Sonoma Moment

On my last road trip down south, I had the opportunity to drive through the Valley of the Moon, it has been some time since I have ventured there. Traveling down Highway 12 reminded me of this valley's panoramic beauty and unique qualities and made me wonder why I have not taken the opportunity to visit more often. It's like those people who live in New York city for years and years and rarely go to the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty! The Valley of the Moon is a special place with a unique identity which has the quaint town of Sonoma at the southern gateway...a must visit as far as I am concerned. One of the main reasons for my trek in this direction was a new winery that I had been introduced to by my friend, Doug. I had sampled some of their wines at Doug's home and was impressed by what they are doing. It is called Highway 12 Vineyards and Winery and they have a cool tasting room in the historic Sonoma Plaza, unusual for the region, and the tastings are complimentary. Driving down Highway 12 and beyond some of my favorites such as Kunde Estate, Chateau St. Jean, Valley of the Moon and B. R. Cohen, I pulled into a warehouse which is the 'brain center' of the Highway 12 wines. I was greeted by Paul Giusto, one of the managing partners of this venture and after a short conversation I immediately felt his passion for the wines. Paul and I proceeded to taste as he told me more about the vineyards they source, which are through the corridor of Highway 12 and also from the Carneros District. I love that Paul and his crew have chosen to produce wines in several categories and I dare say that there is something for everybody in their portfolio! The brief history is that this winery was founded in 2003 with Winemaker Michael Sebastiani at the helm and they are sourcing some of the best vineyards in the valley, such as the Serres Ranch, Sangiacomo and Prenda Vineyards. In addition to the wines listed below they also have a tier of amazing Reserve red wines that are aging extremely well! I found my visit with Paul to be refreshing and it is great to know that the entrepreneurial spirit lives on in the Valley of Sonoma!

Here is a peak at some of their wines:

2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Valley $14.50
Hints of green apple and melon and crisp and refreshing!

2009 Chardonnay, Nueva $18.00
A lush Chard with a touch of minerality and elegant light butter finish!

2008 Sonoma County Red Blend $22.00
A 'composition' of great Sonoma valley vineyards exibits a balance of fruit!

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Valley $38.00
A well crafted Cab with hints of raspberry and blackberry earth and oak!

http://highway12winery.com/

Cheers!