Allison Robbins Wines

Hamel Wines
Kevin Hamel is a highly regarded, small production winemaker in Sonoma and former winemaker for Preston Vineyards. The Syrah’s highlights are in its complex aromatics from grapes that span two AVA’s, Russian River and Dry Creek. His 2003 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is grown on Goldridge soil, touted for its low fertility and great drainage. Prior to making wine for Preston, Mr. Hamel made Port in Portugal. He also consults to five wineries at the present time, including Pellegrini and Olivet Lane. His wines were recently written about in both Saveur Magazine and Wine Spectator.

Provisor Vineyards
Provisor Vineyards is a single estate Syrah producer in Dry Creek Valley. They have consistently received high ratings from Wine Spectator and Robert Parker since their first vintage. The Provisors sold their first crop of grapes, 2000, to winemaker Suzy Selby, and effectively acted as negociants. They felt their second vintage was over cropped, so did not release wine until 2002. They are now on the 2004 vintage, and the 2004 is a luscious, beautifully balanced big –wow red.

Russian Hill Estate
Ed and Ellen Gomez's Russian Hill winery sits on a hilltop overlooking adjacent Sonoma Cutrer. They make a non-malolactic Chardonnay, several Syrahs, including one with 1 ½ percent Viognier, and several estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs that are reminiscent of Santenay and Volnay. Their Tara Vineyard, Russian River Pinot Noir was listed in the top 100 wines of the year by The San Francisco Chronicle and touted by Jancis Robinson.

Farella-Park Vineyards
Farella-Park and Elke Vineyards: Tom Farella is an extraordinary winemaker who has worked for Neyers, Floral Springs, Preston and wineries and vineyards in Oregon and Sonoma. Farella-Park is his label, producing a New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc from grapes grown on his estate vineyard in the southeastern corner of Napa Valley, a medium-full-bodied Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon from this same vineyard, whose grapes are also sold to Pahlmeyer and Shafer wineries.

Elke Vineyards
Tom Farella is also the winemaker for Elke Vineyards Pinot Noir. The grapes in her Elke Vineyard Pinot Noir are from her Donnelly Creek Vineyard in Anderson Valley, and her Pinot was written about in Forbes.com, who described it as: “One of 25 Great American Pinot Noirs. More than any other wine I tasted, Elke evoked Pinot Noir's hallmark characteristic of rose petals. “It is brimming with soft, vibrant fruits all in perfect harmony with a fine acidity and restrained tannins." Mary Elke also makes a Rose of Pinot Noir from her estate fruit, and a Chardonnay made from purchased Anderson Valley fruit.

Domaine Rafael
Domaine George Rafael Vineyards presents a non-malolactic Chardonnay made from his Napa Valley grapes by Phyllis Zazounis at Mazzaca. It is made in the style of white Burgundies and is a fantastic, crisp Napa white for an incredible value.

Derbes Wines
Derbes Wines from winemaker Cecile Derbes offers rich and silky answer to the question of who is making some of the most luscious Chardonnay in Russian River and Carneros. She also makes a Burgundian Pinot Noir from Russian River and a blend of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir she calls “Les Pinot”. Cecile Derbes is from Champagne, her family are the negociants for Nicolas Feuillate champagne, and she was also the vineyard manager for Opus One before starting her own label.

Midsummer Cellars
Midsummer Cellars is a new Napa Cabernet project from Rollie Heitz, the son of Heitz Cellars. He worked for Heitz Cellars for 25 years before branching out on his own, and is making a fantastic Napa cab from Canon Creek Vineyard.

Rezonja Vineyards
Steve Rezonja is making luscious Cabernet from Alexander Valley from his estate fruit. The 2003 Rezonja Wine Cellars Cabernet reveals a saturated ruby-purple dolor in addition to a sweet perfume of cassis, spice box, licorice and lavender, with an essence of bittersweet chocolate. Beautifully balanced, broad, dense and rich with noticeable but perfectly integrated tannins. Varietal: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc. Aged in 100% French Oak Barrels for 22 months, 800 cases made.

Ty Caton Vineyards
Ty Caton makes a rich and gorgeously chocolate-y Zinfandel from Sonoma County as well as a Cabernet, Syrah, and two fantastic blends. His blend of Cab, Syrah, Petit Sirah and Merlot he calls Tytanium – a fitting name – is bold, luscious and smooth as silk.

Davenport Wines
Margaret Davenport of Davenport Winery is making a rich, cherry-raspberry-spice Pinot Noir she calls Russian River Cuvee out of purchased Russian River fruit and it is doing phenonmenally well in the L.A. marketplace.

Clos Mimi
Tim Spear is the winemaker for Clos Mimi, which makes several award-winning Syrahs from Brave Oak and Shell Creek Vineyards, as well as a 100% Syrah they call Petite Rousse, from Paso Robles.

Va Piano
Va Piano, I believe, will far surpass Leonetti and Woodward Canyon in prestige, high-quality, Washington State wines. Their 2005 Walla Walla/Columbia Valley is a luxurious blend of luscious Washington fruit, black fruits and a perfect symmetry of Syrah notes with a silky mid-palate. They just received a five-star Decanter award from Decanter magazine in their November 2007 issue, high praise indeed.

Lazy Creek Vineyards
Lazy Creek Vineyards is next to Roederer in Anderson Valley. Its winemaker Josh Chandler believes in making completely un-oaked Chardonnays, crisp Rieslings and Gewurtraminers, and Pinot Noirs with the capacity to age for years. His RPB Pinot Noir is highly sought after, and is sold in a handful of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles.

Silver Wines
Benjamin Silver has been touted as a winemaker to watch. He has just released his newest vintage Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir from Julia’s Vineyard, single vineyard Syrah, two vintages of Viognier from Vogelzang Vineyard, Syrah-Mourvedre and two new blends called El Ojo Rojo Cuvee Uno and Cuvee Dos, designed for by-the-glass pricing. His wines not only benefit from the unique mesoclimates of Santa Barbara County, but Silver’s passion for Italian viticulture and winemaking. It also reflects his tutelage from winemaker Daniel Gehrs, from whom Silver had taken over Zaca Mesa’s winemaking before branching out on his own Silver Wines label.

Stevenson-Barrie Vineyards from Oregon is currently sold out.