate evolves into a luscious symphony of dark fruit. A touch of vanilla and toast complete the finish.
Brut French Bubbles
The grapes were pressed and fermented into a still wine. After blending, the wine was bottled with the liqueur de tirage to start secondary fermentation in the méthode traditionnelle or traditional method. After disgorgement and right before final corking, dosage of 22g/l was added.
Pale yellow in color with a fine and persistent bubble stream. The nose displays intense layered notes of pear and peach over a background of toasted bread aromas. It’s full on the palate, with just a touch of sweetness.
Rosé French Bubbles
The grapes were pressed and fermented into a still wine. The wine was bottled with the liqueur de tirage to start secondary fermentation in the méthode traditionnelle or traditional method. After disgorgement and right before final corking, dosage of 27g/l was added.
Pale pink in color with enticing aromas and flavors of juicy cherry, blackberry and raspberry. On the palate, this rosé is creamy and has the perfect dosage for a delicately sweet finish.
Sambuca Liqueur
Despite the mild licorice scent, this clear, thick liqueur is surprisingly bold on the palate, showing lots of candy-like black licorice. It feels quite fiery, especially with repeated sips.
2017 Pinot Noir “Freestone-Occidental”
The Freestone-Occidental pinot noir includes a blend of fruit from our Bodega Headlands, Occidental Station, and Bodega Ridge vineyards. It also shares the same winemaking techniques as our vineyard-designated pinot noirs. All our pinot noirs are fermented with native yeasts and native Malo-Lactic bacteria.
Our appellation wine expresses the same energy, precision, and purity of flavor that gives all of Occidental’s wines lift and perfume, along with the deeper soil tones that contribute to its complexity. Made entirely from free-run juice, it is delicious now and will develop nicely in bottle. Currently available in restaurants and selected retail stores.
The 2017 Freestone-Occidental wine shares the same winemaking techniques as our vineyard designated pinot noirs. The 2017 Freestone-Occidental is a vibrant, perfumed wine with a chiseled red-fruit character that is typical of the wines from our Bodega Headlands and Bodega Ridge properties. The 2017 Freestone-Occidental offers a superb balance of primary red fruits and saline elements. It conveys outstanding energy, precision and lift in the mouth and finishes vibrant and long with discreet tannins. Its modest alcohol (14.1%) makes this wine a perfect complement to any meal. It is delicious now and will develop nicely in bottle
2016 Pinot Noir Bodega Headlands “Cuvée Elizabeth”, Freestone-Occidental
Our goal each year is to capture the vibrancy, energy and rare, chiseled red fruit quality that this site is capable of producing. We pick the Bodega Headlands Vineyard in multiple passes at the early edge of ripeness to produce a firmly structured wine that is distinguished by its complexity and intensity rather than any dimension of weight.
We preserve as many intact whole berries as possible throughout the fermentation process by using the bare minimum number of gentle punch downs. The tem-perature of the cap and of the fermenting juice is kept lower than our other bottlings in order to capture the high-toned, lifted aromatics and saline essence this site expresses. This gives the Bodega Headlands pinot noir the vivid aromatics we desire, along with a measure of elegance and grace.
High-pitched aromas of red raspberry, crushed stone, and rose petal. A pure, crystalline wine that features a stunning combination of precision, finesse, and razor-edged salinity. This is a beautifully layered and balanced wine that finishes with bright red fruit and floral intensity.
2015 Vintage - 97+ pts Robert Parker, Wine Advocate