The 2015 Rosé marks a new method of winemaking for our rosé wines: for the first time, we harvested red grapes early and gently pressed them specifically for our rosé program. Early picking preserves the crisp acidity, lower sugars, and bright fruit flavors in the grapes, as well as a softer color in the glass. Ripe aromas of wild strawberries, juicy watermelon, peach, and graham cracker excite the palate, which is treated to a succulent medley of nectarine, tangerine, walnut, and rosehips flavors. The round mouthfeel is rich yet elegant, with a zesty grapefruit finish. A subtle 1% addition of Pinot Gris balances the zingy acidity with silky volume and honeycomb depth.

Golden straw in color, the 2013 Albariño was carefully selected from the finest barrels of the vintage. Sourced from the excellent Paragon Vineyard in San Luis Obispo, the fruit benefitted from warm days and a cool, coastal breeze. The wine is brimming with aromas of lychee, honeysuckle, and apricots. Rich honey, tropical fruit, and a hint of butterscotch flavors meld together in a round and sumptuous palate that finishes with a pleasing acidity and clean, wet stone minerality. Lush on its own, the Albariño also pairs well with winter pumpkin dishes and aged salamis.

The 2012 Alicante Bouschet is a tremendous example of that vintage’s production, with great depth of complex flavors and a long, mysterious finish. The Alicante Bouschet is grown on our vineyard and gets its inky red coloring from its dark red grape flesh. Aromas of anise, black pepper, cedar, and rose petals showcase this distinct varietal’s power. The bold palate offers flavors of cranberry compote, bittersweet chocolate, freshly brewed coffee, and lingonberry, all of which are supported by firm tannins and a pleasing, crisp acidity. Drink now if you have rich cheeses or meats, or age for several years.

The 2014 Cabernet Franc grapes developed in a dry, hot season that was short enough to protect the elegance of this noble variety while creating a dense and well-balanced wine. Aromatically enticing, this wine offers initial waves of blueberry jam, lavender, and anise that segue into deeper, nuttier notes of browned butter and spicy black pepper. With an opulent mouthfeel, this wine unfolds in layers of fruit, spice and earthiness. The flavors are robust and intense, with blackberry, molasses, and strawberry undergirded by deeper notes of black currant, maple syrup, and bittersweet chocolate.

Our 2013 Cabernet Franc benefitted from a long, hot season that fostered the potency of this noble variety and resulted in a vivid and voluminous wine. Its aromas are heady and rich with notes of nutmeg, dried violets and anise playing off one another. With a velvety mouthfeel, this wine unfolds in layers of fruit, spice and earthiness. The flavors are robust and intense, with blackberry, molasses, and olallieberry undergirded by deeper notes of tobacco, French roast coffee, and bittersweet chocolate.

Hand-picked from the steepest parts of our vineyard, the Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon resounds with vivid red fruit notes and robust structure. Tempting aromas of toffee, nutmeg, and blackberry intermingle with cherry, rosemary, and gingerbread notes. This ripe, full-bodied wine warms away the winter with cranberry and mountain pine flavors that enrobe a juicy raspberry core. Petit Verdot delivers a hint of minerality and heaps of buttery leather. Chocolatey tannins house a firm finish that is lifted by an engaging acidity that will allow the wine to age through 2023 and beyond.

Chorum is back for a new vintage, and with expressive character and operatic highlights, the 2012 is a virtuoso. Our 2012 Chorum offers rich, heady notes of cocoa, rosemary and vanilla musk that swirl together in a lush aromatic medley. Cherry and cedar flavors melt into dense blueberry and sarsaparilla, which culminate in firm tannins and make this a wine for decadent meals. The 2012 vintage brought a long, hot summer that resulted in lower yields and intense flavors, and we’re thrilled to blend together some of our best lots from that year in the 2012 Chorum.

The 2013 Chorum Red is one of the biggest and most decadent wines we have ever made: visually approaching the color of garnet velvet, this wine’s equally vibrant flavors and aromatics combine in a sumptuous medley. Plum, butterscotch and bacon fat aromas mingle with hazelnut and espresso notes. Rich on the palate, this wine bursts with flavors of raspberry jam, browned sage, rosehips, blackberry and sarsaparilla. Extra barrel ageing softened the tannins, which are long and silky and buoyed by poignant acidity.

Aromatic and silky, the 2013 Chorum White blend is a celebration of our vineyard’s returns and our best white winemaking practices. Blending our premium white grapes with interesting neighboring varieties, this wine balances the lush tropical qualities our vineyard excels at producing with local wildness and spice. Its delightful aromatics sparkle with pear, apricot, orange blossom, and honey. The palate is rich yet crisp with complex flavors of almond and tangerine intermingling with lemon peel and cut grass. Wet stone minerality carries the luscious flavors into a clean finish. Enjoy this rich blend with roasted vegetables, grilled shrimp, and barbecue chicken.

The 2013 Grenache was gently fermented in small bins to ensure all the color and flavor was extracted from the skins. 3% Petite Sirah was co-fermented in the bins to boost this pale varietal’s color retention. Extended maceration helped unlock the chewy tannins and spicier flavors of the Grenache skins. 17 months ageing in new and neutral French oak barrels tamed the young wine and increased its depth and spice profile. The resulting wine offers brilliant aromas of cinnamon, clove, black cherry, and blueberries. On the palate, this velvety wine is luscious, with dense flavors of mocha, forest floor, strawberries, tobacco leaf, and freshly baked sugar cookies accented by a keen acidity and sturdy tannins. Enjoy this wine young and fresh, or age it for enhanced espresso and spice.

Tough, brazen, and dense: Villa San-Juliette Merlot boldly lives up to the esteemed reputation of this noble varietal’s former glory. Harvested from a seasoned block that yields just 2.5 tons to the acre, the fruit is ripe and highly concentrated. Just peering into the dark purple depths of a gorgeous glass of this wine shows that it is hardly another gentle or forgettable quaffer. Its aromatics intrigue, with heady notes of clove, hickory smoke, and beef au jus. Dominant on the palate, big anise, olive oil, and maple flavors interweave with firm tannins that melt with rich, saucy beef dishes and juicy tenderloin.

lways a late-ripener, our Petit Verdot benefits from a long growing season. With longer hang-times in hot days and cool nights, the Petit Verdot develops complex black fruit flavors. Extended ageing in French oak barrels for 30 months allows these flavors to mature and integrate with spicy oak flavors and pronounced tannins. Raspberry pie, pine, and cocoa notes on the nose segue into rich flavors of molé sauce, freshly brewed coffee, and strawberry-rhubarb tart. The solid tannin structure lends this wine to pairing with hearty meals now as well as to softening over several years in the cellar.

The resulting straw-hued wine is delicate and flavorful with aromas of Braeburn apple, grapefruit, and honeysuckle. The mouthfeel is lush and a surprising array of flavors emerges that range from almonds and apricots to orange blossom and wet stone, with a bright, lemon-driven finish.

The resulting straw-hued wine is full and flavorful with aromas of lemon curd, almond, and a whisper of tangerine. The mouthfeel is round and bountiful with flavors of marzipan, apricot, cucumber, wet stone, and pineapple. 1% Savuvignon Blanc adds a zippy, citrusy splash, and the wine finishes with smooth, gentle stone fruit notes.

Fall in love with Romantique: dense black fruits and heady spice come together once again in our top wine. Hand-vinted from grape to glass out of the finest blocks in our vineyard with precision winemaking techniques, the Villa San-Juliette Romantique blend resounds with vivid berry notes, enticing aromatics and unending structure. An alluring bouquet of black raspberry, cinnamon stick, and anise segues into lavender and gingerbread notes. Colossal on the palate, flavors of wet stone, brown butter, cumin spice, and blackberry preserves burst forth in undulating waves. Already rich and full-bodied, this sumptuous wine has chocolatey tannins and a lively acidity that will keep it lush and intriguing until 2025 and beyond.

Whether quenching a thirst for seductive flavors or driving a night of indulgence, the VSJ 2012 Zinfandel will satisfy the most towering of appetites. With a hue matched only by January garnets, this wine, like a good secret, is worth savoring. Heady aromas of leather and roasted figs set the stage for the rush of fruits and exotic spices that burst from the flavors. Molasses, plum and tobacco notes explode on the palate and segue into a wild pecan pie finish. Drink from a crystal chalice, or pair with a fireside evening, honeyed cheeses, or roasted game.