Wine
2021 Pinot Noir
North Castle Road Estate Vineyard, Sonoma Valley
Awarded 90 points at the Sommelier Choice Awards
Wine Enthusiast 91 points October 2024 issue
Grown in Sonoma Valley near the border with the Carneros AVA. Aged for 17 months in French oak barrels, using minimal sulfite additions and minimal interventions such as fining and filtration.
Opens up after 15-30 minutes of uncorking. Once open, the wine exhibits a bouquet of candied cherries, very light oak, cinnamon, clove, mouth-watering acidity, restrained fruit on the palate, and cinnamon and cloves. The wine is full on the entry, mid-palate, and finishes with mouth-filling fine-grained tannins.
Retails for $38
Date harvested: September 4th
Brix: 26.7
ph: 3.62
Bottled: March 2023
Alc: 14.2%
2021 Grenache
Fore Family Vineyard, Lake County
Awarded 91 points at the Sommelier Choice Awards
Wine Enthusiast 92-point review published in the October 2024 issue
Grown in Lake County at 3000’ elevation in red volcanic soils on Cobb Mountain. This remarkable Grenache exhibits candied, high-toned fruit, including plum and morello cherries, white pepper on the palate, and tobacco leaf on the nose. A hint of violets and lilacs on the bouquet upon entry and it finishes with punchy tannins. Fermented with native yeast and aged using minimal sulfite additions with no interventions such as fining and filtration. Co-fermented with 10% Syrah from the same vineyard, aged in neutral French oak barrels for 17 months.
The spice in this Grenache pairs superbly with roasted meats and vegetables, stews, and recipes with Asian flavors. Also, roast turkey with lots of root vegetables or pork belly. The spice in the wine can also lend itself to a dish with a hint of sweetness, such as Moroccan couscous with raisins and almonds.
Retails for $34
Date harvested: September 10th
Brix: 27.8
ph: 3.51
Natural fermentation: started on September 19th
Bottled: March 2023
Alc: 14.5%
2021 Cabernet Sauvignan
Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 – Horn Vineyard, Sonoma Valley
Awarded 92 points at the Sommelier Choice Awards
Wine Enthusiast 92 points and Hidden Gems designation, October 2024 issue
James Suckling 93 points
Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 is a very low-yielding grape and has not been planted widely. The grapes have a very high skin-to-juice ratio due to the small berry size and produce a strong and dark-colored wine with very fine tannins. This vintage is about 96% Clone 6 with the remaining 3% Clone 4 from a vineyard in Napa and 1% Merlot from the Grebennikof vineyard in Sonoma Valley. It is a special wine as only a handful of wineries are still producing a Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 21 months in French oak barrels, using natural fermentation, minimal sulfite additions, and no interventions such as fining and filtration.
Pairs well with steak, hamburger, short rib, lamb, boar, venison, mushroom risotto, hard cheeses, and Gorgonzola.
Retails for $50
Date harvested: September 23rd
Brix: 26.2
ph: 3.62
Bottled: July 2023
Alc: 14.2%
2020 Merlot
Organically grown, fermented with native yeast, and aged using minimal sulfite additions and no interventions such as fining and filtration. Four percent organic Cabernet Sauvignon from a vineyard one-quarter mile away was added to give a bit of structure to the Merlot. The fruit has been sourced from Grebennikof since the 2007 vintage and this is the earliest vintage Kazi Cellars have experienced from this vineyard. This is due to the need to bring in fruit before the smoke from the Glass Fire arrived. Flavors of blackberries, cherry, plum. A minimal touch on the oak along with higher acidity makes for a more food-friendly style. We at Kazi liken it to an Italian Merlot from northern Italy.
Retails for $34
Date harvested: September 12, 2020
Brix: 22.6
ph: 3.57
Natural fermentation: started on September 16th
Bottled: August 2023
Alc: 13.9%
2023 – Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc – Saureel Vineyard, El Dorado
Gold Medal – 2025 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
James Suckling 90 points
Grown in El Dorado AVA at 1650’ elevation on Gold Hill. This ethereal Sauvignon Blanc made with the musque clone lemon curd, mango, and pineapple on the nose. Adding 2% Carneros Vermentino from the Las Brisas vineyard gives the wine a bit of grounding. The wine was aged sur lie in 75% neutral French oak barrels and 25% stainless steel and stirred every two weeks for seven months.
Retails for $29
Date harvested: September 12, 2024
Brix: 24.1
ph: 3.43
Bottled: May 2024
Alc: 13.9%
2023 – Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir – Rust Rock (Gloria Ferrer) Vineyard
Wine Enthusiast 90 points
Enjoy this traditional style of Burgundy with mouth-filling fine-grained tannins. In the glass, the wine is a beautiful dark strawberry color. On the nose is a light touch of oak with a fresh fruit bouquet of raspberry, cranberry, and pomegranate. On the palate, fruit flavors of cranberry and pomegranate, racy acidity, and a slight back palate of toasty oak. The lower alcohol gives the wine a traditional Burgundy feel at 12.6% ALC.
Retails for $32
Date harvested: September 27, 2024
Clonal Selection: Dijon 828 and Wädenswil 2A
Brix: 22.7
ph: 3.61
Bottled: July 2024
Alc: 12.6%
2023 – Merlot “Viñas Ventosas”
Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend – Sonoma Valley
Spring arrived late and wet in 2023, but the remainder of the growing season was steady and mild, with no heat spikes. As a result, the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon that comprise this blend were harvested three weeks later than normal, and the extra hang time led to great complexity and flavors. On the nose, this wine exhibits plums, blackberries and black cherries with an overlay of the easily identifiable Merlot herbaceous notes. On the palate, the wine begins as a Merlot and finishes as a Cabernet Sauvignon. There is a nice middle consisting of black cherry fortified by fine-grained tannins and quenching acidity. Pairs perfectly with tomato-based Italian dishes, mushroom risotto, grilled chicken, wild boar ragout, and many other dishes.
Retails for $39
Date harvested: October 10, 2023
Clonal Selection: 20% Cabernet Sauvignon – Clone 6, 80% Merlot – Clone 3
Brix: 23.7 for Merlot, 24.6 for Cabernet Sauvignon
ph: 3.48
Bottled: April 2025
Alc: 14.1%
2024 – Pinot Noir 4 Clones Blend
Once this wine opens up, it shows its true elegance. In the glass, the wine is a beautiful, dark strawberry color. On the nose, a light touch of oak with a fresh fruit bouquet of cranberry and pomegranate. On the palate, fruit flavors of darker fruits such as black raspberry and pomegranate, solid acidity, firm tannins, and a light dusting of oak. The lower alcohol gives the wine a lighter feel at 13.6% ALC despite the dark fruits and firm tannins.
Retails for $39
Date harvested: September 4, 2024
Clonal Selection: Wådenswil 2A, Dijon 777 & 115; and Roederer
Brix: 24.5
ph: 3.66
Bottled: June 2025
Alc: 13.6%