From North to South:

 

“TEXTBOOK specializes in growing and crafting small lots of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay grown in the Oakville, Yountville and Los Carneros appellations. The primary vineyard source for our “Mise en Place” Cabernet Sauvignon is the rocky edges of the Oakville district at a site next door to Screaming Eagle. Other sites complement this site and add structure, depth and finesse.

Hand-picked, hand-sorted and carefully handled at every step, our “small lot” winemaking is evident from the minute you pull the cork. We don’t call our wines “Textbook” for nothing.”

Fruit for Textbook wines is sourced from:

 

Textbook Chardonnay 2012– Napa Valley, California. Aged for 9 months in tank and new French barrel maturation (20% new) along with several battonage series (lees stirring). Sourced from two sites: “the first is located in the Los Carneros AVA, near the cold San Pablo Bay and its long, cool season brings tropical and stone fruit aromas and terrific depth of flavor. The second site represents forty percent of our blend, is located at the Yountville Crossroads, and is over 25 years old.

“Creamy, deep and balanced, it expresses this celebrated vintage perfectly. TEXTBOOK Napa Valley Chardonnay shows bright, textured fruit, subtle new French oak and a rich, creamy texture; all in balance with fragrant and floral pear, melon and mineral notes. We think it is a “textbook” example of this noble variety grown in these outstanding Napa Valley sub-appellations.

The characteristics of the 2012 vintage in Napa Valley showcase concentrated fruit, rich mouth-feel and exotic aromatics, all within a balanced framework of crisp acidity. The even weather patterns in September and October allowed harvest to occur at a more relaxed pace, which is always good for high-quality winemaking.” $22.99

Textbook Merlot Fin de Journée 2011– Napa Valley, California. 100% Napa Valley (78% Rutherford, 22% Carneros). 96% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. “Classic Bordelaise winemaking (handwork in vineyard, modest use of new French oak barrels, egg-white fining) partnered with a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon provides a richly textured and balanced result.

“Barrels were of the highest quality; 100% French, 35% new, two-year air dried, medium-plus toast and handbent by Cadus and Francois Freres in central France. Our final assemblage included a soupçon of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Nineteen months barrel maturation with two rackings and one egg white fining integrated flavors and developed silky mouth-feel.

We call our Napa Valley Merlot “Fin de journée” (“at the close of the day”) to express when we most enjoy drinking it. We believe it is a “textbook” example of this noble variety grown in this outstanding appellation.” $23.99

 

“Adelaida Cellars‘ family owned vineyards (owned by the Van Steenwyk family) include five distinct properties totaling 145 acres in the craggy mountainous terrain of west Paso Robles. Only 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean, these are steep and elevated sites (1400-1935 feet), characterized by chalk rock limestone soils. Afternoon blasts of cool coastal air create a daily microclimate that swings 40-50 degrees. Our diverse planting of 23 varieties emphasizes Rhone varieties, old vine Pinot Noir, dry farmed Zinfandel, and mountain style Cabernet Sauvignon. Stressed vines produce low yields of precise flavors.”

“In 2012,  Adelaida Cellars welcomed Jeremy Weintraub as Winemaker.  “Jeremy brings an enormous amount of experience and perspective to our winery,” says Adelaida general manager Jessica Kollhoff.  “We are very excited about what he sees in our vineyards and how he works with vineyard and cellar crews to craft the best wines for our customers.”

“I have always thought of myself as a winegrower, more than a winemaker,” says Weintraub. “And that philosophy aligns with the concept behind Adelaida.  With some of the most compelling vineyard sites on the West Side of Paso Robles producing stunning fruit, my job is to capture that quality in the bottle.””

 

Adelaida Estate Chardonnay 2012– Paso Robles, California. 100% Chardonnay. Aroma: “white flowers, mangoes, ripe pears, cooked pastry dough” Flavor: “honeydew melon, apple & pear tart, hints of ripe viognier grapes” Food Pairings: “prosciutto wrapped pork loin w/baked apples, chicken breast sandwiches w/fresh goat cheese, carmelized onions & watercress”

“This wine uses 100% HMR Estate Vineyard fruit. Adelaida’s 5 acres of Chardonnay lies on the southwest, lower elevation corner of our HMR vineyard. These vines are the DNA offspring of the original planting from 1973, grafted and relocated to their present site in early 2005. Now a contiguous block, they are in the coolest part of the property. 2012 was a classic warm climate vintage for the Paso Robles region. Grapes were picked in early September, whole cluster pressed and barrel fermented in neutral oak (3rd use) barrels. The wine spent 7 months in barrels with once a month lees stirring. On the palate it reflects a characteristic lacy and delicate fruit character, the contribution of our limestone inflected soils. Best served cool (not overly cold), drink now through 2015. 280 cases produced.” $16.99

Adelaida End Post Cabernet Sauvignon 2011– Paso Robles, California. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aroma: “red currants, savory herbs, cedar, grilled bread, graphite” Flavor: “tart cherries, roasting herbs, steak tartare” Food Pairings: “beef satay, coffee-coriander rubbed grilled strip steak, pan fried lamb chops with rosemary salt”

“The End Post label is focused on good value wines showcasing Adelaida’s and neighboring Paso Robles’ vineyards. A challenging vintage for the region, 2011 endured an historic April frost and a cool growing season. Cabernet, a late ripening variety, was not damaged by the frost and the later picked grapes, as evidenced below, achieved proper levels of ripeness with firm tannins. Grapes were destemmed, and fermented in open top vats with daily punch downs of the grape skin cap. The wine matured in mostly neutral French oak barrels, with a brief exposure to new wood just before bottling. It resembles a French Bordeaux style in its low alcohol, more herb infused character, and will probably flesh out with a bit of time. Drink now through 2016. 2200 cases produced.” $16.99

 

“Pietra Santa is a family-run estate producing artisanal wines and olive oils in California’s Central Coast. The site was planted to winegrapes in the 1850s by Frenchman Theophile Vache who chose the location because of the maritime climate and unique soils.

Pietra Santa is 25 miles from Monterey Bay and benefits from cool coastal breezes that allow for a long growing season. The estate’s location on the San Andreas Fault creates soils rich with granite and limestone that naturally lower yields and add distinctive flavors to the wines. The winery was named PIETRA SANTA, Italian for SACRED STONE, in honor of these exceptional soils.

In 2005, the property was purchased by the Blackburns, a family dedicated to preserving and building upon this magnificent winemaking history.

Due to the mountainous terrain, only 120 of the estate’s 450 acres are planted with winegrapes. An additional 25 acres are planted with olive trees. The oldest vines consist of a treasured block of Zinfandel planted in 1905. Completed in 2000, the Mission-Style Winery was designed for fine winemaking combining traditional methods and state-of-the-art technology. The winery also hosts a FRANTOIO (olive oil press room) equipped with a Pieralisi Press imported from Tuscany.”

Pietra Santa Pinot Noir 2012– Cienega Valley, California. Aged 10 months in french oak. “From vines that are planted in the upper valley of our estate at an elevation of approximately 1100 feet.  The grapes benefit from a maritime climate and ideal soils for growing expressive Pinot Noir.  The vineyard was planted with three Dijon clones – #115, #828, and #777.

The Estate Pinot Noir is an ideal reflection of our terroir, renowned for growing this finicky varietal. This wine has a beautiful bouquet of subtle lavender and elegant fruit flavors of wild strawberries and raspberries with hints of cola. The wine finishes with white pepper and an earthiness that is synonymous with the Cienega Valley. 1017 cases produced.” $13.99

Pietra Santa Cabernet Sauvignon 2009– Cienega Valley, California. Aged 37 months in French Oak. “An exceptional vintage for our winery, our Estate Cabernet Sauvignon showcases everything mother nature intended. A long growing season allowed rich flavors of dark ripe cherries, chocolate and hints of coffee to fully develop in this wine. Well balanced with soft tannins, this wine has tremendous potential for aging. Drink now or cellar for 5+ years. Serve this wine with your favorite beef steak of roast. 2050 cases produced.” $13.99