2013 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel

2013 Valdez St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel

with No Comment $30 and underAlexander ValleyKevin VogtSonomaUSAZinfandel

VALDEZ

2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH

2013 Valdez St Peter's Church ZinfandelHave you ever tasted a perfectly cellared California Zinfandel and had an epiphany moment, realizing that many Zinfandels will get better with age?  A grand example is the 2013 Valdez Zinfandel from St Peter’s Church Vineyard which happens to have also been one of our top 5 wines of the year in 2018. 

The 2013 Valdez St Peter’s Church Zinfandel arose from a 5 acre vineyard in Alexander Valley that’s planted to nearly century old vines.
The Valdez family are some California’s most sought after wine growers, having farmed for Aubert, Kistler, Paul Hobbs and others.
Valdez crafts their Zins in a concentrated and well-built style that bodes exceptionally well for cellaring, and because we recently sold out of their value-priced Sonoma County Zinfandel, we’ve made a deal to fill the void with their 2013 St Peters Zin at a price that’s simply too good to pass up.
 
VALDEZ
2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH  
Retails at:  $45/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “This impeccably balanced zinfandel flaunts energizing flavors and aromas of ripe black cherries, concentrated pomegranate, and crushed blackberries with hints of white rose petals, cocoa powder and pipe tobacco. The perfect balance shines through with an amazing brightness that elegantly supports the richly focused flavors.  Simply stunning!”   94 Points
2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

with No Comment $50-$60Kevin VogtNapaProprietary RedUSA

J. GREGORY 2013 J Gregory Extol Proprietary Red

2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED

 
I knew from the very first taste that J Gregory’s 2013 Extol deserved a spot on my top 5 list for 2019.  The wine is made in an enthralling style that washes over your palate in rich layers of perfectly ripened berries, focused red currents, baker’s chocolate and spice.  It was is created by Mark Jessup who was on the original winemaking team at OPUS ONE from 1979 through 1987, and his flagship “Extol” Proprietary Red is his version of OPUS ONE, and the 2013 was built around a solid core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and dressed with Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  The wine has a magnetic bouquet that draws you in, and on the palate, the wine is incredibly layered and powerful, yet supple and balanced.  At the winery price of $115, believe me, it’s an incredible bargain.  I recommend going big, because this one is going to fly…
 
Enchanting, profound, hedonistic are all fitting descriptors of the 2013 Extol which spent 22 months developing in French oak.  The flavors are profoundly stunning, pure and supple and on the palate the 2013 wraps your taste buds in a restrained opulence that I find incredibly appealing.  You might need someone to pinch you to make sure you’re not dreaming of a time when OPUS ONE was around the same price.  
 
J. GREGORY
2013 EXTOL
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at: $115/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes: “You just know from the moment this wine kisses your lips… it’s really something special. This brilliant expression has an exquisite nose of wild crushed ripe blackberries, alluring red currants, dried herbs and smoke. Impressively structured with a beautifully supple approach, the rich, viscous, velvety texture perfectly frames the opulent layers of bing cherry, brooding mountain berries and cassis.  Then comes a breath of sweet pipe tobacco, green herbs and sweet vanilla oak. The supple fruit tannins perfectly balance a mesmerizing flow of precisely orchestrated fruits, then ending with a long, elegant, mouth watering finish.” 97 Points
2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Argentina Malbec

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecSouth America

MATIAS RICCITELLI  2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

 
Every great winemaker has at least one mentor that helped guide them in their career.  When  your father is the head-winemaker at Bodegas Norton, and the first South American to ever be named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, it can come with a few advantages… Matias Riccitelli had both the connections and the drive to spend a decade working 2 harvests each year, one in Argentina, and the others in New Zealand, Napa Valley, Europe and Australia.  During that time he soaked up every bit of winemaking knowledge in order to achieve his goal of creating a brand of that could express the full potential of Argentine terroir.
 
Carved from exceptional vines ranging 20-80 years in age and grown in Perdriel and Vistalba in the Lujan de Cuyo and El Cepillo in La Consulta,  Riccitelli’s 2013 Vineyard Selection Malbec is stunningly complex and loaded with hedonistic aromas of dark black fruits, scorched earth, blue violets, licorice and hints of wild game.  Many of you tasted and loved Riccitelli’s The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree Malbec that we introduced last year, and with the Vineyard Selection Malbec, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours…
 
MATIAS RICCITELLI
2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Retails at: $55/btl
 
 
From Vinous: “(made from three small vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley): Bright medium ruby. Showing more balsamic cedar and herbs on the nose than the 2014 The Apple . . . Malbec; plenty ripe but less dark-fruity and chocolatey and more minty and herbal… this intensely flavored wine is much less sweet than The Apple, with its currant and blackberry flavors complemented by a saline quality and nicely framed by healthy acidity. A bit less forthcoming, drier and more classic on the end, showing suaver tannins.“
2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

with No Comment $30 and underFranceKevin VogtProprietary RedRhone ValleyRhone ValleyUncategorized

DELAS 2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets Vacqueyras

2013 VACQUEYRAS
DOMAINE DES GENETS

 
As much as I love the innovative and forward styles of New World GSM blends (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre), I’m equally drawn to the complexity, depth and character found in Old World GSM’s, which originated in the Rhone region in Southern France as early as 600BC.  With trials and tribulations spanning hundreds of years, many of the best wines in the Old World give you that feeling of antiquity and historical relevance when you taste them.  Vacqueyras is located in the Southern Rhone Valley of France, just a few kilometers from Gigondas.  Many consider it to be the younger and more affordable brother to the iconic region of Chateanuef-du-Pape.  The wines from Vacqueryas are revered for their power and when you find one that’s been perfectly cellared and is ready to drink like this one, they can offer some of the greatest value in the Rhone Valley.
 
The region shares similar soils and climate to neighboring Gigondas, and like Gigondas their reds are often built around a core of Grenache.  Winemakers in Vacqueyras tend to use more Syrah than in Gigondas, and in turn the wines can be deeper, richer and even more powerful.  The 2013 Delas Domaine Des Genets is a prime example and with a few extra years of bottle age, the 2013 is absolutely stunning.  In fact, we bought every bottle available before our glasses were emptied… It’s that good and at $23, this could go fast…
 
DELAS
2013 VACQUEYRAS
DOMAINE DES GENETS
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
From Vinous: “Vivid ruby. Lively red berry and cherry aromas pick up hints of lavender and peppery spices with air. Silky, gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering juicy raspberry and spicecake flavors and a touch of smokiness. Dusty tannins come up slowly, adding shape to a long, fruit-driven finish.” 90 Points
From Richard Jennings: “Bricking dark red violet color; mature, ginger cake, dried berry, licorice, dried fig nose; tasty, black fig, licorice, ginger cake palate with good balancing acidity; medium-plus finish (blend of Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre)”  93+ points

Customers that enjoy a beautiful Vacqueyras may also enjoy these two terrific Rhone Wines…

2014 Lavau Gigondas 2013 Paul Jaboulet Aine Gigondas
LAVAU
2014 GIGONDAS
RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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From Vinous, “Youthful violet. Aromas of fresh black and blue fruits are complemented by suggestions of peppery spices and pungent flowers. Sweet and open-knit, offering jammy blueberry and cherry compote flavors that tighten up slowly in the glass. Finishes smoky and long, with harmonious tannins coming in late.” 90 Points
PAUL JABOULET AINÉ
2013 GIGONDAS
PIERRE AIGUILLE
 
Your Price: $27.99/btl

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From Vinous, “Limpid ruby. Perfumed aromas of ripe red berries, peppery spices and potpourri, complicated by a woodsmoke nuance. Silky, expansive and gently sweet, offering concentrated raspberry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors and an allspice quality that builds on the back half. Finishes sweet, sappy and persistent, with firming fine-grained tannins adding grip.”  90 Points
2013 Foley Johnson Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Foley Johnson Rutherford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaRutherfordUSA

FOLEY JOHNSON 2013 Foley Johnson Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon

ESTATE CABERNET 
2013 RUTHERFORD 

 
Napa Valley’s Iconic Rutherford appellation is one of THE most revered regions for Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s celebrated for producing wines with palpable character.  Paragons Quintessa, BV and Scarecrow all set a precedence for quality in Rutherford.  I recently checked the average retail price of the more than fifty 2013 vintage Rutherford Cabernets listed in the Wine Spectator and they averaged well over $130/btl…  This is a real barometer to the quality of this appellation, and if you’ve followed my emails for a while, you know that one of my favorite Rutherford producers is Foley Johnson.  Their name is synonymous with epic value, and even at the winery retail price of $75 it’s a terrific find.  At our price, it’s a complete steal…
 
Arising from Rutherford, an area long celebrated for its exceptional terroir and dusty tannins, this exemplary 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon shines with all of the hallmarks that I love most about Rutherford.  It’s brimming with concentrated black fruits, crushed violets, graphite, freshly ground coffee and of course, beautiful Rutherford dust.  After nearly 4 years blossoming inside the bottle, words can hardly describe how great this wine is drinking right now.  
 
FOLEY JOHNSON
ESTATE CABERNET
2013 RUTHERFORD
Retails at:  $75.00/btl
 
 

Winery Notes: “The nose of our 2013 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is fruit forward with very deep and concentrated notes of blackberry, black currant and hints of toasted characters. The body follows the aroma and is fruit forward with nice tannin balance throughout the palate. The fruit on the palate shines and provides flavors from blackberry to slight hints of light raspberry and as it opens up there is a light hint of sweetness and licorice. Although the tannins are still quite prevalent, they are not overwhelming and are approachable now, but will age nicely over next 5-10 years.”

2013 Chateau De Vie Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Chateau de Vie Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonCalistogaKevin VogtNapaUSA

CHATEAU DE VIE 2013 Chateau De Vie Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 CALISTOGA

 
Looking for a new wine that has a high likelihood to be one you’ll love?  One of the best places to look is other wines made by famous winemakers.  When it comes to Napa Valley’s most gifted talents, Dave Phinney is one of the foremost.  Anybody that’s followed the creation and success of The Prisoner as well as the Orin Swift and Locations brands knows what he’s capable of.  Many don’t know that Dave also consults on a handful of much smaller projects like Chateau de Vie in Calistoga… Located on the North end of Calistoga almost directly behind Tamber Bey and close to Chateau Montelena’s vineyards, the vines surrounding Chateau de Vie produce fruit of exceptional quality.  At $68 this is a stunning bottle of Calistoga Cabernet… From Cherry Picked Wines it might just become your new favorite.
 
Entering from one of Napa Valley’s most sought after vintages, the 2013 Chateau De Vie Cabernet Sauvignon offers the perfect mix of rugged power and supple elegance.  The weather in Calistoga is warmer than the AVA’s to its South and in turn the area is known for producing some of the biggest, richest and most robust Cabernet Sauvignons in the Valley.  When we introduced this wine at the beginning of the year, we knew it would be a hit and now that it’s nearly gone, we thought we would offer one last chance to stock up.
 
CHATEAU DE VIE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2013 CALISTOGA
Retails at:  $68.00/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “The finish is long and sweetly ripe and this wine will serve as nicely with ripe cheeses and fruits as it will with dark roasts or sauced filet. If essentially ready to drink it will grow softer and more aromatic over the next few years.”
 
Customers that enjoy Chateau De Vie Cabernet may also enjoy these two terrific wines…
2017 The Prisoner Proprietary Red
2016 Prisoner Wine Co Cuttings Cabernet Sauvignon
THE PRISONER
PROPRIETARY RED 
2017 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $50.00/btl
 
Your Price: $42.99/btl

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Electric, jubilant, infectiously charming, the new 2017  Prisoner unshackles a posse of vibrant and elaborate flavors that are both intense and broadening, and become even more complex with aeration. Having jail-break level intensity, the 2017 permeates with unsweetened cherry cobbler, wild strawberries, chocolate dipped blueberries and liquid floral.  
PRISONER WINE CO.
2016 CUTTINGS 
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 

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The 2016 Cuttings is a larger-than-life Cabernet Sauvignon that always makes an indomitable entrance with a spectacular display of unbridled richness, voluptuous textures and satin layers. The wine was thoughtfully inspired by steep, hillside vineyards and expert blending, and the 2016 was built around a core of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, elevated with Petite Sirah, Syrah and Zinfandel. 
2013 Anarchist Philosopher Proprietary Red

2013 Anarchist Wine Co The Philosopher Proprietary Red

with No Comment $30 and underKevin VogtProprietary RedUSA

ANARCHIST WINE CO. 2013 Anarchist Philosopher Proprietary Red

THE PHILOSOPHER
2013 PROPRIETARY RED

 
When tasting Anarchist’s 2013 Proprietary Red The Philosopher, we knew it would be easy to theorize about how it’s a wine with wide appeal, and based on the steady stream of re-orders, we were right.  The rich, supple mouthfeel and silky smooth layers make the wine really easy to love… It wasn’t a big surprise to read that this wine earned 97 Points and a Double Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, and another Double Gold at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.  For a wine to receive a Double Gold, it needs to first earn unanimous Gold medals from every professional judge on the panel… Next the rare Double Gold earners are then reviewed by the panel and this one scored 97 Points. At $38/btl it not only has a big score, but it is a big score… from Cherry Picked Wines it’s a complete steal…
 
Built around a core of Cabernet Sauvignon and blended with Merlot, Petite Sirah and Syrah, the 2013 transcends from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality.  The quality was so apparent when this wine was in barrel the winemaker advocated for no label at all since the wine speaks for itself.  That wasn’t legal, so lo and behold they did label it…
 
ANARCHIST WINE CO.
THE PHILOSOPHER
2013 PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $38/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “…Classic Cabernet aromas of black cherry, plum, and violets, along with toffee, anise and hints of soy. Mouth-filling palate with ripe cherry, vanilla, cigar box and a bit of graphite. Nicely balanced acidity in a full-bodied wine, with well-integrated tannins...”
2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtNapaUSA

KULETO

2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY

2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

We’re always looking for the best values in Napa Cabernet, and one of the things that we pay critical attention to are Estate wines hewn within a close proximity to other revered vineyards.  Kuleto Estate is located just across Sage Canyon Road from Chappellet, Continuum and Gandona and their Estate Cabernet is an uncanny value at $60.  At this price, it’s honestly not even fair… The vineyard is remarkably diverse with vines planted along ridges and steep hillsides.  The soils, elevations and sub-climates are so complex that they delineated the property into more than 100 distinct micro-blocks.  Their 2013 Estate Cabernet is made up of 24 different micro-blocks.  Our panel was so taken by the quality that we bought every bottle that the distributor had available.  

Composed by seasoned winemaker Dave Lattin, and with a focused richness and elaborate, penetrating flavors, this wine has more than enough structure to age for many years to come.  Pressed in the winery’s state-of-the-art gravity-flow winery, their Estate Cabernet spends 20 months in oak barrels before bottling.  If you love big, full bodied Napa Cabernet Sauvignon without the premium price tag that normally comes with them… This one’s definitely for you.  

 
KULETO
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
 
 
From Wine Enthusiast: “From the producer’s estate at over 1,000 feet in elevation, this seamlessly textured wine grabs one’s palate from the start and doesn’t let go. Huckleberry and cedar notes meet bay leaf accents and grippy tannins, all enveloped in smoky oak. It finishes with bright, fresh blackberry.” 92 Points
2013 Salcheto Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulchino Sangiovese

2013 Salcheto Vino Nobile di Montelpulciano Riserva

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtNobile di MontelpulcianoSangioveseTuscanyUncategorized

SALCHETO 2013 Salcheto Riserva Vino Nobile di Montepulchino Sangiovese

2013 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO
TUSCANY, ITALY

 
Working with one of the top importers of boutique Italian wines in the US has its benefits… Massanois Imports supplies us with some of the highest-scoring and reputable Italian brands such as Aldo Conterno, Livio Sassetti and Parusso.  They’ve also introduced us to some stunning values from break-out boutique producers like Salcheto which launched in 2009.  Salcheto is already earning huge scores and obtaining this brand early in its life cycle offers an opportunity to stock-up while it’s still value priced.  The quality is so obviously high, that we struggled keeping the 2012 on the shelf.  The 2013 has even higher scores and a price that’s easy to swallow (pun, intended), you simply have to try this one…
 
Emerging from Tuscany’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, this stunning Riserva spends more than the required 2 full years in oak and a year in the bottle before release.  It’s 100% Sangiovese and the 2013 has a gorgeous perfume of sweet cherries, wild plum, leather and spices, and on the palate the wine is deep, seductive and velvety.  With the 93 and 94 Point scores on the 2013, you’ll want to secure yours before the rest of the world gets their chance.
 
SALCHETO
2013 RISERVA
VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO
TUSCANY, ITALY
Retails at:  $36.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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“This is beginning to hit its stride, with sweet cherry and berry, licorice, leather, tar and iron aromas and flavors. A good dose of tannins remains, but they are well-integrated into the whole. Fine length. Drink now through 2033.” 93 Points
“… Powerful and ample, with tons of depth, the 2013 is impressive. Fresh dark cherry, spice, licorice and menthol notes abound in this vibrant, beautifully resonant Vino Nobile…. In a word: superb!“  94 Points
Customers who enjoy Salcheto Riserva may also enjoy these two stunning Italian Reds…
2014 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo 2013 La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino
GIACOMO GRIMALDI
2014 BAROLO
PIEDMONT, ITALY
 
Your Price: $42.99/btl

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From The Wine Spectator: “Cherry and plum flavors resonate throughout this red, joined by notes of eucalyptus, tar, tobacco and spice. The fruit persists, with a firm grip of tannins as this fades on the finish...” 92 Points
LA RASINA
2013 BRUNELLO DIMONTALCINO
 
Your Price: $49.99/btl

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From James Suckling: “A wealth of ripe fruit with spice, tobacco, cedar and plum aromas that follow through to a full body, chewy and dense tannins and a ripe and delicious finish. A solid and stoic young red. Give it three or four years to soften. Made from organic grapes.” 96 Points
2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

with No Comment $30 and underDry Creek ValleySonomaUncategorizedUSAWhitesZinfandel

PETERSON 2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

2013 ESTATE ZINFANDEL
BRADFORD MOUNTAIN

 
Many of the best wines go well beyond flavors and aromas, and some can even evoke feelings of nostalgia, like when I tasted Fred Peterson’s wines.  They are a perfect example of a classic style that many would call traditional and non-interventional.  Fred calls it their zero manipulation style of winemaking, which just as it sounds, is the philosophy of doing as little as possible to the wine in the cellar, resulting in the in the best expression of the vineyard.  It’s rare to come across a New World winery with a steadfast approach to this winemaking approach, and to celebrate it, we thought we would offer the wine at a “historic” price to boot…
 
Zero manipulation winemaking always begins in the vineyard, and that’s why we picked the 2013 Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel.  Perched at 1,000 feet in elevation, overlooking Dry Creek Valley, the well-drained, red-clay soils produce exceptional fruit.  The 2013 has a sturdy frame and concentrated center core of fruit that opens up to classic mulberry, white pepper and hints of saddle leather and wild rose.  At this price, you simply can’t afford to miss this…
 
PETERSON
2013 ESTATE ZINFANDEL
BRADFORD MOUNTAIN
Retails at:  $38/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “A rich blend of ripe dark berries with traces of toasty oak provides an inviting entry. The luscious mouthfeel releases layers of concentrated fruit-plum, deep blackberry and dark cherry-punctuated by hints of spice and pepper. The Bradford Mountain terroir influences are evident in the threads of minerality that weave through this opulent wine, adding to its depth and complexity.”
 
Customers who enjoy Peterson Estate Zinfandel may also enjoy these two outstanding Zins…
2016 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2014 Valdez Sonoma County Zinfadel
MAURITSON
2016 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $39.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Winery Notes: “Perfumed aromas of black boysenberry cobbler with graham cracker crust waft from the glass. Hints of anise, fresh fig, and earthiness beautifully complement the fruit profile. The entry is full but inviting, exhibiting flavors of mocha, wet gravel, and black cherry. The mouthfeel is seamless from start to finish, indicative of perfectly integrated tannin and acid. Please enjoy this wine for the next 7-10 years.”
VALDEZ
2014 ZINFANDEL
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at:  $30/btl
 

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Winery Notes: “Aromas and flavors of juicy blackberries and currants are expressed in the 2014ValdezZinfandel. This wine has fresh acidity and light tannins that are in harmonious balance while hints of licorice and spice linger on the finish. Fruit for this wine is sourced from 3 different Sonoma County AVAs: Dry creek, Russian River Valley, and Alexander Valley.“